The Suzuki Jimny is an icon of automotive simplicity. If one needs a no-frills, budget-friendly, and bantam-sized SUV with off-road capabilities, this is the right vehicle for you.

First introduced in March 1970, the Jimny did not start out as a Suzuki original. In 1968, Suzuki purchased the manufacturing rights for Hopestar ON360 because its manufacturer, the Hope Motor Company, struggled to mass-produce it.

But before introducing it to the market as the first generation Jimny (1970-1981), Suzuki tweaked the ON360 by replacing the original 359cc air-cooled engine (sourced from Mitsubishi) with a 359cc, two-stroke, two-cylinder engine that Suzuki designed.

It did not matter that it just produced 24.66 horsepower and 33.3 Newton-meters of torque because of the small SUV's part-time four-wheel drive system that became a market favorite.

Suzuki kept the dimensions of the SUV within the Japanese "Kei car" limits so customers would get the tax benefits that came with owning this type of Japanese micro-vehicle.

This first generation Jimny would undergo several improvements during its 11 years of production (a water-cooled engine replaced the original air-cooled unit in 1972) and was a great success, with almost 5,000 units sold in Japan.

Second generation

The second generation (1981-1998) Jimny debuted in 1981, and the company made it more comfortable to drive on the road, while still making sure the vehicle could perform well on rugged terrain. It was also the first to be exported (known as the SJ410 outside Japan) and had a new engine: a one-liter four-cylinder, four-stroke unit that generated 45 hp.

Four years later, Suzuki introduced the SJ413, which featured a larger 1.3-liter gasoline engine that produced a maximum 67 hp.

Third generation

Suzuki unveiled the third generation (1998-2018) Jimny at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show, after which the off-roader went on sale in Japan the following year. For this third generation vehicle, Suzuki decided to give the Jimny some serious styling revisions but kept the original concept of having a ladder chassis and live axles with a part-time four-wheel-drive.

Suzuki also provided some comprehensive updates to the Jimny's body and chassis, key among which was a new three-link rigid-axle suspension with coil springs as well as a different ladder frame chassis design, and air-locking hubs which allowed the driver to switch between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive on the fly.

Fourth generation

The fourth generation Jimny made its debut in 2018, and has become an instant worldwide sensation. This latest version carefully moved back to its roots by dispensing with the "stylish" bodywork of the third generation and embracing the utilitarian style of its origins including a ladder-frame chassis, four-wheel drive and compact dimensions.