It's been about a decade since Suzuki decided to end car sales in America. And while most have forgotten the brand completely, Doug DeMuro has unearthed a little Japanese novelty that he thinks is perfect for the booming SUV market.
This is the Suzuki Jimny, and you probably already know about it. The new generation which launched in 2018 is a very boldly styled box. It's impossible not to fall in love with it, and we've featured dozens of interesting stories about it.
Looking at the Jimny is one thing, but owning one or even driving it is more difficult. Due to emissions restrictions, it's becoming rare even in Europe, while Americans never got to enjoy the cute 4x4. So how did Doug DeMuro get one?
Well, according to him, Suzuki just put 1,000 of them on sale in Mexico and they sold almost immediately. He borrowed one from a view and wants to argue that this affordable off-roader is what America needs. In an ideal world, that would be true, but cheap imports rarely work out the way they're supposed to.
If there's huge demand, dealers will charge huge premiums. And let's face it, the Jimny is the coolest car of this size. They even make Liberty Walk body kits for it. But it's also not the safest new vehicle right now. It's tall, boxy, and Euro NCAP gave it 3 out of 5 stars after crash tests.
Perhaps it's best to look at it as 'forbidden fruit' and enjoy its many quirks and features. And you can tell Doug loves this little thing, as he's trembling with excitement. The Jimny is the type of 4x4 he'd probably import 25 years from now.
In Mexico, the Jimny sold for the equivalent of around $20,000 for the 1.5-liter 100 horsepower powertrain. Even though this looks new, its quirks belong in the late 1990s. For example, it's got a normal key, not a fancy fob. The lever to engage the 4WD looks like it's from a classic Land Rover, while the suspension rocks as Doug is gesturing. Oh, and those blank switches he mentions are for the heated seat option.
The point of a review like this is to appeal to old-school off-roader people who love Jeeps and Tacomas. They're the ones who are going to find the basic simplicity of the Jimny nostalgic. But the exterior is so cool that every car hipster is going to love it as well.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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