Suzuki Jimny 2024 review: XL

The three-door Jimny GLX starts at $31,990, but how much more would you pay for a Jimny with two extra doors, more legroom and a bigger boot?

Well, Suzuki reckons you’ll be happy to pay $3000 more. So that means the Jimny XL lists for $34,990 with a manual gearbox and $36,490 for the automatic transmission version.

To me it’s worth it for the extra practicality but what about in terms of standard features?

The good news is the Jimny XL has a larger 9.0-inch media screen, but the bad news is it doesn’t come with built-in sat nav like the three-door GXL. (Image: Richard Berry)

The good news is the Jimny XL has a larger 9.0-inch media screen, but the bad news is it doesn’t come with built-in sat nav like the three-door GXL.

Yes, you can connect the media screen to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and use the map app on your phone but if you’re out of range and can’t get reception on an adventure somewhere a bit remote then no maps for you.

The rest of the standard features list is more or less identical and includes 15-inch alloys. (Image: Richard Berry)

Other features the XL has that the GXL doesn’t is a four-speaker stereo (it’s two speakers in the three door), parking sensors and adaptive cruise control. All good additions.

The rest of the standard features list is more or less identical and includes 15-inch alloys, LED headlights, rear privacy glass, climate control and a leather-trimmed steering wheel.

What’s not here that’s normally on small SUVs? There’s no proximity unlocking and you’ll need to put the key in the ignition to start it rather than pressing a button.

While we love the tiny box-on-wheels look of the Jimny three-door, its lack of practicality, second row room and boot space limited how many people you could carry comfortably and the amount of gear you could fit into the cargo area. 

The Jimny XL solves this problem with a longer wheelbase which allows for rear doors that give great access to a second row which has plenty of head- and legroom for even me at 189cm tall to sit behind my driving position.

The Jimny XL solves this problem with a longer wheelbase which allows for rear doors that give great access to a second row which has plenty of head- and legroom for even me at 189cm tall to sit behind my driving position. (Image: Richard Berry)

Worth noting that like the three-door Jimny the XL is a four-seater only. 

The 85-litre boot of the Jimny three-door is only just big enough for a couple of small bags but the Jimny five door’s cargo capacity is 211 litres.

The 85-litre boot of the Jimny three-door is only just big enough for a couple of small bags but the Jimny five door’s cargo capacity is 211 litres. (Image: Richard Berry)

That’s still not huge but this really isn’t a large car. It’s not even a small car. It’s still tiny.

Door pockets are wafer thin and will only just fit a phone, but you also have a glove box and two cupholders up front.

The Jimny XL has the same engine as the rest of the line-up - a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol unit making 75kW and 130Nm.

It feels underpowered in the three-door and even more so in this five-door version which is 90kg heavier.

The Jimny XL has the same engine as the rest of the line-up - a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol unit making 75kW and 130Nm. (Image: Richard Berry)

The XL comes with a five-speed manual gearbox or a four speed automatic transmission. Yes, you read that right. 

As with all Jimny’s the XL has a ladder frame chassis, and this combined with a part-time four-wheel drive system that has a low and high range makes it a handy little off-roader. 

The Jimny three-door is a fun little SUV to drive and I’ve spent a lot of time in them over the years.

My first time piloting a Jimny XL came courtesy of a very brief drive program at the Australian launch which only allowed for a taste test of its character on and off the road.

What I can tell you is that on-road the Jimny XL has the same slow-geared steering feel as the small three-door, and the body of this SUV also shares its smaller sibling's tendency to lean in the corners.

As with the three-door Jimny the XL’s engine feels underpowered, but driving a variant with the manual gearbox I found I could dig down and find the ‘power band’ while also increasing the engagement factor.

The upright driving position and great visibility add to the fun and it’s hard not to smile while bouncing along. (Image: Richard Berry)

And there’s plenty of engagement. This is a fun SUV to drive, and unlike any other SUV in the class it has an almost agricultural feel.

The upright driving position and great visibility add to the fun and it’s hard not to smile while bouncing along. Oh, and there is bounce. The suspension is soft and the ride is comfortable even if handling is almost non-existent.

I had a chance to ride in the back seat during part of the on-road component and found the comfort levels to be good even if my seat belt was working overtime to keep me from rolling around in the corners.

The Jimny’s part-time four-wheel drive system and ladder frame chassis make this a talented off-road vehicle. (Image: Richard Berry)

We spent more time at Sydney Motorsport Park’s off-road course where the Jimny XL performed impressively, wriggling up steep dirt hills before tip-toeing down them using hill descent control and wading through water crossings.

Interestingly, Suzuki can’t tell us what the wading depth for the Jimny XL is, so keep to the tyre wall depth rule.

The Jimny’s part-time four-wheel drive system and ladder frame chassis make this a talented off-road vehicle.

The three-door Jimny was given a three- out of a possible five-star ANCAP rating when it was tested in 2019, but the five door Jimny XL has yet to be assessed and according to Suzuki it may not even be submitted for testing.

It’s unlikely the three-star rating could be carried across as the XL is 340mm longer and has two more doors than the three-door Jimny and so its performance could possibly be different in a crash test.

In terms of advanced safety technology there’s an almost identical list to the three-door including AEB, blind spot warning and lane departure alert.

For child seats there are two ISOFIX points and two top tether mounts in the second row.

As for airbags - yes it has them. There are dual front and side airbags for the driver and co-pilot and curtain airbags for both rows of seating.