What is your general driving RPM and gear changes on the Gen4?

Three questions actually regarding driving practices:

What is the general RPM you stick to when driving?
At what RPM do you shift up?
What is your comfortable highway cruising speed?

I have read that the Jimny engine is rev-happy but I am not 100% sure about this.

Auto here, so I don't really pay attention to shift rpm, but I typically cruise at 60-65mpg, which is about 2800-3200rpm.

G3 again, but as the Jimny is fairly low geared I tend to short shift to get to 5th as soon as possible. I find I can then spend most of the day in 5th, even at low speeds. Most my shifts are sub 3000 rpm. My comfortable cruising speed is 55 to 60mph. I average a true 36mpg with my related driving style.
Now with my caravan on the back --
I've seen rpm that beggars belief, changing or sustaining (on hills) rpm near to 6000. Truth is the engine seams happy to do it and has not suffered as a result.
So yes I would say the engine is rev happy, but I don't like doing it.
Mike

Groenewald wrote: Three questions actually regarding driving practices:

What is the general RPM you stick to when driving?
At what RPM do you shift up?
What is your comfortable highway cruising speed?

I have read that the Jimny engine is rev-happy but I am not 100% sure about this.

I think I kinda get what you are asking in general. But to your specific points there aren't any really answers.


RPM will be dependent on the road, conditions, gear, speed and mood I'm in. It is never a set value. Likewise for upshifting. On a cold engine I'll be more gentle and when not in a hurry, but when out for fun I'll shift at completely different points.

Cruising speed is easier to answer to an extent. But is again traffic and road type dependant, as well as speed limit.

The Jimny will sit at 70mph quite happily 3 up on a dual carriage way or motor way. Even on cruise control. It probably isn't the most economical speed in mpg terms.



Going back to the revs. I like the fact the engine is tractable. On the level it will pull 30mph in 5th quite comfortably. And sub 30mph in 4th. It isn't necessarily speedy to pick up, but it is smooth. You can go over round abouts in 3rd gear for example. So I do this quite a lot.

However it is a small n.a. motor, so makes its most power at higher rpm. It doesn't rev overly high, only circa 6000rpm. However it is very free revving and doesn't become breathless up top. i.e. it will rev out to the red line quite happily. And do so in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears (manual).

I tend to short shift it when I drive to work, ie: change up as soon as possible. The character of the engine is that it's nice and torquey low down... not like a diesel of course, but it sounds nice at low rpm. Kind of a purposeful gruffness. If going uphill, I'll hold it in gear beyond 4000rpm so it doesn't bog down after a change up. The engine doesn't mind spinning up beyond 6000rpm and has a lot of power up there, but I rarely need to push it.

I've had an MX5 before, and it was more rewarding to drive fast and hit the rev limiter, but the Jimny has a different enjoyment factor. Both are equally enjoyable in different ways. Strangely, the MX5 and Jimny both have a similar gearshift feel. Really satisfying gearchange feel in the manual transmission.

Cruising speed depends on the type of road and the crosswinds. On a still day, 100km/h is fine. Motorway is OK up to around 110km/h but it all seems a bit nuts beyond that. The steering/tyres just don't react fast enough to feel like it's fully controlled at higher speeds. Ideal speed for economy and touring is around 80-90km/h on those 'b' roads.

Here is my roadtest review of the Jimny:

The GEN4 does have a gear change indicator on the dash for optimum gear selection, however I tend to change gears sub 3000rpm just before my ears start to bleed... If I am towing my caravan it will be higher as I need to try and maintain the maximum torque.