Maruti Suzuki is all set to launch the 5 door version of the Jimny off-roader in India at the 2023 Indian Auto Expo. Testing of the 5 door Jimny is on at full swing, and here are spyshots of the upcoming sub-4 meter SUV next to India’s best selling off-roader – the 2nd generation Mahindra Thar.
Spyshots courtesy TheReelsNews
As the spyshots indicate, the new Mahindra Thar towers over the Maruti Suzuki Jimny 5 door, and this is only expected given the fact that the Thar stands nearly 120 mm taller than the Jimny. While the new Mahindra Thar’s height measures at 1,844 mm, that of the 3 door Jimny measures at 1,730 mm. Notably, the 3 door and upcoming 5 door Jimny SUVs are likely to have the same height, with the only key difference being the longer wheelbase on the 5 door model.
In comparison to the new Mahindra Thar, the 5 door Jimny looks a size smaller despite offering two additional doors. While the Thar is a 4 seater, entry to the rear seats is not straight-forward, and requires quite a bit of crouching. In case of the Jimny, access to the rear seats is likely to be a lot more comfortable, and the Jimny could clearly be the better bet, especially for buyers who have elders wanting to ride along. This should make the 5 door Jimny more practical than the 3 door Thar but Mahindra is already working on a 5 door Thar that is also likely to be launched next year.
Also read: Buying a pre-owned Mahindra Thar is better than buying a new one: 5 reasons
Maruti Suzuki will have to price the Jimny much lower than the new Mahindra Thar 3 door for it to find mass acceptance in the value conscious Indian market. Prices of the new Mahindra Thar start from Rs. 13.59 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi. A sub-Rs. 10 lakh price point for the 5 door Maruti Suzuki Jimny would make it quite an attractive proposition for the family car buyer who wants the street-cred and go-anywhere appeal of a genuine 4X4.
Talking of 4X4, the Jimny sits on a body-on-ladder chassis, and gets a four wheel drive transfer case. Maruti Suzuki is expected to sell the 5 door Jimny with the 1.5 liter K15C petrol engine. This engine gets dual injectors on all four cylinders, and also offers variable valve timing technology on both the inlet and exhaust valves. Rated at 102 Bhp-137 Nm, this engine gets a 5 speed manual gearbox as standard.
While the international-spec Jimny gets a 4 speed torque converter automatic gearbox, Maruti Suzuki could outfit the 5 door Jimny with a 6 speed torque converter automatic gearbox – an option that the automaker already offers on a slew of cars sold here including the recently launched Grand Vitara and the Brezza compact SUVs. There will be no diesel engine option on offer even as the K15C petrol engine in the Jimny could gain mild hybrid technology.
In India, the 5 door Maruti Jimny is expected to replace the Gypsy – an iconic off roader that had to be put out of production a couple of years ago thanks to tightening emission norms and safety regulations.
Also read: 10 DC Design cars & how they look in the REAL world: Maruti Swift to Mahindra XUV500
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