Europe Is Killing The Coolest Off-Roader America Wishes It Could Have

Suzuki ceased selling cars in the US in 2012, but if the brand still operated here, we might have had a chance to own one of the coolest vehicles of the past decade: the Jimny. The boxy subcompact SUV with genuine off-road capability was unveiled in fourth-generation guise in 2018 and sold in most major markets, including in Europe, where it is now in its last days.

Due to strict emissions regulations, Suzuki was already forced to stop selling regular passenger versions of the Jimny in Europe in 2020, though the automaker continued with a stripped-out commercial version with only two seats. Now, due to even stricter emissions regulations, even the commercial version is being phased out. France is the last European market where it is still available, but it will be phased out there too by the end of the year. To mark its run, Suzuki has revealed the special Jimny 55th Anniversary edition.

Over 3 Million Sold Worldwide

As the name suggests, the Jimny 55th Anniversary marks 55 years since the launch of the first Jimny in 1970. Over the years, more than three million examples of the tiny off-roader have been sold around the globe, some of them ending up here wearing the Samurai badge. This latest special edition will add 55 units to that tally.

It stands out thanks to details like a retro-design grille, body graphics, and a spare wheel cover featuring a version of the stylized rhinoceros logo that has featured on Jimnys since the 1980s. The special edition also comes with extras like red mudflaps, rubber mats (including in the cargo area), and a numbered plaque on the center console.

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Pricing starts at €28,955 (approximately $33,200), and the ordering process for French buyers is already closed. That winceworthy price for a tiny off-roader is more expensive than a base-model Wrangler sells for stateside.

Body-On-Frame Construction In The Subcompact Class

Despite the Jimny sitting in a segment normally filled with econo hatchbacks, it is a genuine off-roader through and through. Unlike most small crossovers, the Jimny rides on a body-on-frame chassis, features solid axles front and rear, and comes with a part-time four-wheel-drive system complete with low-range gearing, although it lacks a locking differential. These rugged underpinnings with such a short wheelbase give it real off-road prowess, allowing it to tackle steep inclines, rocky trails, and muddy tracks. When we drove this new generation of Jimny in South Africa a few years back, we found it almost made off-roading too easy.

Depending on the market, the Jimny is offered in both two-door and longer four-door body styles, the latter introduced more recently to improve practicality. In Europe, the Jimny is powered by a 1.5-liter inline-4 producing 101 horsepower and paired with a five-speed manual transmission.

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While there was confirmation of an electric Jimny arriving later this decade, which would enable the vehicle to return to Europe, Suzuki boss Toshihiro Suzuki last year downplayed the chances, explaining that a heavy battery would take away one of the vehicle’s best attributes: its light curb weight, which comes in as low as 2,414 pounds.