Maruti Suzuki Jimny Long Term Review, September 2023 Report

Last month, I went on a couple of road trips in the Jimny. So, this time, I will tell you how it fares on the highway. First things first, it can, surprisingly, cruise at 110 – 120km/h quite comfortably. I even managed to set the cruise control at 120km/h on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway recently, and it remained planted at these speeds. Plus, I never felt the need to slow down for bumps, expansion joints, potholes, etc.

On a 500km road trip, in mixed conditions, including the aforementioned high-speed cruise, it returned a decent fuel efficiency of 14.5km/I overall. Not great, I know, but I was expecting an even worse figure, given its brick-like aerodynamics, higher drivetrain loss, and short gearing. Another thing that stands out on long trips is its stellar ride quality. While the suspension is soft, it doesn’t feel nervous, and the ride isn’t busy.

However, maintaining a steady cruise is easy, but getting up to speed is quite a task, and overtaking anything above 80km/h is an appointment-only affair. While the ride quality is brilliant, it isn’t the most comfortable or practical road-trip car. The wafer-thin seat padding is not good for your lower back. Plus, there’s no armrest or dead pedal, and the gear lever never stops wiggling. Also, the steering feels lifeless in the centre and needs constant corrections even on straight roads. All of this means that you can’t really relax throughout the journey.

Despite its flaws, I loved driving the Jimny over long distances. And can’t wait to do it again soon. Let’s just say that it has made me fall in love with driving once again.

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Maruti Suzuki Jimny Long Term Review, August 2023 Report

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