Evolution Of The Maruti Jimny Through The Generations

Check out how much the off-roader has evolved from the first to the fourth generation

This year at the Auto Expo 2023, Maruti Suzuki made the world debut of the five-door Jimny. For the uninitiated, the "Jimny" name has been around for over 50 years! Its first generation was launched in 1970, the second generation in 1981, the third in 1998 and the current fourth-generation hit the international markets in 2018 as a three-door model. 

Also Read: CD Speak: Here’s How Maruti Should Price The New Jimny

Let us take you through the evolution of the Maruti Jimny through its different avatars:

First Generation

Launched in 1970, the first generation Jimny came out more than 50 years ago. The first iteration, called the LJ10, was powered by a 360cc petrol engine with an output of 25PS and had a boxy design. It had seating for only three passengers and had the spare wheel placed next to the rear seat. Five years later, the second iteration called the LJ50 was introduced, which carried the same design language but was available with both soft and hard-top roof options. It had a 550cc engine with higher output figures and the spare wheel was mounted outside. The LJ50 was succeeded by the LJ80 in 1977 which had an 800cc petrol unit that made 41PS.

Second Generation

In 1981, after the success of the first generation, the Jimny got its second one. Its first iteration was the SJ410 which had a 1000cc engine making 45PS and the second one was the SJ413 which used a 1.3-litre petrol engine and had an output of 67PS initially. We got the second generation Jimny by the name of Maruti Gypsy, featuring a longer wheelbase in comparison to the global version. Initially, it came with the same 1.0-litre engine but was later offered with the 1.3-litre petrol engine with an output of 81PS and 103Nm. Soon after its launch, the Gypsy became one of the most popular off-roaders in the country and even a major part of the Indian army’s fleet.

Third Generation

In 1998, Jimny saw a major change. There were no changes in its powertrain, but it was a ground-up new product. The signature round headlamps were replaced by squarish units which housed the headlamps and indicators. The grille got bigger vertical slits and the overall design got modernised. It got a new ladder frame, separate shock absorbers and coil springs for the front suspension and air hub locks which allowed the switch from two-wheel-drive to four-wheel-drive while the car was moving. Suzuki did not offer the third-generation Jimny in the country.

Fourth Generation

The fourth and current generation of the Jimny came out in 2018 in a three-door avatar. There is a major change in design here as well. Its boxy shape is back with design touches reminiscent of previous generation models. The grille is closer to the one present in the third generation. The round headlamps from the first two generations are back and its overall design is inspired by the first generation. This year, the fourth-generation Jimny made its world debut in India in its five-door avatar. It packs a 1.5-litre petrol unit which churns out 105PS and 134.2Nm. The current Jimny is available with both manual and automatic transmission options.

Related: Maruti Receives Over 5,000 Bookings For The Jimny In Less Than A Week

The Jimny has gone through a lot of changes through four generations in over half a century. Maruti is once again a contender in the lifestyle off-road SUV segment which is currently dominated by Mahindra Thar and Force Gurkha. The carmaker will launch the Jimny soon and it is expected to have a starting price of Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom).