Driven: 2019 Suzuki Jimny

When creating the newcomer, the Japanese carmaker stayed true to the traditional Jimny recipe, from the functional styling of the exterior and the keep-it-simple cabin, to the tech side, which brings together a host of tried and tested solutions.

The new Suzuki Jimny promises to be as ready for rugged terrain as ever, while sporting a retro-modern exterior and living up to contemporary standards. Oh, and let's not forget the usual pinch of good vibes.

We recently spent some time with the little offroader, trying to find out how being part of the Jimny community feels and putting the claims above to the test.

When the automotive producer released the previous incarnation of the little offroader, Will Smith was... Getting' Jiggy wit It (think:1998), so the fourth generation of the Jimny, which has just landed, is truly welcome.

Then again, the entire pedigree of the model is built around longevity. It all kicked off in 1970, when Suzuki came up with an overly spartan machine whose sole purpose in life was to take one anywhere.

Eleven years later, the second generation arrived and with the 80s vibes kicking in, the vehicle got more modern, so its occupants could leave the boots at home if they wished to.

As for the third coming of the Jimny, this saw the model mixing its workhorse core with the kind of comfort that had never been found on its predecessors.

For the 2019 model, the Japanese engineers and designers didn't rush to scrap all the bits of the old cars. And we'll start with the retro design.

While the round headlights, which can be ordered with LED technology, remind us of the military-like original, the clamshell bonnet is almost borrowed from the second-gen model, as is the taillight design, while the front grille is similar to that used by the Mk III version.

As with its predecessors, the Jimny carries its spare wheel at the back. After all, given the uber-compact dimensions of the car, this is only normal.

Speaking of which, those of you who considered the old Jimny a behemoth will be relieved to find out that the new one is shorter by 30 mm, which brings the overall length down to a parking-friendly 3,645 mm. However, the machine is 45 mm wider and 20 mm higher.

The resulting "cube" can be dressed in one of the eight available colors, with the two all-new colors having quite an impact. We have to admit we're big fans of Jungle Green, which actually did a good job at camouflaging the test car we used in the forest. Then there's Kinetic Yellow, found on the car we drove on the road, which stands out in the urban landscape, be it a modern neighborhood or a construction site.

While we're talking architecture, we'll let you know that the cabin of the Jimny is impressive, achieving quite a lot with very little. The highlights of the interior are the rugged-design instrument panel and the new central infotainment screen. The latter doesn't offer brilliant response, but it gets the job done and can be operated with gloves, as the rest of the switches in the cabin.

In fact, the no-fuss nature of the Suzuki Jimny means that, for instance, the visible metallic parts, which show the color of the car inside it, only add to the appeal.

The optional automatic climate control, steering wheel and other pieces like the gearshift lever are shared with the new Swift, which means the ergonomics are good. Speaking of the steering wheel, its angle lets you know you're in a terrain tamer, while the configuration of the roof and the upright A-pillars mean the car wears the cap, so you don't have to. No, really, the generous roof area in front of the driver protects you from the sunlight.

Nevertheless, the footwell seems a bit cramped and we felt like there was no place to hold the clutch foot during the offroad sections (more on this below).

Despite the shorter footprint, the wheelbase has remained the same (2,250mm) and it even feels like there's a little more space in the back than before. We're happy to report that operating the front seats to access the rear is done easily. The Jimny is a four-seater, but the raised floor of the vehicle means the rear passengers have limited space for their lower legs, which means riding in the back is only okay for short or moderate trips.

We did find an issue with the otherwise respectable front seats, namely that the material they were made off meant we kept getting hot (no, the optional seat heating wasn't on).

The 377-liter luggage capacity, which falls in line with that of compact crossovers, is a 53-liter improvement over the old car. It's just that you'll have to fold the rear seats to reach that value. In four-seater configuration, the luggage space is enough for one or two moderate-size watermelons (who doesn't love them?).

Underneath all those bits we discussed above, we find a ladder chassis that seems pretty close to that of the replaced model. Nevertheless, the separate chassis is now stiffer, thanks to an X-member in the middle and a pair of additional cross members.

The nose of the car is occupied by a naturally aspirated motor, albeit with this having gone from 1.3 to 1.5 liters (what? that's a whole motorcycle engine as a bonus). Even so, the new unit is smaller and lighter than the one it replaces. The naturally aspirated four-pot delivers 101 horses and a peak torque of 130 Nm (96 lb-ft).

In the transmission department, we can talk about nine ratios... albeit split between two separate units - you can choose between a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic, but we only got to drive the first.

The driver also gets to operate a second lever and we're not even talking about the handbrake here. You see, the vehicle comes with a transfer case, which allows one to choose between rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive, with the latter also featuring a reduction gear.

You can go from RWD to AWD on the fly (up to 100 km/h), but since the last fully locks the center differential, you'll feel the vehicle moving with less agility, so it's best to use this option on loose surfaces.

We have solid axles at both ends, so when one of the wheels goes up while tackling an obstacle, the other is pushed down, reaching for grip.

With the front and the rear diffs being open, the engineers had to find a way to prevent the car from getting stuck when two diagonally opposed wheels slip. Well, that's when the electronics kick in, applying the brakes on the troubled wheel to also send torque to the other one on the respective axle.

The all-round coil springs are there to ensure a better road behavior. There's also a recirculating ball steering system (required by the solid axle and less prone to offroading damage compared to a rack and pinion setup), which features a damper (the solution might remind you of motorbike steering dampers) to reduce that unwanted kickback.

