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Suzuki fans around the world are in for a treat as the highly anticipated “Jimny 5-door” makes its grand debut, now available in a captivating new shade of green. The expansion of the Suzuki SUV lineup is generating quite the buzz, with South Africa being the latest market to welcome this remarkable addition. The Jimny 5-door was unveiled on August 28, 2023, during the Festival of Motoring, South Africa’s premier motor show that took place from August 25 to 28, 2023. Enthusiasts can expect this model to hit the streets by the fourth quarter of this year.

The Jimny series, renowned for its compact 4WD capabilities, enjoys a global presence in 194 countries and regions. In Japan, a variant known as the “Jimny Sierra” is sold, featuring a body and frame based on the Jimny light car but with added size and a small car engine. However, Japan’s unique light vehicle standards mean that the Jimny Sierra is sold abroad as the “Jimny.” Now, the new Jimny 5-door takes things to the next level by extending the body of the Jimny Sierra and adding a rear door.

First revealed at the “Auto Expo 2023” in India on January 12th and subsequently launched on June 7th in the same market, the Jimny 5-door boasts impressive dimensions, measuring 3985mm in length, 1645mm in width, and 1720mm in height, with a 2590mm wheelbase. This represents a substantial increase of 435mm in length and 340mm in wheelbase compared to the Japanese Jimny Sierra, resulting in more legroom and cargo space, thanks to the addition of a rear door.

The new model features a distinctive five-slot throttle grille with special plated parts and a redesigned rear seat for the rear passengers. Despite these enhancements, the overall width of the dedicated rear seat remains the same as the 3-door version, accommodating two passengers in the back and maintaining a total seating capacity of four.

Under the hood, the Jimny 5-door boasts a 1.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engine, producing a robust maximum output of 104.8 horsepower and a peak torque of 134.2 Nm. Buyers can opt for either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic transmission to suit their preferences.

The Jimny 5-door has quickly become Suzuki’s best-selling model in the Indian market. Its success prompted the decision to export this exceptional vehicle to Latin American and African markets, with the South African unveiling representing a part of this global expansion.

While detailed specifications for the South African market are yet to be disclosed, the new Jimny 5-door will be available in an exciting range of body colors, including Celestial Blue, Granite Gray, Metallic Black x Sizzling Red two-tone, and the all-new Jungle Green.

Brendon Carpenter, Brand Marketing Manager at Suzuki’s South African subsidiary, expressed his excitement, stating, “Due to the new Jimny 5-door and the overwhelming popularity of the Jimny, our production facilities in Japan and India are running at full capacity to meet demand. In South Africa, we have already started taking pre-orders and will be launching in the final quarter of this year. We would like to be able to sell the new Jimny 5-door.”

As production facilities work tirelessly to meet global demand for the Jimny 5-door, the release date for Japan has not yet been announced. Fans in Japan eagerly await news of the vehicle’s introduction, with many expressing their desire for its arrival and questions about the decision-making process. Additionally, there have been inquiries regarding the powertrain, with some hoping for increased power when it finally arrives in Japan.

The expansion of the Jimny 5-door’s sales areas has garnered a range of opinions and excitement from enthusiasts. Some have even drawn comparisons to other mini SUVs, highlighting the distinctive appeal of the Jimny. For now, there is no indication that the Jimny 5-door won’t eventually make its way to Japan, and we eagerly anticipate further updates on this exciting development.

High expectations surround the Suzuki Jimny 5-door as it made its grand entrance into the Indian market in early 2023. Impressions and videos from India have already been circulating, building anticipation for its eventual release in Japan. Yet, one question lingers: why isn’t the striking red body color available in Japan?

In India, the Jimny 5-door boasts a straightforward lineup comprising two grades: “Zeta” and “Alpha.” In addition to classic monochrome options like white, blue, and gray, Indian customers have the opportunity to choose from two-tone body colors like “yellow/black” and “red/black.” It’s the absence of the red hue that piques curiosity in Japan. While similar shades are available, red remains conspicuously absent.

The reason behind this color discrepancy appears to be rooted in regional preferences. Once upon a time, red cars were all the rage in Japan, particularly “red sports cars” that were the envy of many drivers. This penchant for red extended beyond sports cars to minivans and rugged 4WD vehicles. However, a prevailing perception emerged that “red paint fades easily,” which led people in rain-prone Japan to steer clear of the color.

Mazda played a pivotal role in reshaping the perception of red. Starting with the CX-5 in 2012, Mazda adopted red as the image color for their models, introducing hues like Soul Red Premium Metallic, Soul Red Crystal Metallic, Artisan Red Premium Metallic, and more. The rarity of red in other automakers’ offerings helped Mazda’s red colors gain popularity. These hues appealed to drivers who desired a car with a distinctive personality that set them apart.

Interestingly, there is a parallel between fashion and cars in Japan. Just as primary colors tend to be popular during good economic times and achromatic colors during bad times, a similar trend is observable in car color preferences. In the late 2010s, Japan experienced an outdoor boom, influencing fashion and car colors alike. During economic prosperity, bright outdoor fashion and car colors were prevalent, but as the trend shifted towards low-visibility colors, these too gained prominence in the automotive world.

The Jimny 5-door aligns with this trend by offering both “low-visibility colors” that blend with nature and “high-visibility colors” like yellow, catering to professionals such as forestry workers. Jungle green is the most favored color among buyers, followed closely by black and ivory, despite Suzuki initially promoting yellow as its image color.

Surveys by a research company reveal that red remains the top choice for a “cool car” in countries like India, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia. In Asia, which is currently experiencing rapid motorization, the allure of the color red remains strong.

While Suzuki did have red options in some of its earlier models, such as the first-generation Escudo and X-90, the urban-oriented colors didn’t align with the image Japanese consumers had of wild SUV styles, limiting their popularity.

Suzuki, however, isn’t ruling out the possibility of offering red in Japan in the future, should the market demand it. Given current Japanese tastes, colors like sand beige and blue-gray might become more popular choices down the road.