The lifestyle off-roader segment is breathing a new life, thanks to the second-gen Mahindra Thar. This space might soon be turbocharged as the launch of the new Maruti Suzuki Jimny is on its way. In the 5-door iteration, the SUV was showcased at the 2023 Auto Expo. And, in fact, the company opened the order books for the Jimny right after its unveiling. To date, the compact off-roader has bagged over 15,000 orders. To be precise, the car has been averaging roughly 1,000 orders in a day. This is a stupendously-warm response for a car that is targeted at a small consumer base.
The Jimny will be sold in just two variants – Zeta and Alpha. The former will have steel rims, while the latter will have alloy wheels. Also, the Zeta variant will get a smaller 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit, whereas the top-spec trim will sport a 9-inch display. Another key difference between the two trim options will be the availability of LED headlamps, headlamp washers, and fog lamps. All of these features will only be present on the higher Alpha trim. The entry-level Zeta variant will miss out on these. It will get regular halogen headlamps, instead.
The big thing about the India-spec Jimny is its 5-door layout. The SUV is now more practical with an easy-to-access second row. Also, it boasts increased boot space than its 3-door counterpart sold overseas. Mechanically, it gets similar hardware as the 3-door Jimny. Solid axles on both ends with coil springs, a 1.5L petrol engine paired to a low-range transfer case, and two transmission choices – 5-speed MT and 4-speed AT, are borrowed from the 3-door Jimny itself. The 2023 Maruti Suzuki Jimny could go on sale in the Indian market by either March or April this year. As of now, the prices are expected to start from Rs 10 lakh onwards.
