The much-awaited Maruti Suzuki Jimny SUV has been caught testing in a 5-door body style on Indian soil for the first time. It is quite possible that the made-for-India Maruti Suzuki Jimny will break cover at the upcoming Auto Expo 2023 in January.Â
Maruti Suzuki Jimny, India: Design
The Jimny 3-door test mule, spotted by Autocar, gets Maruti Suzuki’s test registration plates under a heavily camouflaged body. It is expected that a facelift for the Maruti Suzuki Jimny could debut on the made-for-India five-door version first!
The Maruti Suzuki Jimny for India could get a bigger 9-inch touchscreen instead of the 7-inch unit available with the current Jimny sold abroad as well as a new texture for the upholstery. The SUV will be more spacious in the second row as well. The model spotted on test is a right-hand drive instead of the left-hand drive version seen in Europe. Before this, Jimny’s manufactured in India were in left-hand drive guise only, meant for exports.
Maruti Suzuki Jimny, India: Engine
For engine duties, the Maruti Suzuki Jimny is most likely to feature the brand’s K15C 1.5-litre DualJet engine. The SUV’s 3-door counterpart sold abroad draws power from a K15B powertrain replaced by the K15C in India. Transmission options could include the 5-speed manual or the six-speed automatic with both options paired with a manually operated transfer case for four-wheel drive use.
Once the Maruti Suzuki Jimny is offered in India, it will go against the extremely popular Mahindra Thar and the Force Gurkha, both of which are likely to be offered in a 5-door version soon.
