Living with Jimny

New and tested 4WDs
Suzuki's Jimny is unlike any other 4WD. So tiny it's hard to think of it as an SUV, agile and light on its feet, and - with the advent of the five door - massively popular.
For more than 50 years, Suzuki's tiny 4WD has been carving out a reputation as one of the toughest, lightest, most tenacious off-roaders out there.
NZ4WD has driven every version of the current Jimny: three door manual, three door auto, five door manual and five door auto. The original three door is a cheeky wee cult 4WD; the five door basically doubled the appeal (and sales) of this capable and affordable offroader.
With its rigid ladder frame, high ground clearance and ALLGRIP PRO drive system, the current Suzuki Jimny stays true to its origins of offering uncompromising off-road ability.
But we only ever had any Jimny for a week, which does make it hard to grasp what living with a Jimny is like.
This month, for a whole month, we take a deeper dive into Jimny and go some places that Jimny enthusiasts might like to take their vehicles. Our chosen version is the (very) popular five door auto finished in Sizzling Red, and we are using it to do what most owners will do - around town humdrum stuff, open roads, rural roads and offroad adventuring.
Contact Us
NZ4WD covers a range of topics of interest to the 4WD vehicle buyer & driver. We're dedicated to providing a wide range of information covering vehicle selection, accessories & upgrading, 4WD clubs & sport, adventure & track stories an

Related Articles
We drive the all-new 2025 Suzuki Fronx
Suzuki New Zealand is entering a new frontier with the launch of the 2025 Fronx, a vehicle that strategically blends the practicality of an SUV with the sleek lines of a coupe. Built in India and...
Middle East only Patrol NISMO is a beast
Born from decades of motorsport excellence, NISMO (short for Nissan Motorsports) represents the pinnacle of Nissan performance, engineering, and innovation. Every NISMO model is designed to offer an...
The 2026 Toyota RAV4 - what we know
Toyota has announced the sixth-generation 2026 RAV4, a development of significant interest. The new model series transitions to a fully electrified powertrain lineup, eliminating gasoline-only...