Maruti Jimny Alpha AT: Initial impressions after a short test drive

The 4 AT is no scorcher and a bit lethargic but is adequate and comfortable for city use.

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Had a chance for a short test drive of the Jimny. The car was an Alpha AT. My initial impressions from the short drive on interior and service roads:

• Overall Drivability: Feels incredibly like a normal car to drive. This was the first time I was driving a ladder-on-frame vehicle and was sceptical based on many comments on this thread. But it felt like any other car to me and overall drivability for city use was excellent.
• Steering: The steering is well tuned, not extremely precise but overall, pretty good. There is very little vagueness and it's light enough to use in the city.
• Suspension: The suspension is excellent and really silent. It simply glided over harsh surfaces and unpaved roads without any sound or crashing of the suspension. There is a bit of body roll and side-to-side movement, but it's expected and well-contained.
• Engine & Transmission: The 4 AT is no scorcher and a bit lethargic but is adequate and comfortable for city use. Didn't get a chance to drive it on the highway, but should be fine up to 80-90 km/h I guess. The engine was silent and overall NVH was excellent.
• Driving Position: The overall driving ergonomics were good with great visibility. Height adjustment would have been excellent but can be managed with a good cushion.
• Finally, the most discussed topic is the Turning Radius: It is a bit on the higher side for a complete U-turn but can be managed. The reverse camera being standard helps in 3-point turns. Had no difficulty in managing the overall vehicle dimensions and performing turns in all situations.

Overall, I don't see any issues with this being a single car for small families. There don't seem to be many compromises and the off-road potential is unmatched.

PS: The sales guys were completely unaware of the 4H/4L operation and had no clue about when to use it and when it should be avoided. The test drive vehicles will probably end up with damages with customers and sales guys playing around with this.

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