In South Africa soon: Suzuki approves five-door Jimny and XL6

Suzuki Auto South Africa has detailed its plans for the local market further by announcing the roll-out of two new models within the next few weeks.

Revealed on the back of pricing confirmation of the Fronx, the Hamamatsu-based automaker has stated that the XL6 will be next in-line before the end of August as more of a premium step-up on the Ertiga, followed soon after by the five-door Jimny.

XL6

On-sale in India since 2019, the XL6 rides on the same platform as the Ertiga, but sports different frontal styling, plastic cladding around the wheel arches, silver and rear skidplates, new fog light surrounds, a restyled rear bumper, silver door handles and silver rocker panels at the base of the door sills.

Sold from Suzuki’s upmarket Nexa chain of dealerships in India, the XL6, which benefitted from a mid-life facelift last year, offers seating for six or seven and while almost identical to the Ertiga inside, receives upgraded materials, a model specific climate control panel and a slightly altered centre console.

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Measuring 4 445 mm long, 1 775 mm wide and 1 700 mm tall, the XL6 rides on a 2 740 mm long wheelbase and in its home market, can be had in a choice of three trim levels; Zeta, Alpha and Alpha+ with all offering a boot space of between 209-litres and 692-litres.

Compared to its sibling, the XL6 retains the same wheelbase, but stands 10 mm taller while also stretching 40 mm wider and 50 mm longer overall. With the second and third rows down though, boot space decreases by 111-litres versus the Ertiga.

In terms of standard features, the Zeta comes standard with a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system incorporating Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-speaker sound system, 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, automatic air-conditioning with rear vents, keyless entry, all around electric windows, push-button start, electric mirrors, cooled front cupholders and a multi-function steering wheel.

Notable safety and driver assistance systems comprise six airbags, Electronic Stability Programme, rear parking sensors, a tyre pressure monitor, Hill Hold Assist and ABS with EBD.

Sitting in the middle, the Alpha receives gloss black B-and-C-pillars, leatherette seats, a leather-wrapped flat-bottom steering wheel, upgraded infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, auto on/off LED headlights, a four-speaker Arkamys sound system and a 360-degree surround-view camera system.

Building on the Alpha, the Alpha+ offers a dual-tone exterior colour as an option, but adds a tyre pressure monitor, ventilated front seats and a black roof spoiler to the list of standard items.

Up front, the XL6 makes do with a single powerunit, the 48-volt mild-hybrid 1.5 K15C from the new Grand Vitara that delivers 76kW/137Nm. Drive, however, is routed to the front wheels only through either a five-speed manual gearbox or an optional six-speed automatic.

While still to be detailed for South Africa, expect the XL6 to possibly mirror the Alpha and Alpha+ in terms of specification, but with the familiar GL and GLX denominators used instead.

In addition, the mild-hybrid petrol engine will most likely give way to the conventional 1.5 K15B that makes 77kW/138Nm. As in the Ertiga, expect transmission choices to consist of a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.

Jimny five-door

Arguably the most eagerly awaited, the five-door Jimny arrives on the back of over three years of speculative report in the run-up to its world debut alongside the Fronx at the Delhi Auto Expo in January.

Resplendent with the same 210 mm of ground clearance as the three-door, the five-door Jimny measures 360 mm longer at 3 985 mm in overall length, while also being 50 mm taller (1 670 mm) and 340 mm longer on the wheelbase front (2 590 mm). Overall width is unchanged at 1 645 mm.

Along with its added length, the Jimny’s breakover, departure and approach angles have also changed to the following:

Available in two trim levels in India, Zeta and Alpha, the long wheelbase Jimny’s biggest change from the three-door inside is the nine-inch touchscreen infotainment lifted from the Baleno on the latter, while the former gets the smaller but still new seven-inch display.

Also reversed for the Alpha is an uprated four-speaker Arkamys sound system and, carried over from the comparative three-door, automatic climate control, push-button start, cruise control, LED headlights, 15-inch alloy wheels and a leather covered multi-function steering wheel.

Initially rumoured to receive mild-hybrid assistance or even the 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder Boosterjet engine used in the Fronx, motivation for the five-door Jimny comes from the newer 1.5 K15C engine used in Grand Vitara retuned to produce 77kW/134Nm.

Despite the new engine, transmissions are carried over from the three-door, meaning the retention of the five-speed manual and optional four-speed automatic.

Like the XL6, pricing for the Jimny five-door wasn’t disclosed, although expectations are of a considerable premium over the three-door that carries a starting sticker of R349 800 for the entry-level GA manual, and ends at R419 900 for the GLX automatic.  

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