Suzuki resumes orders for Jimny automatic

SUZUKI Australia has re-opened the order books for its popular Jimny three-door automatic this week, saying increased production opportunities throughout 2024 have allowed the brand to secure a greater supply of the light off-roader.

The importer paused sales of its automatic Jimny in January 2023 as demand outstripped supply before temporarily resuming orders in September, albeit to just 500 customers.

Suzuki Australia – which distributes to every Australian state and territory bar Queensland – had wait times of more than six months for three-door manual Jimny models, making it one of the country’s most sought-after vehicles.

“Whilst back orders are still reaching as far as the second half of 2024, we have managed to secure incremental volume that will allow us to flick the switch back on for the automatic transmission in Jimny,” explained Suzuki Australia general manager of automobile Michael Pachota.

“This ties in perfectly with the exciting launch of Jimny XL today to complete our total product offering of the Suzuki Jimny for Australia in 2024.”

The importer will soon offer a five-door version of the Jimny Down Under with the ‘XL’ variant to be launched imminently.

Suzuki’s five-door Jimny will offer the same specification and equipment as the three-door range, including the choice of seven paint colours.

The new variant will share the regular version’s 75kW/130Nm outputs courtesy of the familiar 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and, like that model, is expected to be offered with both five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions.

While Suzuki Australia has yet to provide fuel consumption and CO2 emissions figures for the five-door Jimny, the current three-door model returns a low 6.6 litres per 100km on the ADR combined cycle with carbon dioxide emissions of 146 grams per kilometre.

At this stage it is not known whether the larger model will perform any better than the three-door when it comes to crashworthiness.

The current-generation Jimny carries just three ANCAP stars, the model’s 2018 safety assessment indicating a 73 per cent adult occupant protection rating, an 84 per cent child occupant protection rating, a 52 per cent vulnerable road user protection score and a 50 per cent safety assist grade.

At the time of testing, ANCAP criticised the Jimny for missing the mark with structural design weakness, poor protection of cyclists and pedestrians, and the lack of effective safety aids.

Suzuki Australia has yet to confirm arrival timing or price for the new model, though it is expected a low-$30K entry point will mark the five-door Jimny’s arrival.

According to VFACTS figures, Suzuki has sold 4673 examples of the Jimny to the end of November, down 11.5 per cent over the same time last year.

The model is without direct competition in the light SUV segment it occupies, left to battle larger – and more expensive – off-road oriented models such as the GWM Tank 300 (from $46,990 drive-away) and Jeep Wrangler (from $81,450 plus on-road costs).