Since 1970, Suzuki has produced the Jimny: a peppy little off-roader with a timeless, fun-loving grin. The Jimny is classified as a Mini-SUV, and was probably the first of its kind.
Nowadays, the most popular new car shape in the western world is the SUV, with the smaller SUVs becoming the most-acclaimed. All of this, however, started with a car that has the looks of a miniature Jeep Wrangler.
The Suzuki Jimny is an underpowered, All-Wheel-Drive SUV that comes in a relatively simple package. From conception, it has always featured small engines (with the original base model featuring a 359cc 2-cylinder motor), a small form factor, and a relatively simple build. With the introduction of the Jimny in 1970, the car became Suzuki's first international success. From the factory, this model featured no structural roof, and required a cloth ceiling as a means of rain protection.
Throughout the 1970s, 80s and 90s, the Jimny was regarded as an excellent though affordable little vehicle, with surprising off-roading and towing capabilities. However, it was only in 1998 where the Jimny became a motoring icon. In 1998, the Third Generation Jimny was introduced; it featured a slight curve to the infamously box-shaped design. The new Jimny's face starred the grille of a Jeep Wrangler, although smiling.
Now, you may be wondering: "How in the world does this make the Jimny the template for modern car design?", and I'll explain that to you: SUVs are now incredibly popular, particularly those of the smaller size. Take a peek, the Volkswagen Passat saloon has been completely discontinued in favour of a large line of both electric cars and SUVs, with a large overlap between the two. Companies like Volkswagen, Ford of Europe, and the Stellantis family are pushing their SUVs over their low-to-the-ground hatchbacks.
In recent years, companies such as Peugeot and Volkswagen have released SUV equivalents of their cars, with the 2008 and T-Roc clearly intended to replace the 208 and Golf respectively. We can see this by going to these comapnies' web pages, with the Peugeot UK website displaying the "all-new" 2008 to the world as the default page.
Unfortunately, the ruggedness of the Jimny has been left behind; with the vast majority of modern SUVs featuring Front-Wheel-Drive drivetrains in comparison to the Jimny's All-Wheel-Drive system. Because of this, many of these modern "SUVs" aren't capable of off-roading, with cars such as Ford's Puma having the same drivetrain used in the now-ill-fated Fiesta (which the aforementioned Puma replaced in July 2023)
