Maruti Suzuki Jimny Is Finally Here And You Can Buy One In India Real Soon!

Suzuki's iconic and much-loved SUV has been showcased at Auto Expo 2020 and it will be brought to India in a different avatar

• Maruti brings latest fourth-gen Suzuki Jimny to the expo. 

• Gypsy was essentially the long-wheelbase second-gen global Jimny/ Samurai.

• It uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a 5-speed manual and 4-speed auto gearbox.

• There is a 4x4 transfer case with a low-range option, offering good off-road ability.

• Its two-door version is unlikely to come to India but a four-door version is on the cards to arrive by 2021.

Since the time Suzuki revealed the new Jimny globally, we have been asking one question: Is it coming to India? Well, it is here now... sort of. Maruti Suzuki has showcased this capable, body-on-frame tiny off-roader at Auto Expo 2020.

Underneath its bonnet lies a modest 1.5-litre petrol engine that makes 105PS of power and 138Nm of torque. It’s the same unit that is present in the Ciaz and Ertiga, and now with the S-Cross and the facelifted Brezza. The gearbox options are the same too: a 5-speed manual and a 4-speed torque converter.

What separates the Jimny from these mere mortals, however, is a 4x4 drivetrain that has a low-range option as well, giving the Jimny the go-anywhere ability that is synonymous with its nameplate.

In its latest fourth-gen, the Jimny features the same boxy layout that we saw on the old Jimnys but it has become sharper than ever. It looks more menacing now and those round headlamps marry this new design with those from the cars of yesteryears.

The glass area is huge, just like the old models. So, we expect this cabin not to feel cramped despite the Jimny’s small proportions. Its tailgate-mounted spare wheel also makes it look like the Jimny means business. And it looks the part in any off-road setting. The showcase model at the expo was draped in Jungle Green exterior colour to add a little more toughness to its appearance.

Just because it is a car built to go off-road doesn’t mean that Suzuki has left gaps in the features column. You still get creature comforts like cruise control, a touchscreen infotainment system, and LED headlamps.

Safety is also well taken care of. Suzuki is offering six airbags, ABS, hill descent control, hill hold control, seatbelts with pretensioners, and force limiters for four passengers inside the cabin. These are just some of the highlighted features Suzuki offers in the top-spec Jimny.

Now comes the point where we tell you when you will see it on showroom floors. The Jimny is not expected to hit showrooms anytime soon, at least in its current two-door avatar. Much as we have all drooled over the 3-door Jimny, insider sources have told us that a 5-door extended version would make more practical sense for India.

If all goes well, we could see Maruti Suzuki offering it to customers by 2021, and we might get an extended version as well. In fact, the Gypsy was an extended version of the second-gen global Jimny/ Samurai. So Maruti could possibly do that once again. If greenlighted, the Jimny's prices could start from around Rs 10 lakh and will retail from Nexa.