Suzuki has officially released images its new Jimny ahead of a formal unveiling in Japan later in the year. Spied testing multiple times and with a number of leaked images, details regarding the Jimny have been floating around for a while now.
Suzuki has begun series production of the next-gen Jimny SUV at its Japanese facility ahead of an official unveiling, which is scheduled to take place later this year.
The fourth-generation Jimny is being developed with the feedback of existing Jimny owners in mind, who rank its effective off-road capabilities and robustness more highly than on-road performance.
The new model’s road handling characteristics have been improved according to our sister publication Autocar UK, however, the vehicle is expected to still stick to its original hardy and rugged nature.
the new Jimny’s design reflects its 4×4 status with a simple, box-shaped body. Much of the design appears similar to that found on the Mercedes-Benz G-class such as the squared-off wheel arches and tail-lights located low on the bumper.
The Jimny’s cabin gains modern features such as touchscreen infotainment, the overall design remains clunky – likely due to a priority for function over form to enable users to operate controls and buttons with gloves on.
Suzuki has been testing the car in four countries in order to develop the car’s chassis set-up and refinement for launch onto the global market. Its scale is not expected to drastically change from the outgoing car.
Suzuki swapped the manual low-range gear selector in its latest Vitara for an electric rotary dial, but the new Jimny could stick with the former system to maximize its off-road adjustability.
The brand has remained tight-lipped as to what will power the future SUV, but sources expect Suzuki’s turbocharged 1.0-litre, three-pot Boosterjet to be offered, with the brand’s naturally-aspirated 1.2-litre a potential entry-point engine.