Maruti Jimny Tows Mahindra Thar, Force Traveller, Toyota Fortuner & More! (Video)
The five-door Maruti Jimny entered the Indian market in June 2023. It came at a time when the new Mahindra Thar was dominating the ‘rugged off-roader SUV’ space. Soon, people started comparing the off-road abilities of the two. Over the past few years, we have seen how they perform on tricky terrains and in challenging off-road scenarios. Even today, many draw comparisons of their road presence. With its larger proportions and imposing design, the Thar (and the ROXX) has a significant edge here. A video shared on Instagram by BRH Expeditions shows why one should look beyond mere looks and road presence when trying to choose between these. It shows the Jimny towing a three-door Thar, Force Traveller, and a Fortuner through tricky terrains.
As the video opens, we see the Instagrammer’s Jimny driving on a highway, closely followed by a White Thar ROXX. The difference in road presence is clearly visible here. In the next few shots, we see the Jimny in action. It tows a three-door Thar through the snow. The Mahindra likely lost traction and eventually got stuck in the snow, when the Jimny showed up to the rescue.
Later, we see it towing a Force Traveller on mountain roads. Then, it is seen pulling a tractor out of a muddy farm. The video also shows it towing a Fortuner. These instances show just how capable this small SUV is, despite having a rather small 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol engine. It may not be doing these as effortlessly as some of its rivals, but definitely gets the job done!
The three-door Jimny holds a high reputation for being a capable off-roader. Its old-school, abuse-friendly underpinnings and compact proportions are to be thanked for this. It is often noted for its ability to tackle obstacles that other vehicles can’t.
Even the five-door version is underpinned by a rugged ladder-frame chassis and comes with a low-range manual transfer case and a low-range gearbox with 2WD-high’, ‘4WD-high’, and ‘4WD-low’ modes. It also gets a 3-link rigid axle suspension and an electronic traction control system, and is almost as capable as the three-door in tackling terrains.
The ground clearance here is 210mm. The Jimny has an approach angle of 36°, and a departure angle of 47 degrees. The ramp breakover angle is 24°. The five-door Jimny has a wheelbase of 2,590mm. You would, however, notice that this SUV needs a lot of space to take a complete turn, considering its size. It has a turning radius of 5.7 meters! As many owners report, this doesn’t stop it from nailing off-road expeditions.
Powering the Jimny is a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol (K15B) engine that produces 105 hp and 134 Nm of torque. These output figures may not seem impressive on paper, but the real-world performance would not disappoint. A five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic transmission are offered on the SUV.
People love the Jimny for how it has been packaged. You get just the right number of features and equipment to facilitate a comfortable time inside. Minimal electronics can be found in critical areas. Most things there are still mechanical and oldschool. While some of its rivals were later plagued by electrical issues and bugs, the Jimny continued to be reliable. This has, in fact, attracted more off-road enthusiasts to the vehicle.
The Maruti Gypsy is often considered one of the most capable small off-roaders ever made. Its compact proportions, rugged underpinnings, and capable 4x4 hardware made the Gypsy nearly indestructible on terrains. The 80hp, 104 Nm engine sufficed.
This SUV had no fancy electronics and came with a practical, utilitarian cabin. Even the Jimny has a ‘no nonsense’ design to some extent. Maruti could also price the Gypsy right, further adding to its acceptance in markets like India.
Even when it was discontinued in India due to stricter safety and emission norms kicking in, the Gypsy was in good demand. Being its successor, the Jimny could actually benefit from its reputation here, when it made its market entry. With the recent GST revisions in place, the Jimny now starts at Rs 12.32 lakh and goes up to Rs 14.3 lakh, both ex-showroom.