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Current Ignis v New Jimny

14K views 61 replies 14 participants last post by  2013GV 
#1 ·
Just wondering, for everyday use, wouldn't an allgrip Ignis make more sense than a Jimmy? I guess the Jimmy will have better "proper" off road capabilities. But the boot is tiny. I really like the wife's Ignis Adventure we got back in August. I would be interested to hear peoples experience of the allgrip version. Can't get one myself right now as I have only had my current vehicle (Skoda Octavia vRS) for not even a year. But the ignis is a great little car and I love driving the wife's whenever I get a chance. Lol
 
#3 · (Edited)
Well the ordinary person in the street can't drive a Jimny yet - they're not yet on sale.

I expressed a serious interest in acquiring a Jimny to my dealer asking for an invite to their launch party - and I was planning it alongside my Ignis - which is 2 wheel drive since Allgrips were unobtainable when I bought mine in the summer.

HOWEVER...

Now prices have been released I'm thinking it''s just not on. I was expecting something not a great deal more than the current Jimny which was about £14.5k, but the new one, if I buy the SZ5, would cost £17,999, plus £1000 for automatic (not sure what type of auto it is yet - I wouldn't want an automated manual), plus £650 for two-tone paint, all of which puts the cost at close to £20k. That's a LOT of money for a car that Autocar says is dire on on-road driving and only of use if you really, really need an off-road capability. OK so an SZ4 is a lot cheaper but I'd really like the SZ5. Emissions are very high too - 154g/km and 170g/km (auto).

I might wait a couple of years until the price drops...


https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/suzuki/jimny/100543/new-2019-suzuki-jimny-suv-uk-prices-revealed

Autocar originally rated it 4/5:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/suzuki/jimny/first-drives/suzuki-jimny-2018-review

... but has downgraded it to 3/5:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/suzuki/jimny/first-drives/suzuki-jimny-2018-uk-review

" It just doesn’t work well enough on the road for it to be considered a car that you could easily live with."
 
#4 ·
they have a "standard" auto, not an automated multi clutch manual rubbish box.

As for the autocar reviews, personally I wouldn't give them a knob of goat fecal matter. The reviewers think everything including "genuine" off road vehicles should handle like a low slung car with all the modern traction and handling systems. Hell, my GV is a pig handling wise compared to a Rav 4, but at least mine has a low range box and goes the places i want it to, and gets me out of them as well.

I have driven plenty of jimnys and as long as you realise they are tall, narrow and designed for going off road, their handling is not that bad. Yeah, they have body roll, are slab sided, catch the wind and don't stick in the corners, but if you want something that doesn't do that then go buy a normal road car.
They are not designed to be driven long distances at motorway speeds, but are designed to be driven by those that will actually use their abilities. Another thing to consider is that the Jimny is not "allgrip" and is a std rear wheel drive 2WD unless you are off road and select 4WD modes. 4WD cannot be used on road.
Think of the jimny as a more refined and smaller version of the land rover (the real ones, not the namby pamby ones, the defender, 110's, series 2's etc) thats easier to drive and more economical. If you're worried about CO2 emissions, go buy something tree hugging or electric.
Personally i'd be buying an allgrip Vitara before an Ignis as they have a better gearbox.
 
#5 ·
Firstly, I'm not sure that many people actually "need" AWD on a daily basis. My reasoning for an Ignis allgrip over a Jimny is based on the extra grip in bad conditions not particularly in terms of off road capabilities. Although it could be a bit of fun. It would seem like a SZ5 Ignis with AWD would be a much better option for most people. More economical more space but with AWD for when the bad weather is here in the UK. And also it would be cheaper to buy and run right?? Just my 2p and thinking out loud really.
 
#6 ·
having owned both AWD and "normal" cars, I prefer AWD purely for the better cornering handling and wet weather safety.

BUT

I have been caught out a couple of times getting into a standard drivetrain car and realising mid corner that it's into understeer and i just did something stupid taking it at the same speed as my AWD car.

so, in my opinion, AWD may be a bit harder on tyres but the increased safety and handling, especially in the wet far out weighs the additional running costs.
 
#7 ·
I have been caught out a couple of times getting into a standard drivetrain car and realising mid corner that it's into understeer and i just did something stupid taking it at the same speed as my AWD car.
I can't agree everyone drives with the same Situational Awareness, but I do agree, it's more fun with AWD! Resale value will be better in the end with AWD.
 
#8 ·
Guys - totally depends what you need a car for and the conditions under which it will be driven.

In the UK, unless you are an offload fanatic or a farmer, 2wd works fine, and for the cold fit winter or all season tyres. This will be a better option 99% of the time. !% of the time - be extra careful with the conditions.

