2027 Suzuki Jimny review

What is the Suzuki Jimny like on the inside?

When it arrived seven years ago, the latest Jimny's new but still relatively archaic cabin made some sense at its original price. Now? Not so much.

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Of course, the Jimny has never been a luxury vehicle. Its cabin is hardly more than a metal box with just enough plastic and carpet to make it feel like a complete vehicle, rounded out with basic yet functional fittings that did only what you needed and nothing more.

But time has passed, and its price has inflated, yet the interior hasn't changed. That's no worry if you're buying one used, but Suzuki is really resting on its laurels in the new-car market.

It's hard to say what the Jimny needs to become more 'with it' – better tech, less plastic, lower prices, or all of the above – but it clearly needs something. As it stands, we can't really see where the money is going, other than into the pockets of the Japanese small-car brand.

Now, we know the Jimny has never had short model cycles. The third-gen model was on sale for 20 years, and its interior barely kept up with the times. But cars have progressed much faster during the lifetime of the latest model on test here, and that hasn't helped its perceived age.

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On the plus side, the Mk4 Jimny's interior remains incredibly hardy. The lack of flashy appointments makes it feel far more robust than techier rivals, with strong grab handles and notchy switchgear that quickly quells any suspicions that this diminutive box on wheels is delicate. It's extremely utilitarian.

The hard, textured plastics should be very durable, and the exposed bolt heads clearly signal the car's rugged intent. Build quality also feels solid, with no undue rattles or creaks cropping up during our week-long loan.

Suzuki has also maintained a plethora of physical controls, with large switches and dials fitted for nearly every vehicle function. Again, these should hold up in the long run, and they're far easier to use than any screen-based systems.

The Jimny does have a touchscreen, albeit a very basic one. Unlike the 7.0-inch unit in the Jimny Lite, our tester features a 9.0-inch infotainment system that looks and feels like most other Suzuki systems: dated.

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In here are only the most basic settings and info readouts, offset by the handy inclusion of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The biggest advantage of this simple tech is that you don't have to rely on it to control the car, though we'd still want more for the price.

The only other screen in the Jimny is the LCD-style display in front of the steering wheel, primarily used for the trip computer. This is purely functional and suits the Jimny's vibe, as do the dual analogue gauges on either side.

Comfort-wise, the Jimny gets only the bare minimum. The seats are just soft enough not to give you a backache and are finished in unremarkable cloth upholstery, but naturally they lack power adjustment, lumbar adjustment, and heating. The thin steering wheel rim adds a bit of luxury with its leather wrap.

And, of course, it feels impossibly small inside. The front seats are close enough for occupants to rub shoulders, and storage space is limited: there are no bottle holders in the doors, no large trays for loose items, just a pair of cupholders in the middle, and a small passenger-side glovebox.

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The rear of the three-door Jimny cabin is no more expansive. You have to choose between rear seats and cargo space, because you can't have both at the same time – not that we find that terribly surprising in a car like this.

Frankly, you'd only use rear seats (of which there are only two) if you were desperate, if you had a child, or if you were one. Second-row space comes at a premium, and the bench seat isn't all that comfortable, though Suzuki has still fitted child-seat anchor points for those so inclined.

If you choose cargo space instead, you'll be pleasantly surprised. Folding down the rear seatbacks creates a flat plastic cargo floor that almost makes it look like a commercial van back there, and the boxy body creates a huge amount of space for all sorts of cargo. It could use a few tie-down points, but there's a small lidded cubby for small items if needed.

The hard, open floor is ideal for muddy camping gear in particular, and those off-road adventures will be easier on the mind with Suzuki's standard inclusion of a full-size spare wheel on the side-hinged rear tailgate.

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To see how the Suzuki Jimny stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What's under the bonnet?

Powering the Jimny is still the same wheezy 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine, pumping out just 75kW of power and a meagre 130Nm of torque. Drive is sent to a part-time four-wheel drive system through a five-speed manual or, in the case of our tester, a four-speed automatic transmission.

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Our week with the three-door Jimny primarily involved commuting on higher-speed freeways and country roads, though we also dabbled in some off-roading.

The combination of high-RPM cruising and low-speed crawling contributed to our higher-than-claimed fuel consumption.

