2017 Suzuki Jimny

Suzuki Jimny

Suzuki’s Jimny doesn’t just play in its own sandpit—it practically built it. You won’t find another compact off-roader at this size, price, and spirit, no matter how hard you squint at a Ford Bronco Sport or Mahindra Thar. Every Jimny you’ll see in SA classifieds is petrol—either the old 1.3-litre or the newer, slightly less asthmatic 1.5—served up with manual, auto, or that quirky semi-auto box. The span is wild: R148,500 nabs you a 1.3 that’s probably lived more farm roads than tar, but the five-door 1.5s? Those now brush R489,900, which is pretty steep for something that still gets bullied by a Corolla in a parking lot. Ten new, twenty-one used—demand’s clearly not the problem here, but supply’s always a bit of a lucky packet. Let’s talk five-door GLX 4AT because, right now, it’s what most buyers want—and for good reason. Eight of the listings hover between R439,900 and R489,900, and that extra pair of doors makes a real difference if you pack smart or have small humans to ferry. Older 1.3s, some dating to 2010, show sensible mileage—under 49,000 km on average—so these aren’t the beaten-up trail warriors you might fear. What tips the scales locally is simple: the Jimny gives you a real low-range box and solid axles, so, on paper at least, there’s no B-segment crossover that’ll follow it off the tar. The Thar’s got the chops, but it’s pricier and feels rough around the edges inside. The Jimny’s tight footprint just works on Joburg’s backroads or squeezing through Durban beach traffic. That matters, because it’s what the Jimny should have been from the start.