Obviously some people really need a 4x4 - but statistically here in the UK, that's not many.

Having said that I really like the new Jimny - but do I NEED one - no

Cheers!
 
#9 ·
Guys - totally depends what you need a car for and the conditions under which it will be driven.

In the UK, unless you are an offload fanatic or a farmer, 2wd works fine, and for the cold fit winter or all season tyres. This will be a better option 99% of the time. !% of the time - be extra careful with the conditions.

Obviously some people really need a 4x4 - but statistically here in the UK, that's not many.
I would disagree, if you live in the countryside, where it's hilly, 4x4 is a great bonus. You may only need it one or two weeks a year (and some years not at all) but winter tyres on a two wheel drive car are a VERY poor substitute, and on many occasions would have made the difference between getting home, and not getting home. Likewise, if we need to go and buy food, there's no shops in walking distance, so 4x4 makes it possible to eat as well.

I've currently got a Jimny (my second one), and was considering a new one - I went a test drive, and much of the changes cured the majority of my 'problems' with my current one (and it's predecessor). My only real concerns were the even smaller boot, and the rather high price - however, I would have had one, but was told it would be 2020 if I ordered it last month, and they couldn't even suggest when in 2020.

I was looking at a 4x4 Swift, but my wife suggested an Ignis - so we arranged a test drive in that (not a 4x4 one though), we were both very impressed with it, and ordered a 4x4 one - it's due in March, although I haven't been given a date yet.

I don't expect it to be as good in the snow as the Jimny, but I do expect it to be far superior to a 2 wheel drive with snow tyres. Following a job change (after redundancy) a year ago, it's not as crucial as it was, as I can work from home if need be now, and if bad snow is forecast I can ensure I have work available at home to do.

I did occasionally use the Jimny off road, and the Ignis will probably get the same, basically going places up rough tracks to farms etc.
 
#10 ·
oh dear, I'll probaly get yelled at but I'd have waited for the Jimny personally. You may only need 4WD or Lo range to go 10 feet, but that 10 feet has made the difference in spending a very cold night in the car or making it home. I will always go 4WD now, preferably with a low range. Not spending another night in the middle of nowhere again because i pulled off onto the road shoulder and couldn't get moving.
 
#11 ·
I've only ever once had to use the low ratio box, and even then I could have simply reversed out instead - I pulled to the side of the (narrow) road in to deep snow to let a snow plough coming the other way get past. In high ratio the engine hadn't got enough power to pull forwards through the deep snow, and kept stalling - and while I could have simply reversed out, it was more 'fun' to take the opportunity to use the low ratio.

So I don't see the lack of low ratio of any great concern for my use.
 
#15 ·
No, the Ignis has a bulb (presumably the Jimny is the same?) - blue when the engine is cold, then goes out, possibly it might go red if it gets too hot? - but you can't beat a proper temperature gauge. The Ignis also warms up extremely quickly, it's not long at all before the heater is warm.

Another huge failing is no light in the boot - which is an absolute nuisance, if it's at night you can't find anything in the boot. I've sorted that though with a rechargeable LED PIR light, which sticks on (via a metal strip and magnet using double-sided sticky pads) under the parcel shelf. As I got a pack of three from China for £15, I'm finding other uses for them as well :D

However, generally I'm enjoying the Ignis, it's a great little car, fun to drive, and the facilities are great (but to be fair, the new Jimny has pretty much the same facilities, plus a couple more - no heated seats or heated mirrors on the Ignis).
 
#18 ·
I live in North Derbyshire, which is hilly and can be very snowy - I used to have a Jimny (or two), and four wheel drive with the standard tyres (and well worn standard tyres at that) is absolutely incredible in the snow. I've used snow types in the past, and the difference 4WD makes is absolutely huge, basically you can drive uphill just as if it's not snowed at all.

I would imagine the Ignis won't be as good as the Jimny, but the 4WD should still make an absolutely huge improvement.

BTW, I mentioned boot lights above, I bought a rechargeable PIR one from China, (£15 for three) and it's absolutely brilliant. I stuck the metal strip under the back of the parcel shelf, and as you open the boot it comes ON, but only if it's dark enough to require it.
 
#22 ·
Well we currently have an old Jimny until we get our 2017 Ignis Allgrip this weekend (didn't trust the production pause end date so decided to just get one) - we also ran our own Jimny for two years. We absolutely loved it - SO good off road, so easy to park BUT it was pretty heavy on fuel and pretty poor on road. The new one looks absolutely fantastic BUT it has a pretty terrible NCAP rating (the AllGrip is a full five stars) and it sounds like it's also poor on the road. Unless you must have serious off road ability or have to look cool, go Ignis.
 
