Our Suzuki Jimny Wide Reminds Us Why We Love Small Cars

 

Our 1998 Suzuki Jimny Wide is now fully operational. Our oil and coolant leaks have been fixed, and we're finally getting to modifying and driving it. One thing is for sure: It's reminding us why we love small cars. 

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We got rid of our last subcompact car in 2022 when we sold our 2007 Toyota Yaris. It's a decision we still have mixed feelings about, but it went to a good home. While our 2022 Subaru Crosstrek is a fantastic car, it's not as tiny and maneuverable as some of our previous subcompacts. But when we bought our Jimny, all those feelings came back.

So Easy To Drive, Super Maneuverable 

The Jimny Wide is small. It's not a kei vehicle due to its wider stance and larger engine. But it's still tiny. The thing is brilliant around town and effortlessly zips through traffic. This thing is so maneuverable and can fit into parking places other vehicles wouldn't dare. I consider myself to be a pretty good parallel parker, but I even impressed myself the other day by fitting into a minuscule spot. 

All these traits are what I always loved about small vehicles. 

We recently took our Jimny on its first dirt drive. We found ourselves on unpaved roads outside of the western Portland, Oregon metro area. This thing is just so much darn fun! It's super happy at 60 MPH, and still cruises very well at 65 MPH. But on tight, winding trails and roads, it's like an all-terrain go-kart. Now granted, with its solid front and rear axles and stiff suspension, it rides like a go-kart, too. But we didn't expect it be a Cadillac. This is a body-on-frame vehicle with two live axles. We knew what we were in for. 

Current Modifications

Since getting the little JDM SUV, we've added a WARN R60-S winch, a Factor 55 UltraHook XTV, and a Factor 55 Short Drum Comp Fairlead. These will all help when we hit the trails or venture out farther. With a teeny, tiny 40-liter (10.6-gallon) fuel tank, however, we're looking to add a roof rack so we can carry another 5–10 gallons of gas, so we don't have to worry about running out of fuel. We're getting about 250km (150 miles) of range, but we haven't really pushed it, and that's mostly city driving. I bet we could do better on fewer stop-and-go trips. But to go longer distances, we'll definitely want to carry fuel.

Our Plans: Travel and Adventures

We have big plans for our little Jimny Wide. We'd like to add some lights, some armor, and that roof rack. Wrapping the rig would give it a like-new finish. The paint isn't terrible, but a fresh wrap would be great (we'd keep it green). We might take it to some of the overland events on the West Coast this year. No, it doesn't have a rooftop tent, and you certainly wouldn't want to sleep inside it (at least not two people), but like we did in Iceland with a new Jimny, a good ground tent goes a long way to save space.

But stay tuned: This Jimny Wide is destined for greatness. And its Liliputian size has taken us back to our small car roots. This thing is fantastic.