AS MORE SPORTS Utility Vehicles forsake off-road capabilities for car-like refinement, it is heartening to know that carmakers like Suzuki still persevere in building 4x4s that do what they say on the tin.

More importantly, when most mainstream car companies offer an SUV in only one or two sizes (large or larger), Suzuki builds them in small, medium, and large variants - Jimny, Grand Vitara and XL-7.

The smallest of the range also happens to be smallest SUV money can buy today. But like the tough-as-boots Land Rover Defender, the Jimny gets some off-road credibility by also employing a ladder frame chassis and a selectable differential that gives the driver full control over when and where four-wheel drive should be called upon.

When faced with particularly challenging terrain such as a steep, loosely surfaced incline, the '4WD-L' setting, which locks the gearbox in low range, can be selected from a row of push buttons. The default setting when on tarmac is the two-wheel drive mode where all of the Jimny's 85bhp gets diverted to the rear wheels. In this mode, and on loose surfaces like gravel, hooligan antics like power oversteer can be had, but go too far and there's also a very real possibility that the 1.67 metre tall Jimny could tip over.

The latest Jimny, as mentioned above, does away with a second gearlever for the differential. This is now actuated by a row of buttons on the re-styled dashboard. While the seats are also redesigned and offer better support, the Jimny fails to mask its age with a seating position that places its front occupants perilously close to the doors.

Drivers with longer arms might also find their elbows clashing rather painfully with the hard plastic door trim.

Elsewhere in the cabin, the Jimny feels noticeably better built with more attention seemingly paid to noise insulation. At expressway speeds, the Jimny is less raucous than earlier models with the most noise coming from its big, chunky tyres.

Predictably, its short 2250mm wheelbase (215mm shorter than the Mini's) and rugged suspension also does not let its occupants forget that they are riding in an off-road vehicle. Women would be best advised to wear their sports bras for long journeys.

Also taking credit for the Jimny's newfound refinement and drivability is its new 1.3-litre engine that now incorporates VVT (Variable Valve Timing) technology. Apart from running smoother and quieter at higher speeds, the engine also gets a 5bhp increase in power and 6Nm increase in torque, which is useful when driving over the rough stuff.

But it's on paved roads that the majority of Jimnys will spend most of their time and it is in this area that this SUV's improvements can be most appreciated.

NEED TO KNOW

Model Suzuki Jimny
Engine 1,328cc, 16v in-line 4
Max Power 85bhp at 6,000rpm
Max Torque 110Nm at 4,100rpm
Gearbox 4-speed automatic
Top Speed 135km/h
0-100 km/h 17.2 seconds
Price $65,900 with COE
Warranty 3 years / 100,000km
Contact Champion Motors, 6774-9773

SIMILAR CARS WE HAVE DRIVEN

Perodua Kembara $ (NA)

The Suzuki Jimny is quite possibly the only car in Singapore that has no direct rival. This is probably because no one else thinks to build an SUV this size. But had the Perodua importer continued to import the Kembara, this 1.3-litre SUV would have been it. Although it is only 200mm longer than the Jimny, the Kembara manages to squeeze in five doors, this feature alone would probably have served to make the Kembara a slightly more practical proposition.