[shankar.balan]

I bought my Jimny second hand with 736kms done, in March 2024.

Since then, I ve only done 2-3 quick joy rides to Mysore and back from Bangalore. And one longer drive to Chennai and back on a highly rainy flooded time in October. I wrote briefly about that drive on the Chennai- Bangalore route queries thread because I truly enjoyed driving the little Jim that time, on the Madras - Vellore- Chittoor- Palamaner- Kolar- Bangalore scenic route.

As a driving enthusiast I have done poorly in 2024.

However, this changed yesterday.

Ive tried to put my first real personal medium long distance Jimny drive experience here - this is absolutely representative of my normal and regular use case and general route, over the last 35+ years

Hopefully by Gods Grace, this is a good beginning to 2025 and to driving my little Jimny (and other vehicles, more).

Though I grew up and lived studied in the Nilgiris, since buying my Jimny, I have simply been far too busy to drive it up the hills - a big regret because in the limited time we have, we must make time to do things that we enjoy.

So we decided (my Dad and I) that we must just GO! And we finally managed to do so this weekend.

Nothing better than some ‘road trip time’ with the Man who taught me to Drive and who gave me such a first class childhood on the plantations, surrounded by heavenly nature and the pets and plants which I love so much.

So yesterday, 10 Dec 2025, we Left home (HSR Blr) at 0630 sharp.

Got onto the Mysore Expressway through Nice Road at 0715. We had covered a 45 km distance.

Reached Columbia Asia Mysore Toll Road end at 0835 after covering the whole Mysore Express Toll way and took a left for the 20km run on the Mysore Outer Ring Road with its little normal criss-cross and traffic light stops.

Reached the Aashirwad restaurant past Mysore Airport - near the Mysore-Nanjangud toll booth on the Ooty road at 0850.

Had brekky there and left at 930-940.

Came to CCD in Gundlupet at 1030. Had a coffee and left at 11.

Stopped at the small Temple at the entrance to Bandipur as we always have done for the last several decades, as a mark of respect.

Reached Ooty peacefully at 1230 via Masinagudi-Sigur Ghat…after taking some photos at Lake Marlimund en route.

The traffic was Light. And we made very good time indeed as can be seen.

The general holiday making junta have not arrived in Ooty yet.

This weekend atleast, we will escape the chaos.

Next week, from Tuesday onwards till Sunday will be absolute mayhem here on account of the Pongal Holidays.

Thing is the little Jimny, being small and narrow and naturally aspirated, and non-threatening, yet as tough as old boots, saves one a significant amount of driving time.

It is not as if I drive too fast.
And as can be seen from the time stamps, the average speeds Ive been able to maintain, while following all road rules, is very decent indeed.

For example, I never exceeded 90kmph on the Nice road and the Mysore Express Highway.

And on the Mysore- Masinagudi- Sigur- Ooty road I was buzzing along at the normal speeds.

The best thing is that I never had to slacken pace and give way to anyone coming in the opposite direction on those narrow roads because this vehicle is tiny and goes anywhere so I simply had to drop two wheels onto the shoulder and keep going.

Wider cars could see my little Jim appearing in their rear view mirrors and were kind enough to let me pass them, because for one thing Im not a ‘threat’ and for another, Im so narrow that I wont hold them up ahead.

And best of all, no turbocharger, so no turbo lag and no turbo spooling up and down at speed breakers and curves and hair pin bends.

Keep rowing through the gears and there is really nothing to beat this little baby Mountain Goat!

No real slackening of pace needed because I have installed those stiffer body mounts and no ‘rear side Thud’ because of the taller bump stops and shock absorber extenders which I have installed.

With me and one passenger (Dad), the rear seats folded down and luggage comprising 2 suitcases and 2 duffel bags and a couple of ‘suit-carriers’ and ‘shoe-bags’ as well as all my normal car related paraphernalia, the Jimny must have been carrying about 250kgs of load.

The ride was excellent. My 82 year old Dad had NO complaints of bumpiness and swaying etc - whereas he did mention these things several times when we drive here and there in my earlier vehicle, the new Thar.

There is no perceptible lack of power and all that in the Jimny, because anyway in India, the average speeds one can achieve, are only in the region of 50-70kmph at best.

And even if all these other bigger and more powerful vehicles were to overtake one on the straights, one tends to catch up whenever there is some obstacle or other delay ahead.

If one is driving in the right gear at the right time, at the right places, in the Jimny, there is no issue with pickup either. One can keep up a strong and steady average pace.

And in the hills, yes, there are several steep climbs, but the trick is to anticipate and downshift to 2nd and when necessary, 1st, to get the maximum torque and pulling power as needed. (Synchromesh gears certainly helps lot and the Manual Transmission is a real Joy) - one simply doesn’t have to slacken pace!

It is honestly MUCH better and more practically useful in the scenarios described above than my various other vehicles both past and present, 800, Bolero, Scorpio, Esteem, Skoda Yeti, Mini Cooper S, Hyundai Kona ever were and….wait for it….even better than the Mighty Thar was!

The only thing that provides the exact same feeling is the beloved Gypsy. And the Jimny has exactly the same DNA, but perfectly suited for these modern times with all its creature comforts and user aids like AC, Power Steering and metal body and all.

Yet, it remains true to that essential, incredible, lightness of being!

The Jimny is really the darling of the experienced Hill Driver.

My verdict is that it is near PERFECT for our Indian conditions and especially MY particular kind of use case.

This really says a LOT for the Little Jimny!

I fear that this is certainly going to be cursed as an unpopular write-up amongst the worshippers of power and bulk and road presence and I too may be cursed and criticised and reviled as being a ‘Jimny fan-boy’,

But,

All that I can humbly submit, is that what I have just spontaneously penned down here, is my genuine absolutely honest and true experience based on yesterday, 10 Jan 2025.

