2023 Suzuki Jimny five-door confirmed in new spy photos

The long rumor 2023 Suzuki Jimny five-door is on the way, new spy photos confirm, and it could be equipped with hybrid technology.

While Suzuki engineers are seen testing Jimny Prototypes with longer wheelbases in the last 12 months have all been three-door – which made this test car fly by Drives spy photo partners night the first with five.

Compared to a standard three-door Jimny, the five-door model has a longer wheelbase – reportedly 300mm further, for a total of 2550mm – allowing the inclusion of two full rear vents.

Although difficult to see at first, the front door windows of the five-door prototype do not appear to be as long as those of the current three-door – indicating that the five-door has smaller front doors, leaving room for larger rear doors that improve entry and exit.

Whether this endangers the passenger compartment in the front remains to be seen. It is not surprising that the fuel cap has been moved from behind the right-hand front door to behind the right-hand rear door.

This five-door test car appears to ride on the same floor as the three-door long-wheelbase test car – suggesting it was a ‘mule’ after all for the more practical body style, disguising its intentions with Jimny’s standard longer front doors and longer window openings. on the back side.

According to the spy photographer, the five-door Jimny test vehicle is “[drove] gone without any engine noise” – pointing to the mounting of a hybrid powertrain.

Overseas rumors suggest: the five-door Jimny can have a 48-volt mild-hybrid system mounted on Jimny’s current 75 kW/130 Nm 1.5-litre non-turbo four-cylinder engine, or a turbocharged engine of any description.

However, most mild-hybrid systems – including Suzuki’s – cannot power the wheels on electricity alone, but require the petrol engine to be turned on and idling at a minimum.

Instead, if the photographer’s report of no engine noise is correct, the five-door Jimny could be fitted with the European Suzuki Vitara Full Hybrid’s closed-loop powertrain, based on the 1.5-litre four-cylinder from the Jimny.

The system runs on 140 volts – more than a mild hybrid (48V), but less than an entry-level Toyota hybrid (200V) – and combines an 85 kW version of the 1.5-litre engine with a 25 kW electric motor , for a system of fully electric driving at low speeds.

Instead of Jimny’s four-speed automatic or five-speed manual, the Vitara’s ‘Full Hybrid’ system uses a ‘six-speed automatic manual’, essentially a manual transmission with a computer-controlled clutch.

However, automated manual transmissions can often stutter and hesitate at low speeds as the car depresses the clutch—something that may not be suitable for precise off-road driving, according to the Jimny’s intentions.

This theory is reinforced by the tachometer of the five-door prototype, which shows the same red line marking of approximately 6200 rpm as the current three-door, suggesting that the same 1.5-litre engine is under the hood.

Reports suggest the Suzuki Jimny five-door could make its debut as early as this year — or as far away as 2024, to coincide with a rumored mid-life four-wheel drive facelift.

A look at the front cabin of the five-door Jimny reveals no changes from the car on sale today – suggesting it will appear as a regular addition to the lineup, rather than coincide with an update to the lineup. wider range.

Suzuki Australia has previously expressed interest in a more practical Jimny – no surprise to fans of the model, given the three-door’s popularity in the region and the long wait times associated with it.

Stay informed Motive for all the latest news on the five-door Suzuki Jimny.