Autocar 2019 Jimny verdict

I agree with Busta and understand why the reviews appear negative. It is uneconomical, does not handle on rails, has cabin noise etc. I know it's unfair to compare it with a road car, but that's life, most purchaser's will be swapping from a modern euro box and have no idea what a solid axle 4x4 will be like. In this sense the reviews are accurate even though it is painful to read this about our beloved vehicles.

I know it's a comfortable, relatively quiet solid axle 4x4 that handles very well for the type of vehicle it is. I like it so much I own one, to me is a much better vehicle than the rubbish VW polo TDI it replaced. However the polo was faster, more economical, etc - you see the problem

Andy2640 wrote: How long you owned your gen 4 for busta?

I don't own a gen 4 Andy, but I've had several Jimnys and the reviews for them from certain parts of the press have always been the same. I agree that the ride isn't bad. But my girlfriends 2005 Citroen C1 rides much better, is much quicker (even compared to my 1.6 Jimny), and handles loads better, and uses half the fuel. I do find the Jimny is very good for road noise though, even with mud terrains. But maybe that comes from spending a lot of time in a Defender.

At the end of the day it's not worth crying about. Owners on here are obviously very happy with their Jimnys and demand still massively exceeds supply so a poor review won't change anything!

Yeah l guess

Reviews are as you say academic as the Jimny has been effectively sold out since it was put on sale at the end of 2018.

But it's still a bit daft to compare it to a regular car. lt's a bit like the old Land Rover Defender, many reviews compared it to regular "car based" 4x4's and it came out really badly of course.

But when you put it to work doing what it was actually designed to do, most "chelsea tractor 4x4's" would fall to pieces.

For instance, one magazine took a Defender and a BMW X5 across Africa
Everyone slated the Defender on road but once they started across the proper off road, the X5 suspension kept breaking, then everyone wanted to be in the Land Rover

That's very true, but most people won't ever take their X5 across Africa and in the same vein most Jimny owners won't ever take their Jimny anywhere more challenging than a farm track. So the magazines have to look at things from the position of the average consumer. I'm always surprised how popular the Jimny is, in spite of it's flaws as a road car. I certainly wouldn't have one if I didn't need the off-road ability.

By the same reasoning we have a Defender because of it's ability to do those very things that few other vehicles can, but I have to say it is a truly hateful thing for day to day use! If there was a viable alternative we would have it, because it surely couldn't be any worse.

Well of course it depends on which model of Defender you have.
I've got a 110 TD5 SW and l use it all day, every day for my business.
Far from being hateful l wouldn't go back to the vans l used to drive.
The 110 is pretty much standard apart from a bit of extra sound proofing, cruise control, and the fact that it's in pristine condition so doesn't rattle or leak.

Perfect review. It will help keep the masses away from the Jimny!