The 2018 Suzuki Jimny only managed to secure a 3-star EuroNCAP rating during recent safety tests, which is a very disappointing result for a brand new car.
During the frontal offset test, the Jimny’s passenger compartment was extensively deformed, particularly around the door frame. Meanwhile, the dummy readings indicated good protection for the knees and femurs, but poor protection for the driver’s chest.
In the full-width test, “rigid-barrier impact protection of the head of the rear passenger dummy was rated as weak,” while protection for the chest of both driver and rear passenger was marginal.
Yet, the worst part in all of this was the insufficient pressure in the driver’s airbag, which meant that it eventually bottomed out, allowing the dummy’s head to impact the steering wheel.
As for the crossover’s standard autonomous emergency braking system (AEB), it apparently “showed weak performance in tests of its pedestrian avoidance in daylight and does not operate in low light. The system cannot react to faster-moving road-users like cyclists.”
Here’s what Matthew Avery, director of research at Thatcham Research had to say about the Jimny: “The Suzuki Jimny’s performance in testing betrays its ostensibly rugged exterior. As a completely new vehicle, it should offer far more protection to drivers in the event of an accident. Its safety technology did not perform optimally either. The youthful audience the Suzuki Jimny has been designed for deserve better in terms of passive and active safety.”
Overall, the all-new Suzuki Jimny still comes off as a relatively modern product, featuring the likes of a touchscreen infotainment display, all-wheel drive (with a low-range option), climate control, cruise control and the previously mentioned AEB system. Should it have done better during crash tests though? Undoubtedly so.
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