#23 ·
Well the 5 star rating is a bit of a 'con' anyway, it's only 3 stars (like the Jimny) on the lower models, the AllGrip (and other higher models) gets 5 stars solely because of the autonomous braking and lane drift features.

I did a test drive in the new Jimny, and it drives better (and goes better) than the old Jimny's, but the Ignis is MUCH better in both respects.

I've done about 3500 miles now, and I'm still absolutely loving it, nice to drive, comfortable, performs (on road) a great deal better than a Jimny, and much better fuel economy - the on-screen display claims 55.1mpg currently (which is slightly optimistic) and the Jinyb used to give about 37mpg.

Obviously not had any snow yet, so no real opinion on the 4WD - but the other week I was on VERY small road, a VERY steep hill, and met a car coming down on a hairpin bend. The car coming down stopped and pulled right to the side of the road, but as the road was too narrow for two cars I had to run my nearside wheels off the road in mud and loose gravel. I expected a bit of wheel spinning, but there was none whatsoever, and it drove just like all wheels were on tarmac. So that result was encouraging.
 
#25 ·
I have had a wee chuckle reading these posts and i'm tossing my 2c in here. You may convert to local currency as required.

Just remember, comparing the Jimny to the Ignis is not really a fair comparison. The Jimny is a true off road 4x4, separate truck chassis, beam axles, low range, longer suspension travel etc while the Ignis is not.
I do a lot of serious off road stuff and the Jimny's that tag along have been known to upstage a lot of other vehicles. I have yet to see an Ignis tackle a mud pit.

The Jimny will never be a stellar performer on road, it was never designed to be.

I'd love to see the Ignis try to keep up with the Jimny off road, but as a road going vehicle with 4WD (albeit high range only) the Ignis does certainly do a good job in the slippery stuff that 90% of the owners will encounter.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to what you are doing and where you will be going.
If you want to go fishing or hunting and need to cross muddy paddocks and rivers, get a Jimny.
Want the added security and handling an on demand AWD can provide, with the ability to be reasonably good on snow covered roads and shingle roads and still ride like a car, get an Ignis.
 
#26 ·
At the end of the day, it all comes down to what you are doing and where you will be going.
If you want to go fishing or hunting and need to cross muddy paddocks and rivers, get a Jimny.
Want the added security and handling an on demand AWD can provide, with the ability to be reasonably good on snow covered roads and shingle roads and still ride like a car, get an Ignis.
Exactly, different vehicles for different applications - with the added bonus that either can do a little of what the other is best at.

My previous two vehicles were Jimny's, and I'd happily have had a new one - except you can't get them - I could have ordered one, but there was no accurate suggestion of a delivery date, other than it would be over a year (and could be considerably over a year). Apparently there are only 10,000 for the UK in 2019, and they were long since allocated.

Another big minus point for the Jimny was the boot size, even smaller than the old Jimny - which would only just fit two airline suitcases in. As we have to collect our daughter and husband from airports occasionally, this would have made life rather tricky :D
 
#29 ·
I was having my Ignis serviced today - the salesroom manager said the situation was hopeless - they have SO many people wanting Jimny's but have only been allocated 2 this YEAR! He said they're building a new factory to ramp up production but obviously that'll take a while.
 
#30 ·
Is that your first service?

Yes when I was finalising my Ignis deal I had a quick chat about the Jimny situation. Actually it was more than a quick chat.;) You would be looking at years and for what. I want one as the shape reminds me of the SJ that took me everywhere but I don't want one because it is too like the previous Jimny from the waist down. By the time the Jimny gets ahead of all this it will need to be electric. Hahahahaha:lol::lol::lol:

What applied the brakes for me about getting one is I am well pleased with my monster Pajero. It is a hard motor to follow up from.

I would like to know what is the widest tyre that the existing rims will take that clear the arches.:cool:
 
#33 · (Edited)
#36 ·
The Jimny's had a huge price increase! - around two thousand?
Jesus - it was already far too expensive - still I suppose when you can't make enough for the demand, you can stick the price up to reduce the demand and make more profit at the same time.

Still, I'm very happy with my Ignis, and find the sliding rear seats VERY useful - it's amazing how just a little bit of extra room makes such a big difference.

Mind you, not that I've been driving it much recently, but it's used hardly any petrol in the last two months - still seen no snow though!.
 
#38 ·
#42 ·
Someone washed a Hummer in hot water hehehe, how cute, I want one, but not at that price
 
#43 ·
I actually saw one yesterday but forgot myself and thought "Gosh that's a nice condition SJ413". I had to pinch myself to remind me it is just a Jimny with a body!!! :D :D :D
 
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