Here’s Why Maruti Should Launch the Jimny in India: Indians have grown attached to the SUV segment over the last few years. They have always been dreaming about buying an SUV but due to the expensive prices, it was an unaffordable dream. With the advent of the sales of the compact SUVs, those dreams have finally been fulfilled. The Maruti Suzuki Gypsy has been one of the most beloved cars in the country and everyone dreams of buying it when they grow up. Once they do, they see that compared to all the other cars in the market, the Gypsy does not have much to offer.
The Gypsy is actually a long-wheelbase model of the second-generation Suzuki Jimny sold in Japan. With the launch of the fourth-generation Jimny in Japan, there were high hopes that the car will find its way to India and replace the age-old Gypsy. But all these hopes were shattered when Maruti Suzuki announced that there will be no launch of the Jimny in the Indian market. But we feel that Maruti must consider the Jimny as the replacement of Gypsy and according to us, here are 5 reasons why Maruti should launch the Jimny in India:
1) Head-Turning Looks
The Jimny sports a retro and muscular look to it. It could have been offered in a three-door model, which might not have taken the market by the storm since it is currently dominated by the 5-door compact SUVs. However, the retro look accented by a 5-slat, blacked-out grille, circular headlights, circular fog lights and circular indicators, was surely going to make people nostalgic and buy the Jimny without caring about the practicality. The front bumper has a large air intake which is blacked-out, just like the outside rear-view mirrors. The wheel arches are flared, enhancing the mini-SUV stance further.
2) Modern & Feature-Rich Interiors
The interiors on the Jimny have been inspired by the ones that we see on the Ignis or the latest generation of the Swift. The steering has mounted controls to better control the various features on the car. The centre console has been accepted by the customers who have seen it on the Swift, the Baleno, the Brezza, and the Ignis.
The touchscreen infotainment system now supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the same as it does on the cars that it is available on now. The combined punch of the retro exterior and the modern interior would surely have made it a high-selling product.
3) Affordable Pricing
Since the Jimny would have been essentially replacing the Gypsy in the Indian markets, the price was expected to start below INR 7 lakh for the base model of the car while the top-end 4×4 model was expected to be priced around INR 11-12 lakh. According to the speculations and the reports, for the Indian markets, the Jimny could have featured a ladder frame construction, four-wheel drive, and a low-gearing range, giving it all the perks required for a serious off-roader.
Like the Gypsy, the Jimny would have been easy to drive on road as well as off-road. However, this was the main concern for the company since they revealed that they could not bring in a product at this price range and still expect it to go up against the 5-door SUVs.
4) Powerful Engine Options
Globally, the car is expected to be available with 2 engine options: a 660cc RA06 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 64 hp and 96 Nm and a 1.5 litre petrol engine with 102 HP of max power and 130 NM of max torque. Both engines have 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmission option.
For the Indian market, Maruti Suzuki would most probably have used the same engine twins like they do for most of their cars: the 1.2 litre petrol engine and the 1.3 litre diesel engine. Though there are rumors that the brand might plonk the more powerful 1.5 litre petrol engine in the top-end 4×4 model of Jimny SUV.
5) Perfect Companion
The Jimny would have had an urban touch to it, all the while taking on the off-roaders like Mahindra Thar and Force Gurkha. It would have served both as a daily commuter and an off-roader, with engines and quality featuring the trust from Suzuki.
Suzuki Jimny (Quick Facts)
Dimensions & Weight
- Overall Length: 3550 mm
- Overall Width: 1475-1645 mm
- Overall Height: 1730 mm
- Wheelbase: 2250 mm
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 40 litres
- Weight: 1030-1090 kg
- Ground Clearance: 210 mm
Jimny Capabilities
- Approach Angle: 41-degree
- Break-over Angle: 28-degree
- Departure Angle: 51-degree
- Turning Radius: 4.8 metres
Jimny Sierra Capabilities
- Approach Angle: 36-degree
- Break-over Angle: 28-degree
- Departure Angle: 50-degree
- Turning Radius: 4.9 metres
New Suzuki Jimny Colors