210 millimeters - this is what separates the Jimny from the terrain underneath it, so the ground clearance is respectable and also means you sit higher compared to driver of urban-dwelling mockup crossover. Also, rough terrain geeks will be thrilled to find out that the land-taming angles are better than before: the approach one sits at 37 degrees, the ramp breakover at 28 degrees and the departure one at 49 degrees.

It's worth mentioning that our test cars, which had identical configurations, with only their colors being different, were fitted with Dueler HT all-round rubber.

From behind the steering wheel, the new Jimny is the kind of car that will give a Land Rover a hard time off the beaten path.

In fact, the compact dimensions and the lightweight nature of the Japanese model (1,135 kg kerb weight with options) make for a proficient offroading experience. You can easily position the Jimny and you feel what the car does at each moment, with the generous steering angle and suspension travel allowing you to find your path.

So not only does the car master the rugged terrain sport, but it also makes it easy for the driver. And we didn't even get to the assistance system part - you can now use Hill Hold Control (keeps the car in place for six seconds after you lift off the brake) and Hill Descent Control (limits the speed to 5 km/h in low gear and 10 km/h in high gear).

Even the side-opening luggage compartment door and the passenger doors seem to have been engineered for difficult terrain. No, we didn't go sliding on them. Instead, we opened them while the car was at various angles and their latches prevented unwanted shocks.

The good visibility of the 2019 Jimny, hefty door mirrors included, doesn't just help with the offroading, but also when you're inside the city.

The tiny thing is maneuvrable, with its turning circle being similar to that of a supermini. We tackled a few narrow streets in the Jimny, with the traffic we encountered during the drive also throwing a monster traffic jam at us and yet the drive was never unpleasant.

Once we escaped the city, we found out that the Jimny is happy out on the open road, as long as you don't go past 120 km/h (75 mph). And that's because the lack of a sixth ratio means you'll be keeping the engine high in the rev range, with the cabin being filled by the resulting soundtrack.

Due to those solid axles, the ride is quite fidgety, while the body roll is hefty, as we noticed after leaving the highway and entering a B-road. Then there's the recirculating ball steering, which isn't talkative at all.

However, all the aspects give the Jimny driving experience a sense of occasion. This is the kind of car that makes you feel alive and lets the passenger know there's an adventure going on well within the speed limits. Thus, the Suzuki is a very enjoyable partner for those who don't go on long trips. We absolutely adored the time we spent inside it.

It's no secret that the boxy look of the 2019 Suzuki Jimny has earned it the nickname of a baby G-Class. Then again, the time spent together has taught us that such a comparo would be much more relevant if the Jeep badge was involved. Then again, the new Wrangler can be up to three times more expensive than the Jimny. And yes, we wish the Jimny was also available with a removable top.

Did we try drifting? Of course we did, but this didn't mean we succeeded. The configuration of the car means sliding on dry asphalt is out the question, while getting the tail out on slippery surfaces is limited - the ESP can be fully deactivated, by the electronic nannies will force their way in once you reach 30 km/h (19 mph). And that speedometer can climb like crazy when you're trying to spin the rear wheels on gravel...

While we were out driving the Jimny, the folks over at Euro NCAP bashed the living hell out of it. And the results weren't pretty.

Like the second-generation Dacia Duster, the Suzuki we have here earned a three-star safety rating offering a 73 percent adult occupant protection score, 84 percent for children in the back seats, and only 52 percent in terms of runaway pedestrians. So whether we're talking about the frontal, the side or the rear impact, the Suzuki Jimny is better left uncrashed, so please keep it that way.

Unlike in the case of the Duster, though, we're prepared to cut the Jimny some slack and that's because this isn't some family-orientated daily driver, but more of a four-wheeled hobby machine, if you will.

Speaking of which, the Jimny gets even further down the diminutive road in its home market. Sure, the Japanese customers also get the model we receive, but the carmaker also came out with a kei car version of the model.

Out goes the 1.5-liter motor, being replaced by a 658cc three-cylinder engine that delivers a motorcycle-worthy 65 hp and 96 Nm of torque. Oh, and those fat arches of the global car are also removed, with machine offering a more restrained appearance.

Returning to the worldwide affair, we'll mention that on the German market, the new Suzuki Jimny comes with a starting price of €17,915, which brings a jump of over €2,000 over the previous generation. Nevertheless, the fun-for-money ratio remains brilliant.

Those willing to let the car shift the gears itself should add €1,180. As for a fully loaded Jimny, which packs goodies like two-tone paint, satnav, LED headlights and others, this will set you back €20,485.

While we're talking features, there's something we need to add about the lower configurations: you know a car is proper fun when ordering it with steelies might make it look even better and this is the case with the Jimny.

Oh, and don't forget to check out the accesories Suzuki has prepared for the Jimny. There we quite a few that caught our eye, such as the differential guards, the mud flaps and the tent. There's also some interior stuff that will help you keep the doggo happy.

Since Suzuki retired from the American market back in 2012, US consumers won't get to enjoy the great outdoors in this happy little vehicle (admit it, you'd LS swap this toy).

The Suzuki Jimny has always been a niche product and with this new generation, it can appeal to a larger audience. If you can look past its lackluster safety and its limited cruising speed, this vehicle is ready to serve as inspiration even to those outside the offroading world, because it easily gives you the giggles. Even when driven inside the city, this thing will put a smile on your face and it might also have this effect on the people who throw a glance at it.

This Japanese proposal works brilliantly as a second or third car (it doesn't even take up too much parking space).

In the end, the Jimny remains in a segment of its own, a reality where cuteness and ruggedness peacefully coexist.