Suzuki Jimny ute still on agenda

Speculation of the first Suzuki Jimny ute has run rampant ever since Suzuki revealed the Jimny Pick-Up Style concept at the 2019 Tokyo Auto Salon.

Suzuki has neither officially confirmed nor denied such a vehicle in under development at either its Yokohama (Japan) or Delhi (India) R&D centres, but local executives of the Japanese small-car brand are still confident we may see something in the near future.

Suzuki Australia chief Michael Pachota previously told carsales he is “…pushing for the development for a ute-back Jimny” and when asked for an update today – following the revealed of the first Jimny five-door – he told carsales it was still on the agenda.

“I mention it to [Suzuki HQ in] Japan and they take our feedback on board,” he said.

“They want to hear what customers are saying and a lot of the dialogue from customers end ups in the design and engineering studios for what’s to come in future.

“I can’t say a Jimny ute is in development at the moment but I wouldn’t be surprised. The five-door Jimny was a secret for a long time and that was five years in the making,” he added.

If Suzuki undertakes a similar five-year development program for its first Jimny ute, which would be based on the fourth-generation ladder-frame off-roader released in 2018, and started the project when it revealed the two-door ute concept in early 2019, it would put the launch some time in 2024 – unless it’s based on the five-door, which could make it later.

This is how the First and Second generation Jimny looked

However, given Suzuki has just revealed several other new models, including the new Baleno-heralding Fronx compact crossover and the eVX concept that previews an electric Vitara replacement, it’s unlikely the Japanese small-car specialist would want to – or could afford to – empty so many barrels at one time.

The Suzuki Jimny 5-Door gives the brand a longer platform to work with, which could improve the chances of a production business case for a four-door Jimny ute given its broader appeal.

Evidence of the demand for a hay-hauling Jimny comes from the fast Suzuki New Zealand offers a locally-converted Jimny ute and Suzuki has a history of commercialising compact utes, including the 1990s Suzuki Caribian Sporty from Thailand and the Mighty Boy sold in Japan and Australia in the 1980s.

Utes are selling like hotcakes globally and now account for about a quarter of Australia’s new-vehicle market, in which the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger are the two most popular models, and there’s been renewed activity in smaller four-door pick-ups like of the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick.

Like the pint-size 4x4 wagon on which it would be based, a Jimny ute would be unique in the market and could meet demand from agricultural buyers and adventurers who want something bigger than a side-by-side vehicle but not as large as Australia’s most popular mid-size utes.

Stay tuned for more details.