To see how the Suzuki Jimny stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the Suzuki Jimny drive?

Most vehicles can't have their driving experiences summed up in one word, but most vehicles aren't the Jimny. 'Agricultural' fits the bill here.

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To expand, and clichés aside, there's no new model on sale right now quite as unique as the Jimny, at least not in the same way. It doesn't get more unfiltered than this.

Turning the key – there's no push-button here – fires up the modest 1.5-litre engine which settles into a fairly loud cold idle, and it's immediately clear there's not a whole lot separating that noise from the cabin.

That's really a theme with the Jimny, as it's unreasonable to expect much refinement. Our only major observation here is that the three-door is marginally less boomy inside than the five-door XL.

Plenty of road noise and driveline whine are immediately obvious, as is the lack of punch from the four-pot engine. The Jimny has never been a powerhouse, but it's always jarring to get back into one after driving literally anything else.

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Stepping on the throttle rewards you with more engine noise, but not much oomph. This means you have to take extra care when pulling onto high-speed roads or going for an overtake; you don't have the luxury of instant torque for last-minute decisions.

The four-speed auto exacerbates that trait. It's a lazy transmission, and the lack of ratios requires it to kick down at even slight changes in throttle input or road gradient.

In fact, its behaviour is really quite comical. It becomes very easy to predict when the car will kick down and flare the engine speed towards 5000rpm, and you quickly learn that the Jimny is a rev-happy buzzbox.

It's therefore better suited to urban driving or off-roading, because those are lower-speed environments. On 110km/h freeways, the three-door Jimny is wobbly and loud, and cruises at an uncomfortably high 3500rpm – heaven forbid you hit heavy rain or a strong headwind. And gusty crosswinds make this slab-sided mini-SUV feel even less stable.

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It's also a very interactive experience in urban settings. The steering is vague and super-slow, which means you'll be winding on the lock to throw the Jimny down side streets or through carparks.

That wobbly nature carries through to its behaviour over small imperfections, like speed bumps. The long suspension and solid front and rear axles give it a very stilted character, and it'll bobble about more than most conventional small SUVs.

Above all, though, the Jimny is a lot of fun. The gearbox's indecisiveness warrants you to thrash the gutless engine, and it responds very well to what we'd describe as slightly more 'chaotic' driving.

Even the body roll makes it feel lively and playful, and if the roads are wet, the skinny rear tyres can break traction if you're heavy-handed on the throttle while turning. As ever, the Jimny feels at its best when driven a bit more loosely.

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And while that'll be an acquired taste on sealed surfaces, it's impossible to argue with the Jimny's off-road capability. It's always been a tale of two sides: horrible on-road, brilliant off-road.

Its generous ground clearance and sizeable approach and departure angles means you're less likely to damage the underside of the vehicle in deep ruts or over large logs on a firetrail, and the short wheelbase means you're unlikely to become beached on sharp crests, instilling plenty of confidence to head further off-road.

Of course, the shorter wheelbase means the three-door has a noticeably smaller footprint than the five-door, allowing it traverse bigger obstacles without dragging its undercarriage. But large bumps have a greater effect and it also feels a little less confident on steep hill climbs.

But that won't matter for the casual off-roader, because you still have a robust ladder frame and four-wheel drive system to fall back on. Keep in mind that you should only engage 4H on unsealed surfaces, but traction greatly improves as a result.

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If the going gets really tough, it's easy enough to pop the Jimny into neutral and shift into low-range '4L' gearing. The additional low-range gear shifter has a super-chunky action, so it's very satisfying to interact with.

The only trouble you'll run into is if you're on offset moguls in low-grip conditions, because no Jimny comes standard with locking differentials. That said, a bit of momentum will keep you scampering up surprisingly steep and loose terrain, and the traction control is decent.

And the Jimny's narrow body also allows you to squeeze through tight areas a little more confidently, both off-road and on, as well as straddle deep ruts dug by larger 4×4s instead of scraping through them. It's back-to-basics fun.

The analogue experience is rounded out by the lack of intrusive safety gear. All the tech that it gained for 2026 – namely front and rear parking sensors, lane departure prevention, and adaptive cruise control – works without fault.

To see how the Suzuki Jimny stacks up against the competition, check out our comparison tool