2026 Suzuki Jimny 5-door Horizon Review

The Suzuki Jimny is living proof that size doesn’t necessarily matter when going off-road. What does matter, however, is how many accessories you can fit to your rig without rendering it useless for its intended purpose. With its affordable entry point, the Jimny is one of New Zealand’s most popular “proper” off-roaders, with Kiwis loving its dinky charm. 

Building on this value is Suzuki New Zealand’s recently introduced Jimny Horizon special edition. Available in three-door or five-door form, the Horizon carries a $2000 premium over the model it’s based on. For our test, we had the five-door version, which starts at $42,990 locally.

Ready to roam

Suzuki New Zealand has taken notice of how Jimny owners accessorise their rigs. Though the Horizon carries a $2000 premium, the brand says it comes with $4000 worth of extras. These are headlined by a large roof rack and an Ogawa tent shade that attaches to the rear of the Jimny. Other changes include a heritage grille, Horizon stickers on the front guards and spare wheel cover, plus silver Jimny mouldings along the doors.

Mechanically, the Jimny remains unchanged. Its 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine produces a modest 75kW and 130Nm, paired with either a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual transmission. We had the latter for our test and reckon it adds to the overall Jimny experience. There’s also a part-time four-wheel-drive system with a low-range transfer case, bolstering its off-road abilities.

Just the necessities

Inside, the Jimny is still a relatively basic affair, but that’s what we’ve come to expect from the little off-roader. There’s a new nine-inch infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but that’s where the tech advancements end. Behind the multifunction steering wheel is a pair of analogue gauges, a nice touch in a world of digital clusters. A small display between them shows trip information such as fuel economy.

The cloth seats are basic, with manual adjustment, but comfortable enough for a long trip. The second row offers more space than the three-door Jimny’s, but it still isn’t massive. At six feet tall, I was reasonably comfortable back there, though my knees were against the driver’s seat. The second row also seats just two occupants.

The boot was another concern in the three-door Jimny, being almost non-existent with the rear seats in place. This five-door version addresses that with 221 litres of space with the seats up and 377 litres with them folded.

A nostalgic drive

On the road, this Jimny feels like a trip down memory lane. Where most modern vehicles try their best to shield drivers from what’s going on beneath, the Jimny leans into it all. 

The five-speed transmission is easy to use, but things get noisy at motorway speeds. There’s plenty of wind noise too, though most of it is generated by the large roof rack. While I prefer the three-door’s looks, the benefit of the longer wheelbase is obvious at these speeds. Though it still gets a little light on its feet, it feels significantly more stable than the smaller Jimny.

Performance is exactly what you’d expect from a 75kW engine. It isn’t quick by any means, but the manual transmission makes for an engaging drive anyway.

Now, a big part of the Jimny’s allure is its off-road performance, and it’s a shame we weren’t able to venture too far off the beaten track this time. We did, however, scout out a picturesque gravel road for these photos; probably about as adventurous as most Jimny owners’ off-road expeditions get.

I’ve previously been off-road with this Jimny and can confirm it will go further than you expect. With its low-range transfer case and reasonable ground clearance, it can keep up with most factory-spec off-road SUVs. The engine’s lack of torque is probably its biggest weakness, as it tends to lose wheel speed in sand, but aside from that, I’m a big fan.

Suzuki claims combined fuel consumption of 7.1L/100km for this five-door manual Jimny. That feels relatively high for an engine of this size, though the lack of hybrid assistance and what it’s carrying around help explain it.

A Jimny thing

While this might sound like harsh criticism, I’m trying to paint an accurate picture of the Jimny lifestyle. It doesn’t match the comfort of most other new vehicles, but it has a charm that’s unmatched on the market.

It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and neither should you. I’d argue it’s one of the best-value vehicles around on the smiles-per-kilometre scale. This Horizon edition adds to the proposition with its lifestyle-leaning accessories, and I’m a fan.  

Suzuki Jimny 5-door Horizon

$42,990  /  7.1L/100km  /  165g/km
0-100 km/h 13.1s
Engine  1462cc  IL4 / EFI 
Max power  75kW@6000rpm
Max torque  130Nm@4000rpm
Drivetrain 5-speed manual, switchable 4WD
Weight (claimed)  1200kg