At the start:


At Breakfast:



A quick Coffee:


Being Thankful:


On the Road up the Blue Mountains of South India:



Further on the Road:



Parked at Rest:



Quality Time with Dad:

[Vinod_nair]

Congratulations Shankar Sir for your Jimny, nice colour.

A well compiled travelogue with your smart looking Dad, he looks very happy, regards to both of you.

[Kurrant]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

I fear that this is certainly going to be cursed as an unpopular write-up amongst the worshippers of power and bulk and road presence and I too may be cursed and criticised and reviled as being a ‘Jimny fan-boy’,

Not at all, concur fully with what you have written. Presented with the choice of either driving a Jimmy or a 2 door Thar to the nearby hills or the inter city trips I do, 100/100 will choose the Jimmy.

On another note, you and your dad perfectly suit the phrase 'The Complete Man'!

[Mystic]

Well written travelogue and concur with your thoughts on Jimny. Jimny is rightly called a mountain goat and one feels at home in the mountains. I was on a drive couple of days back to eastern ghats of AP to Araku. Mine is an automatic and before starting on to the ghats I tested if gear 2 (2nd gear), L (1st gear) and switch off overdrive (3rd gear) are working properly as I never went to ghats in 10K kms so far (most of the mileage is multiple 1K kms drives between Bangalore and Visakhapatnam on highways). All through the dozen hairpin bends to over 4 K MSL, it went in “D” with fully loaded car. The power is just right, not more or less.

I extensively travelled on western ghats hairpin bends in Scorpio and Crysta and the driving is not as easy as Jimny especially when the roads become narrower (to overtake RTC buses). I usually don’t travel more than 100 kmph speeds in India (perfect for Jimny) because of various surprises on our roads (In USA, 100 mph / 160 kmph is a norm I maintain on fast lane so that I don’t hinder the smooth movement of traffic and attention of police).

Another observation is you are on stock tyres. I thought I am one of the few who are on stock tyres (the stepney cover I had costs more than 10K and is not suitable for AT tyres). I prefer the magic carpet like feel on HT tyres and don’t care about aesthetics.

[AMG Power]

Rowing through the gears to keep the engine in its power band has always been part of the thrill of driving. Automatics and diesels with huge power bands have done away with this need reducing the thrills.

Anticipating a climb and shifting at the beginning or being able to sense the cusp of the edge of the power band to shift down and keep the car in its power band was part of the joy of driving on the hills in a NA car.

Had a Gypsy that I used in the Nilgiris. Was a lot of fun. The only fly in the ointment was its low top speed but one didn't need top speeds on the hills.

From your account the Jimny appears tuned for the hills and given its Gypsy DNA, it should do well.

Happy motoring.

[shankar.balan]

Quite a bit more of driving done today maybe another 100 odd kms up and down the beautiful Nilgiri Hills.

This small block, naturally aspirated engine and minute proportions and the action of ‘rowing through the gears’ is absolutely addictive.

If ever there was a vehicle made for this kind of terrain, to unlock all the joys of the open, winding hill roads, it is this Jimny and its predecessor the Gypsy.

There is something wonderful in the feeling of driving at 60kmph with the windows down and accelerating through the rev band in each gear, eking out the maximum.

Somehow it has always given me the feeling of being akin to flying an old Spitfire Aircraft. The thrum of the engine and the whine in the upper revs is an indescribable feeling.

Seriously, my Dad and I are having so much fun with this little car that I think we will do our best to find as many excuses as possible to find a nice curvy empty road anywhere, to take it!

The Jimny has rekindled and redoubled my Love of Fuss-free Motoring.

Real Nostalgia for the 1980’s era when we were based here in the Nilgiris.

[arjab]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Yet, it remains true to that essential, incredible, lightness of being!
The Jimny is really the darling of the experienced Hill Driver.
My verdict is that it is near PERFECT for our Indian conditions and especially MY particular kind of use case.

Dear Shankar,
Couldn't agree with you more.
As a regular traveller to the Darjeeling, Sikkim and Dooars hills, i resonate with you on each & every word you wrote.
Two more things, which you have must have noticed:
1) The K15B NA's brilliant low speed fuel mapping. Zero throttle lag, zero jerks at crawling speeds means you can literally crawl at idle, with "foot completely off the clutch" without any need for "half-clutching" thus preserving not only clutch life but maintaining a slow & steady rate of uphill climb. Just control the car on the throttle.
2) The low reverse gear ratio which yanks you back, without the need for any clutch slipping even on serious inclines.
3) The lovely traction on very, very steep inclines and hairpin bends, especially on a fully loaded Jim, with ESP switched off. No need to over-rev or do anything silly. Jim just hops up!

Cheers to Jim!

Take care & drive safe,
Best,

[shankar.balan]

Could not resist adding a few more photos from yesterday’s ‘Dawn Patrol’ and the ‘Bangalore Sortie’…like I said earlier, I love that ‘Spitfire’ feeling.

[sf-24]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Ive tried to put my first real personal medium long distance Jimny drive experience here - this is absolutely representative of my normal and regular use case and general route, over the last 35+ years

Hopefully by Gods Grace, this is a good beginning to 2025 and to driving my little Jimny (and other vehicles, more).

Your grey Jimny looks stunning! The detailed account of the trip, including the stops and the smooth drive, really brings the experience to life.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

.I fear that this is certainly going to be cursed as an unpopular write-up amongst the worshippers of power and bulk and road presence and I too may be cursed and criticised and reviled as being a ‘Jimny fan-boy’

On the contrary, this is a popular write-up as it brings in the maturity and wisdom from your extensive experience driving on Indian roads. Your insights are valuable and resonate with many who appreciate practical and thoughtful driving.