5-Door Suzuki Jimny Off-Road Testing in Botswana | Camping in Botswana
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 มิ.ย. 2024
- Suzuki South Africa hosted the launch event of the new 5-Door Suzuki Jimny in Botswana. They wanted to showcase the off-road capabilities of the longer wheel-base Jimny, so they took us into Botswana.
The journey started in Polokwane. We collected the vehicles there and headed to the Platjan Border where we entered Botswana. Soon we were driving in soft sand along the riverbeds. Most of the day we were cruising in the riverbeds, the lightweight of the Jimny would just float over the sand. Often we had to crawl over rocks and despite the 340mm longer wheel-base, the Jimny had no issues.
As the sunset, we arrived at our "wild camp". A camp which was better rigged out than most dedicated campsite I've been to! We enjoyed the beautiful African sunset in Botswana.
The following day we started our drive back to South Africa. Once more, we found ourselves driving along soft riverbeds. We found some wildlife along the way and not long after, we were back in South Africa.
In total, we drove about 500km round loop. The longer wheel base Jimny feels much more stable on-road and off-road. The rear of the vehicle doesn't feel as bouncy. The 5-door variant has the same 1.5L NA motor, but still feels pretty nippy despite the little bit of extra body weight. Do note that the vehicles are still stock standard and not fully loaded. The longer wheelbase also provides significant extra space in both the boot and the rear passenger seating. On this rotation, I drove the 5-speed manual box over the 4-speed auto. Personally, I do prefer the manual gearbox. Due to the Jimny being an NA petrol motor, it loves to rev, especially in the soft sand we drove. In the manual, we were able to rev the engine and keep the revs higher, whereas the auto loves to hunt unless you lock it into gear on soft sand driving.
The entry-level 5-door Jimny (1.5 GL MT) prices at R429,900 incl. VAT, while the top-of-the-range spec (1.5 GLX AT) comes in at R479,900 incl. VAT. This is roughly R40k more than the 3-door version.
Personally, I prefer the 5-door Jimny over the 3-door variant, mostly because of the extra packing space and the better stability. The auto is nice for city driving and long-distance travelling, but with off-road driving, I will always prefer a manual.
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❤ awesome video Dieter!
Dankie!
A lift kit DOES NOT increase ground clearance! The axles, therefore the differentials, still sit at the same height. Only two things increase ground clearance: portsl axles and/or larger diameter wheels. Understand very basic physics.
You are correct, but a lift kit does raise the body and points which migt need the clearance. Generally it's the front and rear bumper or middle of the vehicle that gets caught when off-roading. By adding a lift-kit or even better/safer, upgraded suspension, you will be able to clear the body and increase your approach, departure and break-over angles.