Suzuki Reveals Five-door Jimny, Fronx, and XL6 |
Speculation around the imminent reveal of a new Suzuki Jimny derivative was proven true last month when the brand revealed the much anticipated five-door Jimny. Driven travelled to Auto Expo 2023 in New Delhi to see the newcomer, and a few more surprises, first-hand.
Anyone who has travelled to India will know what a complex, diverse and compelling country it is. So, when Suzuki South Africa invited Driven to attend the Auto Expo 2023 in New Delhi, I had my passport and visa ready before you could say, “Delhi belly”.
While we expected to be wowed by the reveal of the highly anticipated five-door variant of the globally popular Jimny off-roader, we got more than we bargained for as Suzuki also showcased the brand new Fronx compact crossover and the Ertiga-based XL6 SUV.
SUZUKI JIMNY FIVE-DOOR
Maruti Suzuki is the pre-eminent automotive market leader in India. Responsible for nearly half of all car sales in this vast country, the brand is highly respected and much loved.
While almost one in two of every car sold in India is a Suzuki, you would be surprised to learn that the Jimny, which is exceedingly popular in most Suzuki markets, has never been officially released in India.
Jimnys have been built in India, though. All three-door Jimnys sold in South Africa since around November 2021 were produced at the Maruti Suzuki India Limited’s (MSIL) plant in Gurgaon, India. The plant has since ceased production of the three-door Jimny to fulfil MSIL’s target of producing up to 6,000 new five-door variants for global export.
Revealed to the assembled contingent of media and motoring executives at Auto Expo, the production-ready five-door Jimny joins the three-door line-up to bring the Jimny’s go anywhere and do anything attitude to a broader audience.
The five-door Jimny is longer by 360 mm, stretching its overall length to 3,985 mm. Its wheelbase is longer by 340 mm, although height and width remain unchanged.
The Jimny’s growth spurt sees some much-needed practical benefits too. Although the interior layout has been carried over from its three-door brother, the five-door offers more space, as the boot is now rated to a more substantial 208 litres. With the rear seats folded away, this grows to 332 litres. There is also more rear legroom, and ingress and egress are significantly easier, of course. Moreover, the five-door variant sees the return of folding front seats, transforming the Jimny into decent overnight accommodation in a pinch.
Suzuki has kept the Jimny’s normally aspirated 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine, along with the five-speed manual or four-speed automatic from the three-door. Given that the five-door weighs 100 kg more and load capacity has improved, it might be time for Suzuki’s engineers to consider upping the ante on the performance front as well.
That said, the same Suzuki engineers have not tampered with the off-roader’s legendary power, overall structural rigidity, or ground clearance. The longer Jimny also retains its 37-degree approach and 49-degree departure angles. A slight change in break-over angle (from 28 degrees to 24 degrees) was, however, to be expected.
No change Jimny’s AllGrip four-wheel drive system was announced, and the new Jimny is also equipped with its brother’s low-range 4WD system for technical off-road driving.
Although a fair amount of work still needs to be done before the five-door Jimny will be ready to launch here, **Driven** will bring you information on the local introduction date, pricing, and specifications as soon as they are available.
SUZUKI FRONX
More affordable exports from India has helped Suzuki SA become the third-largest distributor of (mostly) compact cars locally. Conversely, that means we also depend on the availability of cars from India.
A case in point is the Vitara Brezza. Although a popular model for Suzuki here, a change in strategy from MSIL will see the new Brezza limited to the Indian domestic market only, to be replaced locally by the all-new Suzuki Fronx later this year.
Developed on Suzuki’s HEARTECT platform, the unusually named Fronx brings a fresh design to the road, boasting next-generation style and trendy technology.
Despite its front-wheel-drive layout, the Fronx’s crossover design cues confirm its dynamic nature. Slightly taller and more upright than the Baleno, its sportier character is evident in its chiselled wheel arches, muscular fenders, side body cladding, and metallic-look skid plates and diffuser elements.
At the front, the signature NEXWave grille, chrome garnish, and signature NEXTre crystal block DRLs show off the ‘Crafted Futurism’ design language for the Fronx. The upright yet sculpted rear profile is accentuated by wide sweeping LED Rear Combination Lamps across the car’s width. The Fronx also gets a dual-finish bold step-type geometric design for the precision-cut alloy wheels that complement its overall dynamic design.
Although Suzuki SA is keeping mum about what engine options will be available here, the Fronx was launched at Auto Expo with a choice of either a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder or a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder.
SUZUKI XL6
A surprise for our market was Suzuki’s announcement that the six-seater XL6 SUV, which has been sold in India for some time, is also being considered for South Africa.
The XL6 is based on the Ertiga MPV body style, but is distinguished by its elevated ride height and unique design elements such as plastic body cladding, 16” alloy wheels, and a distinctive grille with chrome trim.
While little information about the XL6 interior specs was available at the show, the SUV’s unique six-seat layout is sure to be a favourite for families and will compete with the likes of the Honda BR-V and the Hyundai Grand Creta.
The XL6 will be positioned above the Ertiga but below the new Grand Vitara in the Suzuki model range. Although there is no confirmation around the engine size for our market yet, in India, the XL6 is sold with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine, with the choice of either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic.
Report by BERNIE HELLBERG JR | Images © SUZUKI SA / BERNIE HELLBERG JR
