7th Mar 2009, 13:19

I really appreciate reading your comments as I was about to purchase a new Jimny JLX. The newer models come with ABS and automatic transmission (and airbags) ; do these make the Jimny any safer to drive on road?

8th Mar 2009, 16:57

Mine was the newer 2006 model with ABS-this only avoids wheels locking up under harsh braking and is not what the Jimny requires, which is an Electronic Stability Program (ESP) -this would control the sudden oversteer electronically.

As I said, most of the time it will be a great car, but if the driven rear wheels slip causing oversteer, and then suddenly grip (or clip a kerb) it will roll easily, even at very low speeds.

Why not look at a new Fiat Panda 4x4 (see Fiat Supersaver), or a used Suzuki SX4/Fiat Sedici? The new Fiat Panda Cross is as ugly as hell but has a great diesel engine and is more stable than the Jimny.

In many areas, I do rate the Jimny, just not as an everyday road car. Please be careful- I had a close shave...

9th Mar 2009, 13:59

Meant to say in above post, mine was current model with ABS and the dual front airbags.

Neither would prevent a roll or protect you if it happens:- the ABS only helps under braking, not oversteer, and the front airbags would not deploy in a rollover.

Hope this helps.

25th Mar 2009, 03:52

If you want to use the Jimny as an offroader, you can hardly compare it to an SX4 / Panda! Maybe go for a Vitara 2.4.

25th Mar 2009, 13:48

You can't really compare a 1.3 Jimny to a 2.4 Vitara!!

The SX4 is a soft roader town hatch with limited 4wd ability, but the Panda is very capable in the rough - the current 1.2 is too weedy for demanding off-road use, but the newly released but ugly as a pig Panda Cross has the excellent diesel unit, and should be great off road.

Depends what you want it for I suppose - the Jimny is very capable in the rough, but not good on tarmac, the SX4 is great on tarmac, but can only deal with simple tracks.

The Pandas are slow, but drive well both on and off road, so are maybe the better compromise.

1st May 2009, 17:20

If it doesn't have low range, won't be very much use offroad, unless you mean flat grass. Even hill descent control is a have.. you want the low for going up as much as down! A Panda would never compare with a Jimny.

2nd May 2009, 00:57

Depends on what you want it for as to what you choose - the Panda is much better on road and admirable off it even without the low range box. The Jimnny is fantastic off road even with its small petrol engine, due to its low range box, light weight and angles/clearance. I have seen Jimnys get places a Discovery won't due to size and weight.

But where you could drive the Panda from Lands End to John O'Groats enjoyable, safely and comfortably, the Jimny falls down.

If you are a hardcore off-roader, that will not be a consideration, but in truth, how many Jimny owners are? How many bought the wrong (but well built and reliable) car?

I wonder if Suzuki will make a cracking replacement for it - with the Jimny off-road ability and low range box, but with good safety, ESP and a good on-road drive. It is well overdue and I wait with interest!

25th May 2009, 00:32

They already have in the 2.4 Vitara. It has low range and more than enough power, plus all the safety equipment you would want.

25th May 2009, 02:09

Yes but a 2.4 litre petrol engined car costing well over £10,000 is not a competing model for a 1.3 litre £7000 Jimny.

I wonder if Suzuki will launch a new Jimny some time?

20th Jun 2009, 02:25

But if you add ESP and all the redesigns you seem to want, it will cost the same as a base Vitara!!

12th Sep 2009, 19:50

For anyone thinking of getting a Jimny... GET ONE!!!

I've had mine now for just over 4 months and love it. I live in Greece where the roads are... lets say not the same as back home in England. I have to go into 4x4 a lot, especially down the long tracks to the beaches. Off road, it's fantastic! I live in the mountains and it loves the roads here. You do have to drive it with respect though or it will let you know!

In the summer months here, when we haven't had any rain for weeks and weeks, when it does come the roads are very slippy. I have had the back end go light on me a few times, but its' just the Jimny's way of telling you to slow down! I've driven on the beach, in deep sand with no problems.

Comfort wise, I've just recently come back from a 4,700 km trip to Germany and back in the Jimny and it was brilliant. OK, not super fast, but we found it very comfortable and really easy to drive all the way there and back! I'm now looking forward to my first winter with my Jimny driving it through the snow we get up here, yes... snow in Greece, usually up to a meter here in the mountains of Halkidiki!

If anyone wants to know anymore... let me know and I'll be happy to go on and on... just like the Jimny!

17th Jan 2010, 10:44

The Jimny is brilliant!

I've done close to 25k miles with my Auto Jimny in the past three years without any problems relating to either grip or stability. Ours is mainly used on-road in very narrow hilly roads where we live - you can squeeze into gaps at the side of the road to pass other traffic etc, and the low ratio is great when needed for roads that are icy or compacted snow, this is where it excels.

We used it last Autumn to do a round trip of about 2k miles to the South of France and it coped really well - (apart from the strong Easterly wind which tugged at the steering on the way back).

The bottom line is that if you treat it with respect, you won't have a problem.

17th Jan 2010, 16:39

25,000 miles in 3 years? That's roughly 8,000 miles a year. You've barely driven that thing. I own a 2007 Hyundai Elantra. I bought it used with 11,000 miles in 2008. I have 66,456 miles now. THAT'S a lot of miles. Heck, what I drove in a year was more than you drove in 3.

14th May 2010, 01:30

Hello everyone.

I was thinking about getting Jimny or Panda 4x4, because I wanted to drive in the mountains, on-road and off-road, in a car for around 15k Eur.

I read all the previous comments and would like to summarise them;

"Jimny is a brilliant off-road car, but due to its off-road-driven design and low price, it is dangerous on-road for average non-brilliant drivers."

As I consider myself to be an average driver, and want a car which is safe to drive both off-road and on-road, I will not take a risk of getting Jimny for both these tasks, and will wait until I can buy something as Grand Vitara.

Or until Suzuki adds ESP (electronic stability programme) and other improvements to Jimny, in this age when technology is getting cheaper.