In a bid to break Mahindra's Thar hegemony in the sports utility vehicle segment (SUV) segment, Maruti unveiled its Jimny at the Auto Expo 2023. Maruti, India's largest carmaker is looking to regain 50 percent market share in the domestic passenger vehicle segment by bolstering its presence in the sports utility vehicle (SUV) space through its vehicle Jimny. Unveiling the products at the Auto Expo 2023, Maruti Suzuki India MD and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi was quoted by a tech news portal saying that the company's medium-term goal has been to get back 50 percent market share and secure the number one position in the SUV segment. "I am confident that Maruti Suzuki will attain number one position in the SUV segment in the financial year 23-24," Hisashi Takeuchi said adding that there has been a rapid shift in customer preference towards SUVs in the Indian market. With Jimny being unveiled, below is its expected price, specification, and everything you need to know-
Maruti Jimny price, specification and more
Maruti's Jimny will be available in 7 colour options including 5 monotone shades and 2 dual-tone options. It features the globally renowned Kinetic Yellow shade originally developed to make it stand out in poor weather conditions. With a body-on-frame design, the rugged Jimny gets squared body proportions for strong body profile. It gets signature design elements such as the clamshell bonnet, vertical slits in the front grille and iconic round headlamps from the legendary Suzuki JIMNY. The Jimny will be powered by the K-series 1.5-litre engine with Idle Start Stop technology, and is mated to a specially tuned 5-speed Manual and 4-speed Automatic Transmission options.
Maruti Jimny vs Mahindra Thar
Talking about its comparison with Thar, Mahindra offers the Thar with the choice of petrol and diesel engines while the Jimny is only offered with a 1.5-liter petrol engine overseas. Even if Maruti offered the India-spec offering with the BS6 1.5-litre diesel engine, the Jimny would be down on power compared to the Thar. Interestingly, the 5-door Jimny was introduced in Japan a long time ago. Students from Japan's Nihon Automotive College (NATS) have showcased a modified 5-door Jimny. This Jimny looks so attractive that you will want to take it off-roading too. Talking about the modifications, this car has been given MT tires. Apart from this, Jimny's body has also been made a little higher. It is also provided with a roof-mounted tent, auxiliary lighting, and spare wheel mount. Custom-made bumpers have been used on both sides. Apart from this, it is powered by the company's own 1.5L NA petrol engine. Along with this, it has also received some changes for better drivability along with weight and chunky tires.
Coming to Maruti Jimny's price, Car Dekho states that the newly launched SUV will be sold at Rs 12 to Rs 15 lakhs depending upon its variants. On the other hand, Mahindra Thar price starts at Rs 9.99 Lakh and goes upto Rs 16.28 Lakh.