Prospective Jimny owner looking for advice!

Hi guys, browsed this forum a little and you all seem like a decent lot so some advice is much appreciated here!

I've always loved Jimny's, for as long as I can remember. I've always wanted one, and now I'm making a decent bit of money I've given myself two options - get myself a new (or nearly new) Jimny as my daily driver (I quite like the new Adventure special addition with some of the modern mod cons but I'm sure some of you will call that blasphemy ) OR! Get myself an older Jimny and keep it as a second run about, mainly for winter.

I'm no car buff never mind a Jimny buff, but I know that they're fairly cheap (even brand new), and as far as I'm aware, they are among the most capable and most reliable of 4x4s out there? Where I live (northerly Scotland), winter is a pain in the hole, as soon as the snow falls or the ice starts to form, you're pretty much limited to staying in town unless you have a 4x4!

I currently drive a 56 plate Focus which I do love, it's nice and roomy for both cargo and passengers, fast enough to batter it down the motorway when need be, and decent enough on petrol (averaging probably 35mpg dashing through town, can squeeze 50mpg on a long run), but I have noticed that I rarely have more than one passenger, I very rarely have any huge cargo, so I was wondering how you lot think I'd cope moving to a Jimny? Are they alright to live with? Just how bad are the rear seats for passengers? Is it roomy enough in the front?

I'm not fussed about so called road comfort or road noise, my first car was an old Fiesta with daylight coming through multiple points in the bodywork and springs that had been chopped and welded so many times that my mechanic was in genuine awe that it wasn't grinding the rear axle the whole time :lol:

I should probably point out that I don't really intend to go offroading aside from the odd weekend battering or camping trip in the middle of nowhere (right to roam here in Scotland is great ).

Sorry for the long winded newbie post, but advice is greatly appreciated I suppose I'm basically asking - should I splash out and buy a new(ish) Jimny, or should I just get an older, cheaper one, for winter and weekend excursions and then perhaps move to "full time" Jimnying after that if I fancy?

Hello I'll run through your question roughly in order
I used to run an Audi A6 avant, then briefly a 206 Station wagon before I bought my Jimny, the lack of boot space took a bit of getting used to, but like you, I was mostly in the car myself so I can work around that. As for winter driving I'd recommend a winter specific tyre, on both the A6 and the 206 I had a second set of rims with winter specific tyres fitted and I coped well with what winter threw at me but on the Jimny I went for an all season, all terrain tyre as I hope to do some light off-roading at some point. where I stay, central belt near Falkirk, winter isn't normally too bad other than the odd heavy snow day here and there. Saying that any opportunity to go play in the snow I was out and about and my Jimny handled it fantastically.
Have you drove a Jimny yet? When I jumped into a Jimny for the first time the lack of elbow space was apparent, but not a problem for me as I got used to it very quickly but if you are used to a more roomy car you might get a surprise. The focus is much more suited to motorway driving than the Jimny, you'll find a focus at 70mph much more quiet and relaxed with better fuel economy too. My 8y/o has plenty space in the back, the shape of the Jimny (box'y) gives plenty headroom and ample legroom for her but I've never been in the back seats myself so I can't answer that from an adults PoV. Up front I like, I'm 6'2" and have everything to hand, the seat is as far back as I can take it but I'm comfortable.
Watch out for right to roam, walking, biking, horses yeah but to the best of my knowledge no motorised transport but the land owners in your neck of the woods may be more relaxed about 4x4s but for sure I can't take mine anywhere locally legally unless I go to a pay and play site.
Hopefully this is some help but I'm biased as I love my Jimny, so go try a few and see what you think..
Good luck.


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I have a 2013 Jimny as my Daily and have never regretted it, I barely carry more than 1 passenger but if I do they are still comfortable in the back. And it kicks along nicely at 100kmh my partner and I have taken it on holidays loaded up with gear and I find it more comfortable than some newer cars I have driven.

But if you do have the funds maybe get an older one and use it for a winter then you will see for yourself if you can live with a jimny

Thanks for the replies guys. First of all with the right to roam, I think I'm fine for going up in the hills and moors but wooded areas are a no go, so I think I'm fine there (I'd have to check of course). I doubt I'd be venturing far off road for a camping trip anyway, but a Jimny would be a lifesaver in the simple and very likely event of loads of bloody rain making a nice firm patch of grass become a horrible bog overnight.

I also sit fairly close to the steering wheel in any vehicle I drive (despite being 6 foot), so I'm fairly confident that I'd be comfy in a Jimny.

I think the sensible thing to do is probably to take daniel's advice and get myself an old one - thankfully there is no shortage of them round here with all the old farmers and tinkers. I even saw a mint condition Subaru Justy with just 30k miles on the clock for sale the other day..someone else beat me to it though

NineCherries especially, thanks for all the info about how you find your own Jimny. The snow isn't really my concern tbh, fresh snow actually provides decent enough traction even on a summer tyre, it's the bloody ice that strands me in town.

While I'm here and considering an older Jimny, does anyone have anything to say in regards to an older Jimny vs an older Grand Vitara? I've seen a couple for sale, around 2002-2003 in terms of age, all 3 door (don't fancy the 5 door). Obviously it's bigger and got a bigger engine so in theory would be more comfortable, but what do you guys think?

Wouldn't want a Jimny as an on-road daily driver. I've got two cars, the Jimny (which is my on-site forestry vehicle), and a Hyundai i30 hatchback. The Hyundai cost £4000 less than a new Jimny (had 12000mi on clock when bought), and constantly reminds me how agricultural my Jimny is whenever I drive it.

I'm also northerly Scotland, Jimny is extremely skittish in the snow or on icy roads. If that's what you're worried about, get snow tyres for the road car.

Love my Jimny, have loads of fun in it when up on the moors / forests, but it has serious limitations, and to gloss over those is just fooling yourself. If you'd stated you were driving off-road lots, my advice would be different, but I wouldn't touch one with a bargepole as an on-road-only vehicle, when the alternatives out there are so much better.