New Suzuki Jimny

There's a few Kombis around with EG & Ez motors in them even.
 
I read that the Defender was pulled from the US 20 years ago because it could not pass US safety certification. I wonder if the new Jimny has what it takes. But Suzuki has retreated from the US completely so I doubt it is in the works.



Curious to see what the new Defender will be like. Hope it does come back.
 
[MENTION=15721]scalman[/MENTION]

That would be great but they sell more vehicles by going softer and a move in the direction you suggest would be retrograde in their eyes and moving into direct competition with Suzuki. It's highly unlikely.
 
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As for traction control, I think x-mode makes VDC pretty aggressive and that's about all it makes sense to do without changing other aspects of the vehicles, specifically the awful angles. If you look at 4WD action and Graham's D-Max, his traction control seems pretty basic to me. He spins like my Outback used to and is nowhere in the same league of my current 4Runner, in spite of enjoying low range which my OB lacked. Then again, like the 4WD action D-Max and unlike pre-2010 Subarus, my OB powered on in all sorts of conditions where a non-VDC model would have been stopped.

As for Suzuki and Subaru, there can be no direct competition as they build completely different vehicles. Other than that, I don't think Subaru would worry about Suzuki. The trajectories of the two companies diverged completely ca. 2010.

2017 Suzuki Australia sales: around 20,000. Subaru around 50,000.
2017 Suzuki US sales: 0 vehicles. Subaru: 650,000. Make it over 700,000 in 2018.

2017 combined Aussie and US sales: 20,000 to 700,000. Subaru is no longer a niche player.

More to the point, Subaru did just develop their biggest and priciest vehicle ever for the US market. But they won't build a small, low-margin vehicle for a small market. Subaru is already eroding the US 4x4 market by offering all the capability that 90% of the people who want to be outdoors (as opposed to doing 4wheeling as a sport) really want or need. The others will want/need more than what a Subaru can offer (me) and the Jeep/Toyota/US truck crowd is a world of its own. Not even Nissan could make a dent there. Nissan had an outstanding model with excellent execution between 2011 and 2015 yet once the Wrangler stopped being made of random parts, it drove that one AND Toyota's FJ cruiser out of the market in just three years, 2012-5.

In sum, modern Subarus are stellar light-duty off-roaders but waiting on Subaru to take on the 4x4 world head on is a waste of time.
 
Okay...globally, things change as apparently Suzuki-Maruti sells a ton of small cars, especially in India. So, actually, in terms of numbers Suzuki sells far more.

That said, the obvious 4x4 markets are US and Australia. And even globally, Subaru's 2016 net profit of 3.2 billion USD was much greater than Suzuki's, which was under 1.5 bln USD.

I am glad Suzuki is doing well overall. A 1.5 bln USD net profit is not bad at all. It is actually impressive as it comes from small cars.

Obviously, there is practically no overlap not only in vehicles, but also in markets.

While we are on it, Mitsubishi is another Japanese company that used to be in the same boat as Subaru and Suzuki in the US. It still lingers around, selling 100,000 in 2017, which is but a fraction of Subaru's 650,000 (btw, Ford sold 900,000+ F-series full size trucks in 2017).

More fun:
2006:
Subaru: 200,000 vehicles. -500,000 compared to 2018 projection.
Suzuki: 100,000 vehicles. left market
Mitsubishi: 120,000 flat in 2018 vs 2006

I am surprised Subaru sold as much as Suzuki and Mitsubishi combined already in 2006 when it was considered a quirky, niche car-maker. Apparently, Mitsubishi peaked in the early 2000s, selling 300-350,000 per year, then nosedived in 2004 and never recovered. Suzuki actually only cracked 100,000 twice, 2005-6.

Subaru was solidly above 100,000 already in 1978 but while it toyed with 200,000 a couple of times, really had issues stabilizing around that number till the 2000s and, of course, its march north of 200,000 units per year only started when the 2009 Foz and the 2010 Outback kicked off the new Subaru era.

Links:
https://carsalesbase.com/us-car-sales-data/subaru/ You can easily switch between carmakers.

https://www.trucks.com/2018/01/04/2017-pickup-trucks-auto-sales/
 
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As i see this new jimny model called 2019 and not 2018. Curious how it will be tested on track and when. Im watching most awd 4wd new cars test drives as i find them.
 
