Ever since the drive reviews of the Jimny are out, it has created quite a hype for itself. Well, why not? Jimny has rugged shoes to fill, as it carries the legacy of the legendary Gypsy. Agreed, Jimny took quite a while to be available in India, despite having Jimny's production base in our country. Nevertheless, let's see how Jimny fares against the highly-popular and everly-desirable Mahindra Thar.
Maruti Suzuki Jimny Vs Mahindra Thar: Dimension And Off-road Credentials
Maruti Suzuki Jimny is a lot more compact than Mahindra Thar in terms of width and height. Both have the same length at 3985mm, but Jimny being 1645mm wide and 1720mm tall, is narrower than shorter than Thar as it has 1820 mm width and 1850mm height. The wheelbase of Jimny is 100mm longer than the Thar. Both have similar lengths, but Jimny's longer wheelbase accommodates four people and gets five doors rather than 3 in Thar. The ground clearance of Jimny is 210 mm, whereas Thar has a ground clearance of 226mm. Weight is another separating factor, as the Jimny weighs around 1200kgs whereas Thar weighs around 1750kgs.
Let's now talk about the basics of off-road credentials. The Jimny has an approach angle of 36 degrees, a departure angle of 50 degrees and a ramp break-over angle of 24 degrees. In comparison, Thar has an approach angle of 41 degrees, a departure angle of 36 degrees and a ramp break-over angle of 26 degrees. The significant advantage of Jimny over Thar is its departure angle and lower weight. However, it is a water-wading capacity that Jimny is way behind Thar. Jikmny's water-wading capacity is around 310mm, whereas Thar has 610mm.
Maruti Suzuki Jimny Vs Mahindra Thar: Engine and Powertrain
Maruti Suzuki has used an old formula in the Jimny. They have used a K15 B-series engine mated to a 5-speed manual or 4-speed Torque Converter automatic. The engine produces around 103bhp of power and 134Nm of torque. Jimny gets all the off-road credibility of a low-range gearbox and brake-locking front and rear differential system. Lower weight and proper off-roading kit make it an entertaining car.
On the other hand, Mahindra Thar has a fair advantage over Jimny in terms of engine, as it gets both diesel and petrol powertrain options. Thar has a 2.0-l turbo petrol engine that produces 147bhp of power and 320Nm of torque. The petrol engine comes mated with a 6-speed manual and an automatic gearbox. The diesel engine is 2.2-l, producing 128bhp of power and 300Nm of torque. This engine also comes mated to a 6-speed manual and an automatic gearbox. Thar now also comes with an RWD version, Whereas Jimny is only available in a 4WD version.
Maruti Suzuki Jimny Vs Mahindra Thar : Prices
The prices of Maruti Suzuki Jimny will be out on 7th June. Well, to be honest, Jimny and Thar are not out-on-out competitors. Both will have a cult following of their own, and the desirability factor for both cars will be different. The prices for Thar start at around 13.5 lakhs and go up to 16.3 lakhs. There is an affordable RWD version whose prices start at Rs 9.99 lakh. We expect Jimny to be launched at around 11 lakhs.
