How Does The Maruti Jimny Stack Up Against The Heavy Weights From Segments Above?

The Maruti Jimny is the latest off-roading SUV around the block and although it is due for a price reveal, we reckon it’ll be one of the most affordable off-roading SUVs on the market. Now don’t let that statement fool you because even though the Jimny won’t burn a crater sized hole in your pocket, it still has a lot of off-roading equipment backing up its potential. 

And after a scrupulous look, it seems to be good enough to take on SUVs from two or even three segments above, SUVs that cost a whole lot more. So let’s see how the tiny little Maruti Jimny’s off-roading bits fares against the likes of the Jeep Wrangler, Mercedes G-Wagon, and Land Rover Defender on paper:

Just to be clear, comparing the engine specifications of these vehicles would go in vain, given that the Jimny was never known for the amount of oomph on tap. The rest of the pack is equipped with bigger and more potent engine options and there’s no way the Jimny could keep up with them in that parameter. So before you warm up to a potential groan, know that it isn’t supposed to in the first place, so there’s no point fretting over it. Over to the meat of the topic:

Off-road hardware

All these SUVs sport a coil spring suspension as standard, although the Mercedes’ setup can be tweaked, thanks to adaptive dampers. The Defender, on the other hand, can also be had with an air suspension, which is an optional extra.

The Jimny and Wrangler stick to an old-school setup with solid front and rear axles, which offers good wheel articulation. The Defender is equipped with an independent axle all around, while the G-Wagon only gets it at the front and features a solid axle at the rear.

Of course, all these SUVs get a four-wheel drive system, but the Jimny and Wrangler’s system is a part-time four-wheel drive unit, meaning it can be switched to two-wheel drive when needed. A low-range gearbox and locking differential are offered as standard on all four SUVs, however, the functionality of the latter differs for each. 

Off-roading stats

*Data used is for the coil suspension model and not the air suspension one

Not too bad huh? Considering that there’s a difference of at least five times between the expected price for the Jimny and the rest of the batch, the Jimny sounds like a sweet steal. It boasts a better approach and departure angle than both the Mercedes G-Wagon and the Land Rover Defender (90), while having the steepest departure angle of the lot.

Note: Higher the approach, ramp over and departure angle, the better.

Final say

On paper, the Maruti Jimny goes pretty much neck-to-neck with the rest. Although we don’t yet know how these off-roading specifications will translate into the real world, we reckon the Jimny should be able to keep up with the rest for the majority of the parts. We’ll know the rest when we get behind the wheel of the Jimny, so keep an eye out for our first drive review. 

Also Read: The Ameron Motorworld Hotel In Munich Is The Dream Hotel Of Every Petrolhead

Prices for the Maruti Jimny should be revealed in the coming months and it’ll rival the likes of the Mahindra Thar and Force Gurkha. Head here to see how the Jimny fares against its chief rivals.