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The Suzuki Jimny: From Three To Five Doors

More doors for this little four-by-four, the Jimny continues to make headlines with a growth spurt plus more reasons to love it.

Earl Lee on Jan 03, 2024

The Jimny needs little to no introduction. Arguably one of the most famous nameplates in the Suzuki lineup today, the little 4x4 is perhaps one of the most anticipated cars going into 2024, and it’s going to be a bigger one this time around.

Suzuki is no stranger to small cars, and the Jimny has been one of the more popular names in the market today thanks to its versatility, but not for its space. Some hardcore off-roaders swear by it, while others who like the look of it and the customization options that it can handle love it. However, practicality wasn’t its strong suit, until the five-door version started popping up in the global market.

The three-door sold really well since the model was introduced, but the new five-door will likely bring many new customers into the fold who’ve written off the three-door because it was too small to fit their needs. Now, there are fewer excuses to get the new Jimny in its five-door variant, or are there? Let’s dive into some of the pros and cons of this little 4x4.

Powertrain

We applauded the Jimny’s powertrain in its three-door configuration, mainly because Suzuki did such a great job of making the most out of the power and torque that the small 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine had to offer. The other reason why the Jimny was so loved was because of its engine and transmission pairing given the weight and the scale of the car. At 101 hp and 130 Nm of torque, you’d think that this off-roader would struggle a lot, but in actuality, it doesn’t. Dirt can’t withstand as much power as asphalt, so you don’t need that much power to spin the tire and dig yourself into a ditch. However, there has to be some engineering wizardry at play because the little 1.5 can only get you so far when it comes to climbing.

In addition to the engine, the Jimny also comes with Suzuki’s All-Grip technology, which means that its transmission is capable of multiplying what little torque the engine has and converting it into some pretty gnarly climbing prowess. On top of that, Suzuki also loaded this car up with its trusty 4x4 system and its electronic aids to boot, making it one heck of an off-roader.

However, the Jimny has long been lamented for its fuel economy. The boxy design can’t cut through the air as well, giving it a huge penalty in terms of efficiency on the highway or in the city. Light, but boxy, it speaks volumes of how important aerodynamic design is in the modern age, but with the five-door, we can expect even worse fuel economy numbers given the added weight and the fact that Suzuki is still pushing on with the 1.5-liter gasoline engine. In our experience, we managed 7.6km/L in the city and about 16km/L on the highway, which is a ways off from what we’re used to with other Suzuki models. These figures were taken from our latest long-term review of the three-door model.

Is the five-door going to be better? At the time of writing, we’re still excited to see what the new Jimny has to offer after its growth spurt, but fuel efficiency and power-to-weight ratios are some expected let-downs for this model.

Not enough space before? Now is there enough space?

The three-door Jimny is one of the more compact SUVs you can buy in the market today, and that did it a few favors. For one, it was straightforward to drive thanks to its commanding view and stance on the road and its ample ground clearance. Plus, it also had a short wheelbase, which made it easy to fit through small streets and into parking spaces with ease.

While the short and narrow wheelbase may be favorable for the Jimny when it comes to fitting into tight spots, the car does tend to tip over thanks to its small and tall stance. Now, the addition of a five-door gives the Jimny a few more points when it comes to stability, but that remains to be seen given the weight distribution of the chassis given the same track width as before.

Now, the longer wheelbase should make a big difference when it comes to the Jimny’s accessibility and its rear passenger accommodations. While we didn’t complain about the space in the rear of the Jimny three-door given that it was a three-door SUV, ingress and egress is a bit of a gymnastic exercise. With the five-door, your kids, friends, or even your mother, might not have to go through hoops and loops just to get into the back seat, and instead of bumping up against the backrest of the front seat, rear passengers will be assured of a bit more space compared to before. Is it going to be a game-changer of a change? Probably because of the additional cargo space that the five-door will bring. Whenever we end up carrying bulky bits of cargo like balikbayan boxes, we appreciate when a brand is able to turn its floors completely flat, making it easy to slide the boxes in and slide the boxes out.

However, we do have to backtrack a little bit, and that is with regard to weight. Remember, while you do have a capable transmission with a low-gear option, the engine is still a 1.5-liter mill that churns out 101 hp and 130 Nm of torque. You will notice your fuel consumption going up if you load the three-door up, and perhaps even more if you load the five-door version.

Initial expectations and critiques

We expect the five-door to be the car that helps fence-sitters make the purchase. We expect the longer Jimny to be the car that’ll give the nameplate an additional boost in popularity because of the practicality that the additional space and doors bring. The model will give people fewer excuses to buy into the Jimny, but there are a few cons.

Again, we expect that the five-door’s acceleration and fuel economy will take a hit given that it will only come with a 1.5-liter engine. Unless Suzuki comes up with a solution, whether it is an electric motor that turns this into a mild-hybrid, or whether it is a bigger engine, then the three-door will definitely be a more ‘selfish’ driver’s pick. We enjoyed our time with the three-door, and we had a ton of fun getting it out off the road and into the trails, and the lack of space was a bit of a con in our books, but it wasn’t a part of the Jimny formula until now.

With the five-door in the mix, Suzuki is taking a bold leap with the platform. For now, we’re excited to see what the brand has done to alleviate the extra weight. We’re hoping for a bit of a revision when it comes to the powertrain, but we’re not holding our breaths. Frankly, the bigger Jimny may appeal to those who want a stylish and rather practical small SUV, but without the accessibility cons of the three-door. The Jimny wasn’t fast or zippy, to begin with, and that was never the point of it anyway, but we’re anticipating a bump up in fuel consumption figures and a drop in efficiency should Suzuki continue with the 1.5-liter without a turbo.

However, while the additional doors add a layer of accessibility to the car, the fact that several sources are claiming that the model will be priced much higher compared to before is something that we’re a little skeptical about. Sources claim that the Jimny will retail for about P1,500,000, give or take. Now, whether or not that’s a fair price for you and the rest of the market remains to be seen. It’s quite pricey given the capabilities of the car as a daily driver, but we have to remember that the Jimny is also a purchase of the heart and not just of the mind.

So our biggest question here is, is the Jimny worth getting as a five-door and at its supposed price? We’ll find out when we get it for a review.