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG_tMMhtBGc"]??????/????????? ?????????? - YouTube[/ame]
i bet if i sit in front my seat would hit rear seat lol . looks small even for small asian guy. getting in and out of car could be problem as well
 
jimny got some fancy traction control with LSD, and on so light car it works good
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw3EzZToxSI"]Suzuki Jimny 2019 - traction control | ???? ??? ????LSD???????????? - YouTube[/ame]
 
I am a fan of this vehicle. It's not so popular here but I can see its use in more rural areas and climbing mountains as it is a proper mountain goat. I like that they made it more retro than the previous model.
 
its called All Grip version in EU. and those black wheel moldings looks rly good too. with slightly larger wheels and mud tires it would look even better
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmmZKenSYFs"]2019 Suzuki Jimny first drive review - YouTube[/ame]
he dont know how far it would take you, because of it light weight it would go much further then heavy powerfull 4wd cars. where havy car will sink , light offroader will just go on top of it.

that traction control is not bad
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuWBoDkasQU"]2019 Suzuki Jimny Off Roading - YouTube[/ame]

those red mudflaps looks cool on it
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLcQjdTG0Xg"]Amazing Landscapes Aerial Shoot of Japan - New Jimny meets Gravels!??????????4K??? - YouTube[/ame]

imagine of subaru would release mini forester with lockers and such that thing would just explode
 
Capable little thing.
They put those tyres on them for a reason you know..
Used to drive around a sheep station in those when I was a young 'un. one was a 3 cyl 3 stroke. Noisy as all heck, top speed about 80km/h and that was pushing it. Could climb over just about anything though.
 
well same or very similar engines are on older jimnys and people making them very capable offroaders with not huge but some larger tires. im not saying to go crazy here.
and tested cars bever use AT tires just street city tires . if its going well with them it will go even better with some AT tires with lower psi in them.
 
Looks like it has solid axles and a very clean underbody. Excellent. I did not expect this. It is a game changer.

Now, just upgrade those 4 lower control arms and protect those brackets!

Looks like another great little offroader from Suzuki. There is definitely room for a 15-25k fully offroad capable vehicle in the US market.

Not for overlanding or exploring areas far from home, but an excellent choice for people who live in areas with lots of opportunities right around town, like here.
 
Will go test drive this little box on thursday afternoon !
 
We'll need a full review. :)
 
Here's a short review after a short driving test....15 minutes ! First, it looks really nice in real life, the front seats are comfortable and the rear are a little short but without changing the drivers seat position I still could take place behind it (185cm). I did the test drive in a sub-urban area and could not go faster than 60km/h. The suspension hops on the irregularities but is still quite comfortable, not as harsh as the 2nd gen Samouraï ! The trunk is very small but you cant have a short 4 seater and a huge trunk in 3.65 m....

Verdict : Its my next car....in a few years when my daughters will fly (drive !) by their own !
 
They say first time jimny got 3 stars euro safett. Before they didint even did that test. It was that bad car to crash.
As all others going to more electronic in car jimny got mechanical leaver for 2wd/4wd/low. Before it had just buttons for that and in worse moments they just failed.
Auto stoping, line holding, traction control, rear LSD. And looks like small G wagon.
But rear seats not for people. I saw russian test drive and guy couldnt even fit in rear seats. Maybe he just tall.
Front door buttons not on door anymore but in center...??? And its hitting your leg paintfully.
But i think this car will go far into offroad tracks even without any locks even center. Because its so short its very hard to lift its wheels from ground.
Tested car had skinnier tires from before jimny but higher so even more ground clearance and more control at higher speeds.
They said trunk is very good quality plastic from before gen. They even give special rubber kinda matres for trunk.
Again guy said its worse noise cancelation from before gen. Lools like it didint have any noise canceling stuff anywhere even on hood. So you can do it yourself.
Speakers went to doors from before they where god knows where.
Jimny really grown up so much... Like wow rly . and looks amazing , at least that better trim not basic.
But its not car for everything and thats problem. Well unless you can have separate car just for locsl forest fun. At least i see it just for that purpose. Subaru can be all around car easily. Not this.
 
It probably depends on the markets but there is no LSD at the rear and it really is an old school transmission but....it has a very efficient traction control, especially when 4x4 low is engaged.

I think that the Russian guy is very tall not being able to sit on the rear seats.

And I think like you, Scalman, that it is not an allround car, I mean you wouldn't drive it long distance every day.

But I still will buy one in the future !
 
sure i love how it looks too. and i saw what older jimnys capable in russian hands with large tires , lift and lockers. but as does almost any car with low gears. put there lockers and its amazing. but maybe less fun. like if its too capable then where is fun no ? like when you would go places with stock jimny ypur could talk about it how cool it was and such, but it you would go there with heavy moded jimny with lockers then its like ...we know its capable because of mods man. so yh i like when car does many things way it was made.

what model you was testing ? from basic to top what car you got there do you know ?
was your 658cc or 1.5l engines ? touch screen ?

i think i wouldnt fit in rear same as that guy. i mean cmon look at space there. he said you couldnt fit there child seats if you would sit in front with comfort.
RrtSmd6h.jpg


but im sure for 2 people and some bags in rear with folded seats its fine. even with camping gear you could do some not far trips and camping .
 
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