By Sean Creedon
FIFTY-two years ago Suzuki introduced the Jimny, a neat jeep that you can take off road if needed.
It used to be a four-seater, but I can tell you that my wife was not too happy last week when I arrived home with a two-seater version.
However, my good wife has a touch of arthritis and so she appreciated the grab-handle as she climbed on board.
Once inside she was very happy with the views of the countryside when sitting comfortably in that high passenger seat.
A few years back Suzuki switched the design of the Jimny from a four-seater to a two seater.
The sole Jimny is now available in Europe is classed as a light commercial vehicle.
The C02 emission are poor and it will cost you €413 to tax this 1.5 litre all-grip petrol version.
Not many interiors include a CD player these days
But it’s a fun car to look at and while it can be a little noisy on the road, it’s not uncomfortable and it’s fun to drive.
There is great ground clearance, which naturally would be good if using the car in rough terrain.
The latest Jimny has attracted both private users and professionals who seek authentic off-road performance.
Now in its fourth generation, the Japanese company has sold close to three million Jimnys in 194 countries since the fourth edition was launched in 2018.
There is a bit of noise from the cage in the back and at times you might be tempted to look behind you and see if there is really a prisoner in there!
It’s built on a ladder chassis, which means that the cabin is separate from the frame.
Apart from the road tax, this small jeep is very reasonably priced at just under 21k and it should be of interest to a variety of customers.
People who love their dogs, not just one dog, might like one.
It would also be handy for a photographer or painter/decorator or maybe a farmer who might need to take a few bales of hay to a flock of sheep on high ground in winter time.
I didn’t get many opportunities to drive the car off road apart from the lower regions levels of the Dublin mountains where I was able to experiment with the stubby lever on the floor that allows you switch to all-wheel drive.
Space is a bit tight in the cubby roles in the doors and you can just about squeeze a newspaper in there.
If you go off-road you might need a spare wheel, and the good news is that there is a full-size spare attached to the rear door.
It’s also a bit thirsty and the fuel consumption varies between 34 and 36 mpg.
My test car was a white colour, which certainly got a lot of attention from fellow motorists and some curious people in various shopping centres.
White may not the best colour when driving on muddy fields, but I suppose it would be easy to spot if you were looking for someone lost on a mountainside.
The Jimny is funky and it had an old-fashioned style handbrake, which is always appreciated. It also had a CD player, which would probably be regarded as old fashioned nowadays, but no vanity mirror for the front seat passenger.
It’s neat and easy to park, but no rear camera or reversing sensors. There’s only one version available and that’s reasonably priced at €20,995.