This Custom Suzuki Jimny Costs the Same as a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392
The Western world has slept on the Suzuki Jimny for far too long. This little Japanese off-roader is, pound-for-pound, one of the toughest 4x4s in the game. Its narrow frame, relentlessly torquey (yet crazy underpowered) powerplant, and super lightweight make the Suzuki Jimny a truly underestimated trail monster. Well, now that Swiss specialist, Avus Auto, has loaded some Jimnys with Portal axels, making it cost about the same as a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 and outperforming the 2021 GMC Hummer EV, at least in one way.
Can a Suzuki Jimny really compete with a 2021 GMC Hummer EV off-road?
Well, as with most things, yes and no. Avus started fitting Jimnys with special Tibus portal axles giving it an astounding ground clearance. According to The Drive, These badass axels use hubs with special gearsets to move drive axles upwards, boosting ground clearance in these Jimnys’ transfer cases along with a set of 30.5-inch Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S tires supplied by Germany’s Delta4x4.
The Jimnys also need a 1.5-inch lift to fit all the new shiny bits. After it’s all said and done, this axle kit cranks the Suzuki Jimny’s ground clearance up to a sky-high 15.7-inches. For reference, that is only two-tenths less than the 2021 GMC Hummer EV in its most extreme mode, Extract Mode. But, unlike the Hummer EV, the Jimny has a wheelbase that is four feet shorter than the GMC making its approach and descent angles unimaginable.
How much does this Jimny trail eater cost?
Let me be clear, I believe with this Delta4x4 kit, the Suzuki Jimny quickly becomes one of the best off-road 4x4s in the world. However, to get there, it’s going to cost you. The axles themselves will cost a staggering $23,000. That means you could buy these axels for the Jimny or buy a used Jeep Wrangler.
A pre-converted Jimny runs nearly $65,000, while a fully spec’d version can run above $75,000. And, boom! You’ve got the cost of a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392.
Even though these Jimnys are crazy expensive, people are buying up the early builds with the quickness. These Jimnys make sense, though. Unlike so many other 4x4s these days, the Jimny is already super capable, retro-inspired, and gets killer fuel economy. With this insane axel conversion, the Suzuki Jimny has a higher ground clearance than nearly anything on the market. This, along with its tiny footprint, gives pretty good evidence for justifying the spending the $75,000 on the Suzuki and skipping the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392.
Is the Suzuki Jimny a good SUV?
Hell yes. The Jimny represents one of the clearest bits of proof to show the world that we don’t need giant, super-powerful trucks and SUVs to do serious off-roading. The Jimny is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine backed by either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission and comes standard with hill-hold and hill-descent control. What else do you need to know? This tiny, lightweight package makes for one of the greatest off-roaders in the world and, for decades, has fought to earn its spot in the off-road pantheon of the western world. Maybe with these new axle kits, the Jimny will dominate enough, Hummers, Raptors, Wranglers, and other punk 4x4s to be taken seriously in America.
