I always wanted a Suzuki Jimny, and we finally got one. We got this in June of 2024, then promptly took off on a couple months of travel, so I’m just now getting around to working on it.
Being the Jimny Wide, it uses the G13BB engine (1.3-liter) and has wider flares kicking it out of kei car classification. This means I can register it in Oregon.
It came with Ultima shocks and King Springs for a little 1" lift. Also came with brand-new BFGoodrich KO2s and new wheels. It’s got a winch plate, and I just got a new WARN R-Series 6000 lb. winch for it. It also has manual hubs, a full set of replacement brakes, and rear recovery points I need to install.
Had an oil leak, which is now buttoned up, and I fixed a leaky heater hose a couple days ago.
This little thing is brilliant around town. The engine + 5-speed darts around town easily. It can do 70 MPH without much effort, too. Lots of potential here!
If it weren’t for the flares and the 1.3-liter, this would just be a Jimny with the 660cc engine. But the JDM Jimny Wide is what other countries got as the Jimny Sierra, I believe.
I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t look at that Jimny and smile. Or I wouldn’t want to know them.
It is one of the most quintessential 4wds ever made in my opinion. Belongs up there with the g-wagen, defender, land cruiser, pajero, patrol, and I suppose Jeep LOL.
Love love love! So happy you finally have one.
I couldn’t do a KEI. TO stressful on the highway, but a 1.3? Perrfect! Probably has more usable get up and go than my truck does!
It’s by no means a rocket ship. It does fantastically around town. I’ve always been a fan of smaller cars, and this thing brings all that back. It’s zippy, easy to park, and super maneuverable. It’s happy at 100 kmh. It could go all day. At 110 it’s OK, but more than that is pushing more than 4,000 RPM. I drove home with it at 110-112, and it was fine.
I had to laugh: I brought it to our local Cars & Coffee when I first got it. I was walking back toward it, and there was a guy telling his wife, “This is a Jimny. It’s pretty much the best 4x4 ever built. They’re amazing off-road … [and on and on].”
I think I’d like to lift it up another inch at some point. It scrubs the fenders at full lock, so who knows what’d be at full articulation. Hmm … I wonder if I can easily disconnect the front sway bar?
