It looks like one of the worst kept secrets in the automotive world has finally been revealed.
Suzuki will launch a five-door version of its wildly popular Jimny off-roader, following the publication of spy shots last week.
The stretched Jimny had long been speculated but Suzuki has held off on actually confirming its existence.
There’s still no official confirmation from Suzuki about the vehicle in the spy shots, but given how late in development it appears to be, an announcement should be imminent.
The three-door Jimny has been a runaway success all over the world, and that includes in Australia where there has been a wait list for a new Jimny well before wait lists became standard fare for a new-car purchase.
The tiny new-gen Jimny landed in Australian showrooms in early 2019 and has been hot property ever since, making a more practical five-door version a no-brainer.
But what do we know about this rugged little five-door 4×4 – rumoured to be called the Jimny Long – so far?
What will the 2023 five-door Suzuki Jimny look like?
The spy shots have helped guide our exclusive render for the Jimny. As you can see from our image above, it is expected to essentially be a stretched version of the three door.
That means it will maintain the boxy look of the current-gen car with the upright front end, signature circular headlights, five-slot grille, chunky black wheel arches, box-flat roof and square windows.
While most people are used to a short-wheelbase Jimny, the longer-wheelbase version is unlikely to have weird proportions as a result of the additional doors. The extra doors will reportedly add approximately 300mm to the wheelbase.
Other rugged off-roaders with a mixture of short- and long-wheelbase and three- and five-door variants include the Jeep Wrangler and Land Rover Defender.
What engine will the 2023 Suzuki Jimny five-door use?
The current Jimny is available with one powertrain in Australia and that is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine delivering 75kW/130Nm. It drives all four wheels via a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.
Interestingly, the spy photographer reportedly claimed that the camouflaged five-door Jimny was silent when driving, indicating an electrified powertrain. Given Suzuki hasn’t gone down the path of full electrification just yet, it’s unlikely to be an EV. A hybrid makes more sense.
This could be the powertrain found in the international market Vitara hybrid that is not available in Australia. That pairs a version of the 1.5L from the Jimny – uprated to 85kW – with a 140-volt hybrid system and 24.6kWh electric motor that powers the wheels when accelerating from zero or coasting.
The Jimny’s powertrain could also be a 48-volt mild hybrid system, but that doesn’t explain the silent driving reported by the photographer.
When will the 2023 Suzuki Jimny five-door go on sale?
It’s safe to say that given Suzuki still hasn’t officially acknowledged the existence of the five-door Jimny, that it won’t be racing into showrooms this year.
Taking into consideration the dramas most car makers are facing with global supply, it’s likely to be 2023.
But as CarsGuide has reported, Suzuki’s Australian dealer network was already holding 30 orders for the five-door Jimny as of mid-April, without the car having been confirmed.
The additional doors and added practicality should ensure that the new body style is a popular pick in Australia.
How much will the 2023 Suzuki Jimny five-door cost?
The three-door Jimny is available in two grades – a stripped-out version called the Lite which is priced from $26,990 before on-road costs for the manual. The more generously equipped GLX is $28,490 for the manual and $29,990 for the auto.
With that in mind, you can expect a premium for the five-door, which could push it over the $30,000 before on-roads threshold. Which is still good value for a capable off-roader.
Watch this space for more information as it comes to hand.
Keyword: 2023 Suzuki Jimny five-door incoming! Details on engines, pricing and timing for the stretched five-seat 4x4 SUV