Thar and Hilux owners drive the Jimny: Here’s their experience [Video]

The Maruti Suzuki Jimny, the newest off-roading vehicle in India, has generated significant attention from off-road enthusiasts in the country since its first unveiling in January of this year. Following its official launch last month, the company has witnessed a substantial surge in demand for this new lifestyle off-roader. Positioned as a lifestyle off-roader, it was expected that this SUV would challenge the current segment leader, the Mahindra Thar, and indeed it has proven to be a formidable competitor, posing a significant challenge to the outgoing Mahindra SUV. Recently, two owners of the Mahindra Thar and a Toyota Hilux took the Maruti Suzuki Jimny for a drive on camera, providing their raw impressions and comparing the three vehicles.

The video of the raw driving impressions of the all-new Maruti Suzuki Jimny five-door has been shared on YouTube by DCV Expeditions on their channel. The video starts off with the owner of the car and his friend having a little banter before giving their initial impressions of the ride quality of the vehicle. The owner and his friend state that the new Jimny, despite being marketed as a true off-roader, is still very comfortable in the city and does not feel very stiff because of the off-road setup. They add that the ride of the Jimny can be compared to that of a normal hatchback in city driving conditions.

Following this, the friend of the Jimny owner compares the Jimny with his previous car, the Thar. He mentions that he ruined his Mahindra experience by adding steel wheels and BFGoodrich off-roader tires. He states that adding those bulky tires to the stock Mahindra Thar deteriorated the Thar’s riding experience, and after driving it for one year, he sold it.

The next thing they talk about is the interior space. Both the owner and his friend commend the interior space in the new Jimny. They state that the Jimny, from the outside, may look small but feels very spacious on the inside. The owner mentions that although his right arm sometimes hits the door, there is a decent 6-inch gap between the driver and the passenger, which is commendable.

After this, they discuss the four-speed automatic transmission. The owner explains the use of the four-speed transmission and states that the shifts are smooth. Both of them add that the shifting speed is adequate for the city and does not feel laggy in any way.

Next, they talk about the infotainment system of the SUV and mention that the quality of the touchscreen infotainment system is nice. They also note that there is not a significant difference between the 7-inch and 9-inch infotainment systems. Lastly, they discuss the mileage of the Jimny, and the owner states that currently, despite driving the SUV very calmly, it still provides a mileage of 8-9 kmpl, which is very low. He adds that the car should have at least provided a mileage of 12-13 kmpl.