As Americans, we lead a pretty privileged life. There’s really not a whole lot we can legitimately complain about without getting eye-rolls from many other corners of the world. But there are some aspects of being an American that are undoubtedly annoying. Depending on how into 4x4s you are, the fact that the Suzuki Jimny SUV is not available to U.S. consumers may rank at the top of the list.
The Jimny — a quirky yet endearing diminutive off-roader — left the U.S. market with the rest of Suzuki’s automotive lineup back in 2012, and its continued inaccessibility is a sore spot among a certain sect of car enthusiasts. Now, as if to taunt us further, Suzuki has launched what might just be the coolest and most desirable Jimny variant I’ve ever seen in the new Jimny XL Heritage.
Suzuki Jimny XL Heritage
Retro Cars Down Under
The new vehicle is a retro version of the Jimny XL, which itself is a bigger version of the standard Jimny that has a longer wheelbase and five doors instead of three. The special edition is called “Heritage” because of its old-school aesthetics inspired by the Jimnys of the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, including orange-and-red striped decals, red mudflaps and a Heritage cargo tray.
Outside of the stylistic changes, it’s the same Jimny XL, which means you’re getting Suzuki’s ALLGRIP PRO 4×4 system, a 9″ touchscreen infotainment center with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 1.5L I4 engine tied to a five-speed manual transmission. (Unlike on the standard Jimny XL, there’s no automatic option on the Heritage.)
Suzuki