India-made Jimny Superhit in Japan, Flop In India – What’s Going On?
Suzuki Motor Corp introduced the made-in-India 5-door Jimny in Japan on January 30, 2025, under the name Jimny Nomade. The carmaker also started accepting orders for the SUV. The response from Japanese customers has been quintessential, and the 5-door Jimny Nomade seems to have been sold out in just four days! The manufacturer has temporarily suspended orders for the SUV after the huge demand created a massive 3.5-year backlog.
Jimny Nomade Creates Major Stir In Japanese Market: What’s Happening?
Maruti Suzuki MD and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi previously expressed the company’s aspirations for the Japanese market in a media statement: “After its (Jimny’s) resounding success in markets like Mexico, Australia, and South Africa, we are confident that it will delight customers in Japan. The export of Jimny reaffirms our commitment towards ‘Make-in-India for the world.”
The 5-door Maruti Jimny is called the Jimny Nomade in Japan. It is made in India and exported to Japan. Deliveries are known to begin on April 3, 2025. In just 4 days, the Nomade got 50,000 bookings. This demand was totally unexpected, and soon exceeded Suzuki’s ability to keep up with production. Currently, the Jimny production (for exports) at maruti Suzuki’s India plant is capped at 1,200 units per month. This means a buyer will have to wait at least 3.5 years to take home their new vehicle.
Announcing the suspension of bookings, Suzuki wrote on its official website “We apologize to customers considering the purchase of the Jimny Nomad due to the suspension of orders. Thank you very much for your interest in our products. The Jimny Nomad has been very well received, and we have received orders that far exceed our production capacity.
As a result, we will be temporarily suspending orders. We will provide updates on when orders will reopen, considering the future production situation. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.”
Suzuki aims to fulfil current orders as soon as possible. The company has, however, given no specific timeline yet as to when bookings will resume. Overwhelmed by the demand, Suzuki Japan has cancelled all showcasing events in the country that were previously in plans.
In addition to Japan, Maruti Suzuki Ltd also exports the 5-door Jimny to other international markets like Southeast Asia, South Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.
The Interesting Part Is…
Maruti Suzuki hasn’t really made fortunes with the 5-door Jimny in India. The off-roader had created much buzz initially, which then subsided, probably due to people realising the value disparity it had with the closest competition. This eventually made the carmaker rethink the pricing and announce massive price cuts, which helped in bringing back customers to some extent. With the Japanese market being extremely warm and receptive to the product, the focus on exports is likely to increase.
Closer Look At The Jimny Nomade
The Japanese market is used to having the Jimny in the 3-door guise with all its nuances. The Nomade (5-door version) adds more practicality and usability to the rugged off-roader. This could be one of the reasons for the massive acceptance there. The Nomade is longer than the 3-door by 340 mm, while still tucking under the 4 meters in overall length- 3,890 mm to be precise.
The powertrain on the 5-door Jimny is Suzuki’s familiar 1.5L naturally aspirated petrol engine mated to either a manual or 4AT automatic transmission. It produces 100hp and 134 Nm.
We Have Been Living With The Jimny
We have been living with our long-termer Jimny for over two months and drove it for a few thousand kilometres. There are a lot of things which we like about it. The engine and transmission perform quite well. The Jimny, however, isn’t a fast car. The SUV stands out with its compact proportions and peppy powertrain. The off-road capability deserves special mention. The Jimny can tackle serious terrains comfortably. It, in fact, feels more at home on terrains than on roads. There is definitely a lot to like about this vehicle.