Is the Suzuki Jimny 5-door good for families?
At last! A practical 5-door Jimny has joined the miniscule 3-door Jimny lineup, and South Africans with kids couldn't be happier. Does this mean you can make the new Jimny your daily driver for trips to school, work, and weekend adventures?
The original 3-door Jimny didn't have much room for kids and their stuff, as we've ascertained from our previous family review here, but the new 5-door Jimny is a completely different story. So, will it be a great car for everyday life with kids in tow? We reckon so. Here's why!
1. It is way roomier than its predecessor
Riding on a longer wheelbase, the new 5-door Jimny now offers legroom for those in row two, along with way more cargo volume in the boot. This means you can easily chuck in a compact baby buggy in the back (you may have to flip it on its side, though), and the side-hinged boot is convenient if you're on the shorter side. Please note that it's a true four-seater, so it will only be suited to small families.
As a start, the engineers stretched the wheelbase of the three-door Jimny to 2 590 mm. This was enough to allow them to add two rear passenger doors and more room, but not so much as to compromise its off-road capabilities.The overall length, measured from bumper to bumper, has therefore increased by 340 mm to 3 820 mm.
The other vital statistics remained very close to those of the three-door model. This includes a width of 1 645 mm and a height of 1 720 mm. - Suzuki SA
Search AutoTrader for used Jimny models here
2. It climbs sidewalks like a champ
You can literally park the Jimny on a boulder if you can't find a parking spot. Fitted with a low-range transfer case, it can drive up the side of a mountain too. And now, your offspring can finally come with you on 4x4 weekend outings. Plus, it's just so manoeuvrable in crowded areas. The suspension's a little firm over the bumps, but nobody's perfect.
Ground clearance remains an impressive 210 mm, while the approach, breakover and departure angles are measured at an impressive 36 degrees, 24 degrees and a very handy 47 degrees respectively. - Suzuki
Search AutoTrader for new Jimny models here
3. It's more comfortable than it looks, and it's safe
The Jimny may be boxy, but its seats offer good support and there are a multitude of comfort and convenience features on board. The GLX's touchscreen is wireless and offers the convenience of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. And the design and outlay are just darling. As for the safety essentials, the Jimny comes equipped with the following:
• ESP (Electronic Stability Program)
• ABS Brakes & Hill-Start Assist
• Rear Parking Sensors
• Side-Impact Beams
• 3-Point Seatbelts
• ISOFIX Child Seat Anchors and child locks
• Airbags: GL Trim: 2 airbags (driver & passenger), GLX Trim: 6 airbags (including front-side & curtain airbags).
• Central Locking & Digital Immobilizer
Other safety features include automatic LED headlamps with headlight levelling and front fog lamps.
Related: How roomy is a Suzuki Jimny 5-Door model?
4. It's zippy enough for the highway, but doesn't guzzle petrol
The 5-door model tips the scales at 1200 kilograms which is considerably heavier than its lithe, 3-door counterpart, so fuel consumption is negatively impacted slightly, but hey, 7.1 litres per 100 km is not too bad, considering the Jimny's off-road chops, right?
The 1.5-litre, naturally aspirated engine is ideal for the city but has no problem keeping up with highway traffic. And it's great for going on safari!
Read our 2023 Jimny 5-door first drive review!
5. It looks fantastic!
Your kids won't ask you to stop a block away from school because you drive an "embarassing" car; the Jimny is one of the coolest-looking cars on our roads, and those two extra doors aren't even visible at first glance. And even the spare wheel riding against the bootlid is an alloy!
Related: Jimny Gathering a smash hit for Suzuki
Verdict
The 5-door Jimny gets five stars from this writer as a family car. Go ahead and buy one; you won't be sorry.
Pricing for this Jimny is as follows:
Jimny 1.5 GL AllGrip 5-door manual, R429 900
Jimny 1.5 GLX AllGrip 5-door manual, R457 900
Jimny 1.5 GLX AllGrip 5-door auto, R479 900
Budget not so big?
Finding well-priced models with 5 doors in the used-car market isn't really a possibility yet. So if you're cash-strapped but in need of a more spacious, used Suzuki, the larger Suzuki Vitara is ideal, and you can Search AutoTrader to find one from R129 999 but lower mileage models won't easily cost under R200k.
A newer, smaller car like the Suzuki Vitara Brezza may be to your liking too, and they're priced from around R180 000 used. Check out our listings here.
We compare the 5-door Jimny to the Renault Duster and Kia Seltos here.
Looking to buy a Jimny but need to get rid of your current car first? AutoTrader can get you an Instant Offer!
