Suzuki recently launched the fourth-gen Jimny in Japan and we expect the SUV to land in India in 2019. While there is no confirmation from the carmaker about the same, the fact that Suzuki said the updated SUV will go on sale ‘throughout the world’ is keeping us motivated.
So while we wait for Maruti Suzuki to bring the Jimny here, let’s compare the fourth-gen SUV (Jimny) with its predecessor, the Gypsy (second-gen Jimny), which has been on sale in India since 1985 and is likely to be phased out due to upcoming mandatory crash test norms in India.
Dimensions
Both the Gypsy and Jimny are underpinned by ladder-frame-type chassis. But the Jimny is 365mm shorter and 150mm lower but 105mm wider than the Gypsy. The Jimny’s wheelbase is shorter than the Gypsy’s by 125mm. The shorter but wider footprint should technically give the Jimny better off-road ability than the Gypsy.
In terms of seating capacity, the Jimny lacks behind the Gypsy. Since the Gypsy is longer, it can be had with rear side benches that can make it a 8-seater. The Jimny can seat only four. However, bench seats are comparatively uncomfortable and they don’t even come with seatbelts.
Engine
- The Jimny is powered by the new K15B 1.5-litre petrol engine that will make its India debut under the 2018 Ciaz facelift. The Gypsy, on the other, gets a much older G13BB 1.3-litre petrol engine.
- The Jimny’s engine is not only more powerful but also generates more torque than the Gypsy. That should help when it’s off the road.
- The Gypsy is available with a manual transmission only but the Jimny offers automatic transmission option as well.
- Both the SUVs get part-time 4WD and both feature a low range transfer box.
- Jimny has the better power to weight ratio of 89.87PS/tonne against the Gypsy’s 77.1 PS/tonne.
Features
The Gypsy was introduced in India more than three decades ago. Since then the SUV has not received any major update to its feature list. It is, in fact, one of the most sparsely equipped cars in the country. The Gypsy even misses out on basic features such as front airbags, ABS, power steering and manual AC.
The Jimny on the other hand gets a host of safety and comfort features. The fourth-gen SUV gets six airbags (dual front, curtain and front side), ABS with EBD and brake assist, ESP (electronic stability program) and TC (traction control), autonomous emergency braking and lane departure warning. Other features on offer include LED headlamps with LED DRLs, automatic climate control, push button start and a 7-inch SmartPlay touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay.
Apart from safety and comfort features, the Jimny is also equipped with a recirculating ball-type power steering (considered better than rack-and-pinion for off road use), hill launch assist, hill descent control, brake LSD (limited-slip differential), shift-on-fly part-time 4WD (four-wheel-drive) with low range transfer gearbox. All these additions should make it more capable than the Gypsy.
Prices
The Gypsy is priced from Rs 6.25 lakh to Rs 6.39 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The Jimny, on the other hand, is likely to attract a premium over the Gypsy and is expected to be priced around Rs 8 lakh. It is expected to be launched in India in 2019 and could be a Nexa product.
