Here at Unsealed 4X4 we often get asked a whole bunch of questions. Questions like, why does Evan look so good in trackpants, or who does Pat’s ironing? But every now and then we get a cracking question we just have to answer…

Ever since the Jimny was released earlier this year we have been asked time and time again for a comparison between a stocker and one with a few mods, you asked… and we’ve delivered. On this comparison, we’ve got Editor Evan Spence and freelancer Borgy out on the tracks of Lithgow, in the snow we might add, to see if a stock 2019 Suzuki Jimny can keep up with one lifted 60mm and one lifted 80mm, both with bigger tyres and other modifications to enhance the on and off-road experience.

WORDS BY HANS OFFMIBIER

Suzuki Jimny showdown

ABOVE Measurements were taken at the start of the day, quickly… so we could get back in front of the heater

ABOVE Adjustable Panhard rods are required when lifting the Jimny

The first cab off the rank today is a stock Jimny and while it’s not the first one we have driven it is the first automatic we’ve been behind the wheel of. It’s hard not to love these little rough roaders, from the minute you get inside they scream fun. Sure, it hasn’t got the most room and the power isn’t mind blowing but it’s a good, fun drive.

The first thing we noticed was just how much easier the automatic gearbox makes the driving experience, especially off-road. You don’t have to think too much about gear choice and when it’s in low-range it’s pretty much point and shoot.

The downfall of the little Jimny is on rutted potholed dirt roads, put a few blokes inside and you’ll feel every single lump and bump in the road. We wanted to see how far we could take this little beast and we really did end up finding its limit, wheels in the air and a light front end meant there were quite a few times we needed to reverse back down the hill and pick a different line to avoid rolling the thing. And there were other times during a rutted section where the stock Jimny got caught up and needed a plenty of right foot to get it to push its way through.

ABOVE This track tested the stock Jimny, this was as far as we could get it safely // BELOW The stock Jimny was hung-up here for a bit, the modified versions walked on through

“The main thing that stood out was the increase in suspension travel between the stocker and both of the modified vehicles”

Our second test vehicle is the, ahem, biggest rig. This Jimny has been fitted with the largest suspension lift available on the market (a Tough Dog 80mm lift kit). Driving the same terrain as the stock vehicle the difference between the two was immediate, especially the ride, not only do you have more clearance under the vehicle thanks to the larger tyres and the lift, but the bounce and roll are better controlled too.

On the high-speed pot-holed track we drove out the back of Lithgow, the vehicle handled the bumps well, however, it became a little jittery off lumps and bumps as speeds increased. With more bodyroll through corners than the standard vehicle, you’ve got to pick your line and control your right foot.

Being the only manual on test, we found you’ve really got to keep the revs up to the thing to keep in touch with the other vehicles. No such issues in low-range, though. When it comes to articulation the big-lift Jimny is a lot more capable in the rough stuff, dealing with deep holes easily and keeping its wheels on the ground in areas where the stock vehicle was lifting and scrabbling.

ABOVE The 80mm lifted Jimny has plenty more suspension travel compared to stock // BELOW Proper suspension transformed the ride of the Jimny on nasty surfaces

With a 60mm lift via Tough Dog, the touring-spec Jimny, as we nicknamed it, has an ARB bar on the front, roof racks, lights, and bigger tyres. Across the high-speed dirt section, the lifted Jimny felt stable and controlled, better than both the standard and 80mm-lifted Jimny. One thing we noticed, even with all our gear on-board, was that even on bigger, harder hits the 60mm lift kept the Jimny from hitting its bump stops.

Across the moguls, this was the best performer on the day. Sure, it lacked the ultimate articulation of the 80mm lift, but it felt better balanced across all terrains, and the addition of mud-terrain tyres meant grip was much better than the stock vehicle too.

ABOVE We found the 60mm lifted Jimny, with ARB bull bar and Front Runner roof rack, to be the best overall performer // BELOW This is where slightly larger tyres and better suspension helped the most, potholed dirt roads are not friends with the stock Jimny

ABOVE If this looks like fun, that’s because it is. So much!