Suzuki has put a temporary hold on the acceptance of new orders for the best-selling automatic version of the 2023 Jimny 4x4 due to an unparalleled surge in demand. The prices have seen an increment of up to $7000 compared to the prices four years ago.

In January 2023, Suzuki Australia, as first informed by Drive, halted new orders for the most popular 'GLX' automatic three-door variant of the Jimny, until the supply can match up with the skyrocketing demand. Currently, Suzuki Australia has about 3500 pending orders for this model, projecting an estimated waiting period of 18 months based on the current production rate.

While new orders for the automatic model have been halted, manual versions of the Jimny remain on sale as the demand for these variants – the basic Lite and standard 'GLX' model – has been relatively less.

Customers waiting for the new Jimny automatic three-door now have the option of keeping their current order in the queue or moving higher up in the waiting list for the five-door automatic Jimny, expected to arrive in Australian showrooms by late 2023.

Unveiled this year, the five-door Jimny model brings an additional 340mm to the overall length and wheelbase compared to the three-door variant. This model will be manufactured in India as opposed to the three-door variant that is produced in Japan.

Interestingly, the astronomical demand for the Jimny persists despite several price hikes since its first Australian launch in January 2019. This has resulted in a 33 per cent price increment for the standard automatic model from $23,990 to $31,990 plus on-road costs.

The Jimny Lite, which is the base model, saw a price rise of $3500 from its initial $26,990 to now $30,490 plus on-road costs. Meanwhile, the three-door automatic Jimny price has seen a leap from $25,990 to $33,490 plus on-road costs.

The standard features of the Jimny have remained pretty consistent since its introduction. It continues to sport a 7.0-inch touchscreen that comes factory fitted from Japan, as opposed to the 9.0-inch screen offered from late 2021 for a year, designed and installed in Australia to overcome semiconductor supply issues.

A 1.5-litre non-turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, delivering 75kW (at 6000rpm) and 130Nm (at 4000rpm), powers all models of the Jimny. This power is transmitted to a part-time four-wheel-drive system with low-range. A five-speed manual transmission comes as standard across the range, while a four-speed automatic option is available for an extra $2000 on the better-equipped standard ('GLX') model.

According to Suzuki Australia, fuel consumption for the manual variant is at 6.4 litres per 100km, while the automatic variant consumes 6.9L/100km. The fuel tank capacity is 40 litres. Manual versions of the 2023 Jimny are still available to order.