Key Takeaways
- Suzuki plans to release additional Jimny variants, including a possible two-door pickup truck.
- The automaker will introduce hybrid and all-electric Jimny models, possibly by 2030.
- Toyota will reportedly assist Suzuki in developing its first electric vehicle.
While the rest of the world enjoys the Suzuki Jimny, Americans have to admire the adorable off-roader from afar. To rub salt in our wounds, it looks like the Japanese brand intends to release additional variants, including a compact pickup truck.
Speaking to CarSales, Suzuki Australia General Manager Michael Pachota suggested that a two-door truck is still in the cards. “The project, I would say, is not dead. Imagine a Jimny with two seats at the front and nothing at the back?” In 2019, the company showcased a Jimny-style pickup truck concept at the Tokyo Auto Salon. The little 4×4 is hugely popular in several markets, including New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. Small trucks are popular in all these countries, so it would make sense for Suzuki to introduce a Jimny pickup.
Pickup Truck, Hybrid, And EV On The Horizon?
“Anything that starts with Jimny ends with sales,” added Pachota, suggesting there’s space for more Jimny variants. The automaker recently introduced the five-door variant, bolstering appeal and boosting sales. Aside from a pickup, there are plans to introduce a hybrid and an all-electric model, which will reportedly arrive by 2030. The hybrid version is all but guaranteed to arrive in the coming years.
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It will likely be introduced with the Jimny facelift. While the standard 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine suits the Jimny’s rugged and agricultural demeanor, the gas-powered engine has been discontinued in several markets due to emissions regulations. Offering a hybrid variant will enable the automaker to boost power, improve fuel consumption, and reduce emissions. That would also mean that Suzuki could sell it in additional markets. Jimny fans shouldn’t get too excited; Pachota said a hybrid variant won’t come in 2025.
Jimny Hybrid Is Likely To Arrive First
“But I would say that would be in a plan of the future based on the growth of electrification and the hybrid options within our stable. I don’t think that I would rule that out,” said Pachota about a potential Jimny hybrid. Several of Suzuki’s current offerings are available with an electrified drivetrain, including the all-new Swift.
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Suzuki expects the all-electric model to debut at the start of the new decade, along with four other battery-electric vehicles and several hybrids. The company has yet to launch a pure EV at this stage, as it caters to the cost-conscious consumer who values frugality and reliability. The company has invested $1 billion into electrification and will gain assistance from Toyota in developing its first EV. It remains to be seen what the debut Suzuki EV will be, but it certainly won’t be the Jimny, which has been known to evolve at a glacial pace.
Source:
CarSales