The new Suzuki Jimny is a retro, rugged corker

I mean, look at it. It’s a baby G Wagon – an unashamedly retro, undeniably quirky and refreshingly original compact 4×4. There’s no other car competing against it on the road, for it has three-doors and a short wheelbase.

This isn’t the car you choose if you have young children to drop off at school, or regular motorway runs to demolish. This is the car you choose because your heart leads your head and you want something different, and purposeful.

Heart, head. Head, heart. Take one look at the new Jimny – with its round LED headlights, tall stance and boxy shape – and the heart wins out in this battle. It charms you with retro good looks and perfect proportions. It’s compact, but thanks to flared wheel arches, chunky tyres and robust bumpers, it’s meaty.

So too is the off-road performance. The new ALLGRIP Pro 4WD system with low-range transfer gear for getting out of critical situations performs faultlessly. This Suzuki can operate in 2WD (2H) mode for fuel economy around town and be switched into 4WD High (4H) or 4WD Low (4L) modes at the press of a button. Easy.

There’s a 205mm ground clearance giving the Jimny an approach angle of 37 degrees, ramp break over angle of 28 degrees and departure angle of 49 degrees. The short wheelbase makes all the difference for navigating obstacles and steep hills. There’s also Hill Hold Assist, and Hill Descent Control fitted as standard.

Importantly, the Jimny is compliant and unsettled on the rough stuff. The 3-link rigid axle suspension and dampers work well to keep the body in check on rutted surfaces and there’s a steering damper to minimise wheel kickback.

The 1.5 engine is decent too. It foregoes forced induction so doesn’t have a chunky mid-range, but it revs smoothly and is surprisingly economical. It returned 35.8mpg combined as tested under new WLTP regulations.

Living with the Jimny is also a pleasure. It’s easy to park and comfortable around town. It isn’t the most practical car, but that’s okay. There’s no option of five doors and the tailgate opens outwards, like a van. The boot capacity with the rear seats up is 85-litres, enough for a bag but that’s it. People tend to run their Jimny with the seats down anyway. Do that and the boot capacity stands at 377-litres. Plenty for dogs.

All models come with Bluetooth and DAB. The top-spec SZ5 trim is the one to go for though because it comes with LED headlights, heated front seats, a 7” touchscreen, satellite navigation, Smartphone Link and Dual Sensor Brake Support, which monitors the road ahead and takes action by applying the brakes to mitigate impacts.

Really, that’s everything you need for hassle-free, everyday motoring. Never before has the Jimny appealed to so many. What a corker!