RUMOURED since the off-roader’s local launch in January 2019, Suzuki has finally provided the five-door Jimny XL that buyers have been begging for. Priced from $34,990 before on-road costs, the four-seat XL is assembled in India in CKD form (knock-down kit) using parts produced in Japan. Compared with the three-door model, the Jimny XL scores an additional 340mm between the front and rear axles.
The five-door Jimny retains the three-door’s ladder-frame underpinnings with live axles and iconic appearance, but with a bit more space. You’ll even find the same 75kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine under the bonnet, but don’t kid yourself that, because it’s got five doors and a bigger boot, the Jimny XL is a do-it-all family vehicle. It remains closer in ethos to a 70 Series Land Cruiser than a small SUV. What we really want to know is do the two extra doors make this dinky off-roader suitable for a big country like Australia?
