Suzuki Jimny For Sale
Japan’s Kei class of vehicles is wonderfully adaptable. We’ve seen everything, from Kei vans and trucks, to Kei sports cars, and of course, regular Kei hatchbacks. The Suzuki Jimny is another category; a Kei off-roader. The Jimny’s roots start as the HopeStar ON360, way back in 1967. Developed by the Hope Motor Company, it used parts from Mitsubishi and Daihatsu. However, Hope sold the design to Suzuki when they couldn’t persuade Mitsubishi to take over production.
Hence, the first generation Suzuki Jimny appeared in 1970. Suzuki redid the body styling and placed a Suzuki 360cc two-stroke engine under the hood. The vehicle was a colossal success, and produced in Indonesia and Kenya, as well as Japan. By 1972, upgrades were made to the engine, enabling a top speed of 50mph. This was also when Suzuki stopped contracting out manufacturing of the Jimny, and internalized it.
The second generation came in 1981, and saw production expanded to more countries. Overseas variants were slightly larger than their Japanese counterparts and received larger engines too. However, the Jimny’s excellent off-road capabilities remained, earning the vehicle much praise. This generation was introduced to the United States in 1986, but received an unfair assessment by Consumer Reports as being prone to rollovers. A lawsuit resulted, and the Jimny would be sold in the United States until 1995.
The third generation came in 1998, with modern styling. Japanese market models got a turbocharged 660cc 3-cylinder engine. Other markets could have a larger 1.5-liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder gasoline engine, as well as a diesel engine option. This is where the Jimny really became popular, with its part-time, push-button actuated four-wheel drive system.
The fourth generation debuted in 2018 with fresh styling and more creature comforts. Suzuki’s improved ALLGRIP PRO part-time four-wheel drive system with low range was standard. Overseas markets also got a 1.5-liter engine. In 2023, the first four-door variant of the Jimny was released for the Indian market.
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