1999 Suzuki Vitara Jx on 2040-cars

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Five-door forbidden fruit: Suzuki Jimny gets bigger

If you’ve always wanted a Suzuki Jimny, but import laws and its small two-door body style held you back, thereÂ’s some good news. No, you cannot import a new one to the United States. Sorry to burst that bubble. The good news is that Suzuki just announced a five-door Jimny for people needing more space, at least if they live in India. The third-generation Jimny landed in 2018 and has remained a three-door since, making this a significant development for off-road fans and people upset with Suzuki for not selling it in the United States. Maruti Suzuki holds massive market share in India, so itÂ’s not surprising to see the automaker coming out with new Jimny variants. The pint-sized SUV measures more than a foot longer than its three-door counterpart but still carries the modelÂ’s signature upright boxy shape and modest accommodations. A 1.5-liter engine making 105 horsepower comes paired with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic and four-wheel drive. Though small, the Jimny five-door manages serious off-roading with a 36-degree approach angle, a 50-degree departure angle, and a 24-degree breakover angle. The SUV rides on 15-inch wheels and three-link rigid axle suspension with coil springs. It also features an old-school ladder frame, which helps deliver that impressive off-road ability, but likely impacts on-road comfort. Jimny buyers get a surprising number of niceties, including a 9-inch infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. ThereÂ’s also a rearview camera and a premium stereo option. The top Alpha trim level adds push-button start, cruise control, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. We donÂ’t have pricing details for the five-door Jimny, but the three-door variant starts at around $24,000 in other markets, such as Mexico. Suzuki will build the Jimny at its facility in Gurugram, India. Orders are open now, with deliveries planned to start in May. The automaker said it would soon expand the five-door to other markets, including Latin America and Australia.      

Jaguar I-Pace named World Car of the Year

NEW YORK — The Jaguar I-Pace has been named World Car of the Year, an award meant to honor the most significant new car introduction and conferred by an international jury of automotive journalist judges. The group announced the winners of additional awards at the New York Auto Show, with the Audi A7 named World Luxury Car of the Year, the McLaren 720S recognized as World Performance Car of the Year, and the Suzuki Jimny named World Urban Car. The I-Pace additionally took home two other awards: World Car Design of the Year and World Green Car of the Year. The WCOTY team of 86 jurors hail from 24 countries, and the organization is independent and not tied to any publication. This is the 15th year for the awards. For this year's World Car of the Year award the top three finalists were the I-Pace, the Audi E-Tron, and the Volvo S60/V60. Previous WCOTY winners were the Volvo XC60 in 2018 and the Jaguar F-Pace in 2017. View 74 Photos

Junkyard Gem: 1991 Geo Metro LSi Convertible

Americans lost the ability to buy a new Detroit-made convertible starting in the 1977 model year (unless you count aftermarket conversions), not regaining it until drop-top Chrysler K-Cars showed up in showrooms in 1981. This gave convertibles a certain magical quality that lasted for quite a while here, and so it seemed to make sense for GM to offer an open-air version of the Geo Metro. Here's one of those cars, spotted in a self-service yard in northeastern Colorado. The Metro was really a second-generation Suzuki Cultus, successor to the 1985-1988 Chevrolet Sprint. While a four-cylinder engine became available in the later Metro (which got Chevrolet badges when the Geo brand got the axe in 1997), all Chevy Sprints and early Metros got this 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine. You're looking at 55 Suzuki horsepower here. The XFi version of the Metro (not available with a convertible top) managed to get better than 60 highway miles per gallon with an engine rated at 49 horsepower. There was an automatic transmission available… for 465 bucks (about $993 in 2022 dollars). That would have added nearly 5% to the cost of this $9,740 car ($20,805 today) and killed the fuel economy, so nearly all Metro buyers got their cars with three pedals. Do you like simple instruments in cars? You'll love the Metro! This one is good and rusty, with some really scary corrosion underneath. I think it sat in a field, buried to the axles, for many years. However, the bra tells us that it once had an owner who loved their then-shiny red convertible. No 1991 competitor could offer a new convertible with a price tag even close to that of the $9,740 Metro LSi. Oh, sure, a ragtop version of the wretched Yugo was available in 1990 and maybe 1991, but that doesn't count. A new Miata cost $13,800 that year, with a Mazda-based Mercury Capri going for $12,588. The 1991 VW Golf Cabriolet cost $16,175, and prices for convertibles just got higher with other competitors. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. How much? No way!