Suzuki pulled the Jimny from Europe last year because of emissions regulations, but it is back in the U.K. in a light commercial vehicle version that dodges those regs. There is something a little sneaky and subversive about this and I love it.
The Jimny is in its fourth-generation, which launched in 2018, and is prized by off-roaders, thanks to its rigid axles and ladder-frame construction, and what Suzuki calls ALLGRIP PRO 4WD. Also, it’s cheap, and fits into a certain niche not filled by now-luxe Land Rovers and the like.
Calling this Jimny a light commercial vehicle might lead you to think that it is for, you know, commercial work. Suzuki, however, is unabashed in its press release from last week that this is for buyers wanting “the same authentic, uncompromising off-roading performance desired by professionals as the passenger vehicle model with key essentials.”
While Suzuki also says that it “further meets the needs of business professionals,” the Jimny LCV only comes in one trim, with one engine, with one color. (Two other colors are available for a little more money.) The engine is 1.5-liter four-cylinder that makes 93 horsepower and 95 lb-ft of torque. There is one transmission, a five-speed manual. The maximum speed is 90 mph. The price is £16,796, or £19,999 after tax, or about $27,830. This car is only for one thing.
That price is a little steep for something so stripped down, but Suzuki also says it will be available in “very limited numbers in the U.K. in 2021,” for whatever reason. So if you get a Jimny LCV there you can tell your friends how rare it is at the pub. The Jimny LCV won’t be coming to the U.S., since Suzuki hasn’t been in the U.S. in almost a decade, but one can still dream.
