Pros & cons of Jimny: Adding my 2 cents to another owner's observations

I like my small 4x4 SUV, it's an acquired taste and not a car for all people.

BHPian arjab recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Just thought of adding my two cents to your observations on L'il Jim (my car's odo is now at 5500 odd clicks):

Positives (adding to Samba's observations...)

1. Visibility: Excellent frontal visibility with minimal "A" pillar blind spots. Rearward visibility is aided by those huge outside rearview mirrors which allow you to actually "see the rear wheel outer edge" if you slightly dip the mirror down. Very useful for reversing in tricky situations. The high "eye-point" with very good upper and lower visibility arcs causes less eye strain while driving long distances, I guess because you "squint" less, particularly at dusk and dawn.
2. Dash reflections: None. Attribute this to the super compact dashboard and the near vertical windscreen angle.
3. Nose dive under braking: Very well controlled. I expected an Old Scorpio / Old Tata Sumo type of "Namaste Sir-ji" nose dive pose and posturing under heavy braking! Pleasantly surprised not to experience that.
4. Tyre noise: Surprisingly low. At least on my upgraded 215 Yokohama's. I think on the OE tarmac-oriented Bridgestone's it will be even less.
5. Accuracy of Trip computer: Pleasingly accurate. I found a max difference of 0.3 kms per litre,(that is MID more optimistic), between the MID displayed value of Avg Fuel Consumption and Tankfull - to - Tankfull consumption(auto-cutoff to auto-cutoff)
6. Interior switchgear illumination: All switchgear are backlit including the power window switches, front and back (on the centre console and handbrake console). Most manufacturers skimp on this nowadays.
7. Vents and HVAC: The centre vent adjustment knobs feel quite sturdy to operate and the lateral vent movement is also quite fluid. Circular side vents which can be rotated fully support the side window demisters nicely. In my Zeta variant, the manual HVAC control knobs are chunky and easy to reach. You can operate them without taking your eyes off the road, which I feel is a great contributor to safety, in these days of fiddly touchscreens with their menus and sub-menus.
8. RFID Tag reading: I do not know whether this is due to the flat and upright windscreen, but to me, it seemed the FasTaG scanners picked up the Jimny FasTaG quicker compared to my ex-Swift, Nexon & Tiago FasTag. In all cars, the FasTaG's are positioned behind the Inside Rear View Mirror,(IRVM).
9. Wiping mechanism: Small but very effective front wipers. They cover the entire driver and passenger wiping zone. Very LR Defender-like. The rear wiper is also very effective. The windscreen washer jets have a nice throw and spread. The windscreen washer fluid tank is also large and has a healthy capacity.

Negatives (adding to Samba's observations...)

1. Side window reflection: Bad. Particularly if a car is next to you on your right and vice versa and you suddenly look to the other side, you'll see that car reflected onto the other side's window glass! At first, I was startled, as I thought another car was sitting on my Jimny's passenger seat! Now I have got used to it.
2. Rear dampers: Too soft. No two ways about it. A little bit of extra firmness, maybe just a bit of stiffening of the valving, would have made the rear behave far better. The rear steps out to do a "booty wiggle" on rumble strips and the infamous "thwack" when crossing speed bumps even at 15kmph. On the lookout for aftermarket slightly firm dampers.
3. Propellor shaft resonance: Sometimes. Particularly if you are lugging in 4th gear from say 35-40kmph with AC on. You can feel the resonance through the transmission tunnel.
4. Differential whine: Conspicuous from above 40 kmph. Reminds me of Gypsy and my old Fiat 1100 Delight. Have to live with this.
5. Love for Bugs: L'il Jim with its flat nose and the upright windscreen is a "Bug Magnet". Flies, Grasshoppers, small butterflies, Moths - you name it, will get passed in no time. After every two hours of fast driving, you will have to clean the gunk off the windscreen, headlamps, fog lamps etc. More frequently during night drives.
6. Headlamps: Many complaints regarding the halogen headlamps in the Zeta variant abound. The solution is that the halogen headlight units need to be adjusted properly via the headlamp adjustment ratcheted adjustment screw behind the headlight (open the bonnet and you'll see it). After that is done, set the range adjustment twirly knob on the dashboard at position 1.5 or 2 and things are a lot better. You can further improve nighttime visibility by pairing this combination with your foglamps (if fitted). A bulb upgrade to Philip ExtremeVision retaining the same wattage will enhance things further.

On the whole, I am happy with Jimny. On a "fit for purpose" scale it scores a 10 on 10. It is an acquired taste and not a car for all people, particularly for those who crave the comforts of a "soft-roader".

At the end of the day when I take to the highway, I feel a sense of calm reassurance.

It is as if L'il Jim is telling me: "Hey Bud....don't worry, I'll make sure that we don't get stuck anywhere, let's get rolling shall we?"

And that I guess is a feeling most "Jimny'ites" would be identifying with.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.