Just as people didn’t respect David’s abilities in the Biblical story, looking at the Suzuki Jimny Sierra without knowing him means doubting his abilities. A new generation of friendly Jeeps has arrived in EUA, imported from Japan, and wants to show once again that it is not afraid of anything or anyone.
The brand is open about the fact that although this model is a new generation, it is an evolution of its predecessor, which has been on sale for almost 20 years. It comes in three versions of his and comes with a great new feature: his 4-speed automatic transmission, which is the first of its kind on this model. More on this later. The new generation Jimny was given the “surname” Sierra. The reason is interesting. In Japan, the home country of this model, there is a new generation “downsized” version according to the specifications of the light car. This means it is slightly smaller and the engine is limited to 660cc.
This “compact” version was then called the Jimny and was the largest and sold to other parts of the world, including EUA, with the Sierra surname for differentiation. Moreover, EUA l is also the only place in the world where the previous generation continues to be produced and sold alongside the new model. Suzuki introduced three new crossmembers to the chassis to improve stiffness. As a result, the Jimny Sierra’s rigidity has been improved by 50% compared to its predecessor. Another innovation is the new cushion for attaching the body to the chassis. The tank is made of plastic to reduce weight compared to conventional steel tanks, and the diameter of the stabilizer has also been increased.
When it comes to electronics, the Jimny is a different car. More modern, more complete, more powerful. From the entry-level version onwards, it comes with traction and stability control, hill start and hill descent assistant. In addition to the front airbags already equipped from its predecessor, the Jimny Sierra was also equipped with ABS brakes. Hill Descent Assistant has two operating modes. In a 4×4 drive the downhill speed is limited to 10 km/h, and in a deceleration 4×4 drive it is limited to 5 km/h.
Last on the list is JBL’s multimedia center with a 7-inch touchscreen. Integrated with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Another innovation of this generation is the height adjustment of the steering column, which was not possible before. Changes made to the new generation Jimny Sierra include a new rigid axle, which Suzuki says uses high-tensile steel during production to make it lighter but also stronger.
The top-of-the-line version also features LED headlights with auto-ignition and washer functions, headlight height adjustment, digital air conditioning, cruise control (Autopilot), and other beautiful features. The reversing camera is located at the top of the trunk lid, providing excellent rear visibility even when off-road. New engine, new transmission A new engine is installed under the hood of the
Jimny Sierra. The old 1.3 was discontinued in favor of a new 1.5 liter, 16 valve, all aluminum, producing 108 hp and 14.1 mkgf. The old one produced 85hp and 11.2mkgf.
It doesn’t seem like a big deal on paper, but the Jeep’s behavior has improved significantly both on asphalt and off-road. Don’t expect very violent restarts or incredible acceleration, but the new package is enough to guarantee comfort. The top of the evaluation version, 4Style, is equipped with Aisin’s 4-speed automatic transmission. It may not be the newest on the market, but it works well in conjunction with newer engines. On the road at 120 km / h, the situation becomes wild even with a long 3rd and his 4th gear. The engine always rotates at approximately 3,500 rpm.
5th gear helps reduce spin and improve fuel economy. According to InMetro, the Jimny Sierra achieves 10.4 km/liter in the city and 10.2 km/liter on the highway, keeping in mind that it runs only on gasoline.
Suzuki changed the drive in his 4×4 system, which was via a rotary selector, to a simpler drive, namely his second lever. The engagement system remains the same. The gear is in neutral and is a lever that requires force to engage. More comfortable he
electrically assisted steering is now even lighter and “softer”. It reduces the jerky feeling when off-road, providing more comfort to the driver. It is easier to maneuver on asphalt and has an ideal weight on the highway.
The new suspension setup is a dream. It rides smoothly even on asphalt, and even off-road, bounce is significantly reduced compared to the previous model. The Jimny is stable even on curves, and there is very little body wobbling. However, due to its boxy shape, it remains unstable at speeds of 120 km/h. It’s like opening a candle and he keeps making small movements on the track and keeps asking the steering wheel for corrections.
Although the interior space for rear passengers has been slightly improved and the side armrests have been reduced, it is still a bit cramped for four people as it is only allowed to seat up to four people and the seats can be converted into a bed. He reduces the overhang, guaranteeing agility and a low center of gravity, but still does without a trunk. The trunk has a capacity of only 85 liters.