Back into the fold...

I have had two jimny previously, a gen 3 SZ4 and a gen 4 SZ5. For various reasons I sold my Gen 4 and replaced it with a Subaru Forester. The Subaru is an excellent machine and for 90% of the time is far more practical than the Jimny. But....it just doesn't make me as happy as jimny. I'm definitely keeping my scooby, but I am now in a position to get a new jimny. I will be getting a Jimny Sierra import, if anything it looks better than the UK SZ5 I had. My question is to anyone who has or had an automatic jimny jimny, how do you rate them? My previous two were manual gearboxs and I've never driven an auto jimny. It won't put me off if that's all I can get. 

I've not been in an auto Jimny. But I've been in other 4 pot 4 speed autos.

One the one hand I should think they are absolutely fine and in 'some' off road situations an advantage over a manual. While in others less so.

On the other hand, with only 4 speeds and a small displacement n/a engine and low power output, I can also see that performance may well be rather lack luster with the automatic.

The 1.5 is actually a peach of an engine IMO, but it is most fun bouncing off the red line and the manual gearchange is rather enjoyable.

My wife & I have two Gen4s, hers is a three door with the five speed manual, mine is a five door with the four speed auto.

The manual is definitely more fun to drive, and whilst the auto is more "laid back", it is no slouch, the slightly heavier five door comes off the line quite briskly, where you might be disappointed is the "mid range" acceleration - if you're cruising at a reasonable speed and step on the gas to overtake, it's not as responsive as you might like.



This graph is from Team Ghetto Racing (link below) - you can see how first, second & top gears are quite well matched between the manual & the auto, but third in the auto seems to put the engine out of it's optimum power band.

teamghettoracing.com/vehicles/cars/2019-jimny-jb74w/gearing/

I have a gen3 automatic and it is brilliant. So much better in town, holds motorway speed easily and if you have brave trousers and carry speed through corners it punts along a back road at a decent lick. Off road it does so well. Use the prndl to limit gear selection and it will crawl down anything that a manual will and with the torque converter going up is as easy as pie. If you get one with some form of traction control either factory electric or after market passive and you are going wherever you want.

A mate of mine is thinking of selling his 23 plate import that's a manual. Send PM if interested. As I'm not a dealer& selling anything hope i haven't broke any site rules.

I had a manual Gen3 for over 10 years, and I bought a new Gen4 auto in 2019.

The auto is vastly superior to the manual (although tbh I preferred the Gen3 as a car- mine was a 2000 plate with the split back seat, interior trim, more comfortable seats (could just have been many years of wear) and it was green.....)

Much, much quicker around town (none of this "the lights are changing, press clutch down, mess with gear lever, press accelerator, lift clutch, press accelerator harder" nonsense, just drop the handbrake as you press the accelerator and you are away (and usually back on the brake to not hit the car in front that has pretty much stopped while they mess with the gears...)

A bit less busy on the motorway, but I'm not sure how much is the auto being higher geared compared to the 1500s being higher geared than the 1300s anyway.

Better off road too, it doesn't run out of gears half way up something and will creep & crawl without slipping the clutch.


It ought to give less MPG than a manual because there are more losses in the auto & torque converter, but I have no direct comparison, mine gives more than the Gen3 used to!

I would never buy a manual car from choice, only if it was an absolute unmissable bargain!