Maruti 800 owner upgrades to a Jimny MT: 7 observations after a week

On the highway as long as one is within 80-90 km/h, fuel efficiency is decent at 13-14 km/l.

BHPian tacho9000 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I recently became the owner of a Jimny Zeta MT. Got delivery on 23.12.2023. Have done almost 900 km in the past 5 days. I have been driving my beloved 1999 September Maruti 800 (bought brand new by my late father on 13.09.1999) since 2009 and has clocked around 1.40 lakh km. Of which 1 lakh kms driven is by me. Since this is a big upgrade for me. I’ll highlight a few points in no particular order, which are entirely my personal opinion.

1. The engine feels adequate. Not lacking in power. But neither bristling with oodles of power. Drive in a relaxed manner and you’ll find it to be sufficient for the majority of the regular use cases.
2. Due to the compact dimensions, feels extremely nimble in the city. Almost as much as my Maruti 800.
3. I came from a mechanically linked accelerator pedal where the response is instantaneous almost. But found zero issues with the accelerator response of the Jimny. Didn’t feel the need to add something like the throttle controller to make the car feel more responsive to the accelerator pedal.
4. The ride quality is amazing. I have set it to 30 psi. Down from the 42 psi filled at the showroom, but 4 psi higher than what MSIL suggests. Still very comfortable. I’ll drop it down another couple of psi if need be. But for now, 30 psi feels fine for the ride quality
5. The lack of storage space, though not exactly a concern for me, can be a concern for many. And this is very true of the Jimny about the lack of storage space.
6. It isn’t exactly a fuel sipper but neither did it feel to be a fuel guzzler. City drives have yielded me 10-11 km/l in heavy to moderately heavy traffic. I have yet to experience extremely heavy traffic. Hence can’t comment on that. Highway as long as one is within 80-90 km/h, mileage comes in decent at 13-14 km/l. Beyond that fuel efficiency takes a toll due to the shorter gearing and the brick-like aerodynamics of the vehicle.
7. Space is a concern for many people. I am 5’7″ and most of my co-passengers are either the same or usually shorter. Haven’t faced any problems regarding seat comfort. But I do understand that someone taller than me in the front or rear seat will most surely have a lack of under-thigh support which can be discomforting over long distances.

Overall, I fully acknowledge the drawbacks of the car and have accepted it before booking. And am happy overall with my purchase. The Bluish Black colour though is a dust and dirt magnet. Nothing I do will stop the dust from covering every part of the car. Except washing the car every time I take it out to make it look clean. That’s about it from me.

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