Suzuki unveils special edition Jimny gravel-crawler for NZ

The immensely popular little Suzuki Jimny has a new special edition model on the way, in the form of the Jimny Safari. 

The model is designed to emphasise the Jimny’s go anywhere, do anything off-road capability, although the suspension and drivetrain are untouched.

The tastiest tweak is the rubber. Suzuki has thrown Maxxis Bravo 980 215/75 all-terrain tyres at each corner, giving the Jimny more grip and go on gravel compared to the knobbly standard rubber. 

Aesthetic changes include the standard ‘heritage grille’ (optional on ordinary Jimny models), monsoor guards on the front windows, mudflaps, a cargo tray in the boot, Safari decals, and a big roof rack courtesy of ARB. 

“There has been strong demand for the perfectly formed Jimny in New Zealand right from introduction,” said Gary Collins, General Manager of Motor Vehicle Marketing for Suzuki New Zealand. 

“With the distinctive shape and practical abilities, the Jimny has a market segment all to itself.”

The model is based on the entry-level Jimny JX variant, meaning it misses out on some of the features of the top-trim Sierra. These include the touchscreen, climate control, and the Sierra alloys. Although, these black wheels look tougher, anyways. 

The model is priced from $29,990, meaning it’s the same price as a manual Sierra. It is only available with a manual transmission. Suzuki New Zealand says that every trim-level in its line-up has a waiting list of some kind, and over 1500 Jimnys have been bought into the country thus far. 

The new model isn’t to be confused with what CTB Performance revealed earlier this week. The tuning firm unveiled a performance package for the Jimny that results in a hefty 40 per cent power boost (seeing power from the 1.5-litre rise from 75kW to around 105kW) and torque increase to around 220Nm.