It's no secret that the diminutive Suzuki Jimny is a favourite in the AutoTrader offices. Sean Nurse owns one, and I had a 3-door JB74 (4th generation) parked in my garage for a while too. So when the opportunity came to sample the new, 5-door JC74 variant over the December period, I stuck my hand up. It would be interesting to compare how the 5-door fared when compared to the 3-door, a vehicle I was intimately familiar with.
Related: Suzuki Jimny 5 Door (2023) First drive review
When news of the 5-door variant was released, the contumacious fans of the 3-door quickly slated it, calling it an abomination and accusing Suzuki of selling out. The Jimny, in their minds, should only ever be a 3-door with compact proportions. They argued that the 5-door design diluted the identity and was too cumbersome. The raw fact of the matter is that the 5-door arrangement is a boon for more than just the practicality.
The new 5-door Jimny
The JC74 (5-door) is exactly the same width and height as the JB74 (3-door); the only difference is in its overall length and, accordingly, the wheelbase (distance from front wheels to rear wheels). It has grown in overall length by only 340 mm, just over a foot, 13.3 inches if you really have to. The wheelbase is stretched accordingly, growing by the same amount. This additional length belies what Suzuki has been able to do on the inside, but more on that later.
The approach and departure angles change ever so slightly but by amounts that are truly negligible. The approach angle drops from 37° to 36° and the departure angle from 49° to 47° with part of this reduction as a result of the parking sensors in the rear bumper (a new feature for the JC74). The breakover angle, usually the first to suffer when one extends a wheelbase, decreases from 28° to 24°. A small price to pay for all that the JC74 has to offer, trust me. Ground clearance remains a capable 210 mm.
The two figures that get hurt the most and that are most noticeable are the turning circle and the weight. The turning circle grows from a compact 9.8 metres to a more generous 11.4 metres, and if you've spent any time in a JB74, this is the change that will take the most getting used to. The new 5-door is not as easy to park as the 3-door, but the addition of those parking sensors at the rear and the included reverse camera helps matters greatly. The new, larger 9-inch infotainment system mean that the reverse camera gives you a wonderful, large display.
The weight also climbs from a featherlight 1050 kg to a more substantial 1200 kg, not something you notice immediately, but you can tell that something is up as the performance is stunted ever so slightly (but you really need to know what you're feeling to be able to tell).
On the flip side of all of this is a brilliant trade-off in practicality. Ordinarily, one will not use the words 'practical' and 'Jimny' in the same sentence unless preceded by the word 'not'. The biggest bugbear for many 3-door owners is the lack of boot space. The tiny 85-litre boot results in many opting to fit roof racks and storage systems to their Jimnys (something they will say they did begrudgingly, but we know that's a lie - Jimny owners love modifications!) if they want any use from their back seats. That is a thing of the past as the JC74 has a 211-litre boot and that's with both the rear seats in the upright position. Fold them forward, and it grows even more to 332 litres.
It's still powered by the same K15B 1.5-litre engine that produces 75 kW and 138 Nm torque. It still employs the AllGrip 4x4 drivetrain that offers 2WD-High Range, 4WD-High Range, and a 4WD-Low Range. You get to choose from a 4-speed auto or a 5-speed manual, and thankfully, my test unit was a 5-speed manual. I say thankfully because the 4-speed auto is simply inadequate at Reef altitudes, where the engine loses some of its power. You'll find yourself wanting an additional gear and wishing that the gears were spaced a little closer together. The 5-speed manual, though, is a blast!
Exploring the Drakensburg
There's just something about a Jimny that makes you want to hit the open road and go on an adventure. It was no different when the JC74 was parked in my driveway. A spur-of-the-moment decision saw me load up my bags and book an Airbnb for a few days out in the peaceful town of Clarens in the Free State. Don't ask me why, but Clarens and the Suzuki Jimny just go so well together - especially after the first-ever Jimny Gathering held there in September. In short, I wanted to go back.
I packed my bags and loaded the cooler box of food and comfortably managed to get all of this in the boot of the 5-door without having to drop the seats. I checked the tyre pressures and fluids and set off early one morning down the N3 from Johannesburg. I was to take a 3-hour detour via Pietermaritzburg to pick up a friend. The JC74 ate it all up and asked for more. Sure, some vehicles are better suited to these long highway journeys, but the longer wheelbase of the JC74 definitely makes it more stable at highway speeds. One has to remember that this is a TRUE 4x4 with a ladder chassis and solid axles - great off-road, less than desirable on it. But that said, the JC74 ate up the miles and wanted more.
After more than 800km, the comfort levels were still more than agreeable, and the petrol consumption acceptable. One trait of the K15B engine that scares people is its rev-happy nature; these engines love revs and actually perform better in terms of fuel economy when one does so. So if you're a Jimny owner who's struggling to hit the manufacturer claims, rev it out a little more - trust me, it likes it. While off the claimed 6.2 l/100km that Suzuki claims, highway speed and then some, resulted in a fuel consumption figure of 7.4 l/100km. Pulling into the narrow driveway of the accommodation, the larger turning circle was made rather apparent. Embarrassingly, a multi-point turn was required to get through the gate; old JB74 habits die hard.
The Jimny just fits in out-there places like Clarens. It's chic enough to street park at the square and as equally at home when you decide to explore the countryside. Shifting on the fly from 2H to 4H means that no gravel path is too challenging, and one has to restrain oneself from venturing off of it, especially when you head down the R712 and take the Blesbok Loop to take in the scenery - we'd rather not do damage to the environment unnecessarily. With a Jimny, you simply see a location and know that you will be able to find a way to get there, whether it's a hiking spot, a viewpoint, a fishing spot, or simply just for the sake of exploring, a Jimny will take you places that you never thought imaginable. It's still as capable as a 4x4, and some light off-roading showed me that the concessions made in the dimensions hardly hinder its performance off of the tarmac.
On the way home after the stay, I opted not to take the N3, electing to take the lesser frequented route past Reitz and Heilbron. That's just what the Jimny does, it makes you want to take the longer route home, the scenic one that shows you more of this beautiful country of ours.
3-door Jimny vs 5-door Jimny
I hear what the fanatics are saying. The 5-door does feel like a bit of a cheat, but when you add two doors, comfortable rear seats, and usable luggage space, the compromised JB74 suddenly becomes much more viable for daily use. It hasn't watered down the flavour; it's just made the Jimny more accessible. Now, those who previously wouldn't have considered it for themselves can experience the joy that is a Suzuki Jimny, quirks and all. It can now do the school run, the grocery shopping, and, as I managed to convincingly prove, tackle a longer road trip, luggage, passengers, et al.
The 5-door Suzuki Jimny manual in GLX trim will set you back R457 900, and that still makes it a winning deal in my books; for something with so much character and impressive off-road capabilities, you can't go wrong. The Jimny is sold with a 5-year/200 000km warranty and a 4-year/60 000km service plan.
