A Suzuki Jimny ute "would be awesome", says small-car brand's local chief
'A Jimny ute would be awesome in Australia. A Jimmy anything is awesome in Australia,' Suzuki Australia general manager Michael Pachota told CarExpert at the national launch of the new Fronx Hybrid light SUV.
'As I've mentioned, Jimmy three-door and Jimny XL sales are consistently growing and, with that said, if I just added to that product lineup, whether it be a utility, or a panel van, or whatever it may be, I'll take it.'
As it stands, the Jimny range comprises only a small wagon available in either three-door or five-door XL body styles. No commercial versions of the current fourth-generation Jimny are in production, though Suzuki New Zealand has offered an aftermarket ute conversion since 2020.
Suzuki also has a long history of compact utes, including the 1990s Caribian Sporty from Thailand and the Mighty Boy sold in Japan and Australia in the 1980s, and prospective buyers have been kept interested by concepts like the Jimny Sierra Pick Up Style of 2019 (pictured above).
CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
ABOVE: Second-generation 1981 Suzuki Jimny 1000 cab-chassis
This is a far cry from the three preceding Jimny generations, which were populated by several different body styles, including the third-generation Canvas Top in Europe and the second-generation SJ40 pickup, which was also sold as the cab-chassis Holden Drover.
Suzuki's tiny first-generation Jimny Soft Top, which resembled the utilitarian Willys Jeep, was also sold in Australia as the Suzuki Stockman.
Many of these models were built to Japan's diminutive kei car engine and size specifications, much like the current Japanese-market three-door Jimny – different bumpers and wider fender flares are added for export markets.
As a result, Australian-market three-door Jimnys measure 3480mm in length, 1645mm in width, and 1720mm in height. The five-door Jimny XL adds 340mm in length, which is still nearly 2m shorter than a Ford Ranger, while being roughly 250mm narrower.
Of course, Australia's love for utes is dominated by larger vehicles like the Ranger and Toyota HiLux, but that hasn't stopped Mr Pachota from predicting a strong following for a Jimny ute, echoing the SUV's passionate fanbase. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
ABOVE: First-generation 1972 Suzuki Jimny Soft Top
'I have my fingers crossed and hope and pray that Suzuki Motor Corporation looks down that path, because there's a huge market here for Australia,' he told CarExpert.
Mr Pachota also suggested the small dimensions of a potential Jimny ute would suit many applications where more traditional pickups are too large, drawing inspiration from Victoria's Goulburn Valley wine region, where Suzuki hosted the aforementioned Fronx launch.
'We're sitting in a winery right now, and you can just see the width of those vineyard lines. A Jimmy ute would fit down that line perfectly,' he added.
'So the agricultural need in Australia… I wouldn't be surprised if there's one on the property based on the old Jimny Stockman, because there used to be a utility.
'So with that said, if there used to be something, maybe there will be something again in the future. We haven't been told. Suzuki keeps their product development fairly close to their chest… but I would definitely welcome one.'
MORE: Everything Suzuki Jimny
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"It simply doesn't make sense, to be honest – what is the differentiation factor, addition value for the for the customer, for [separate development of] the climate control?" he said."But if you look at the at the product defining components – and I can give you also really specific examples on the car – we have the full freedom for sure." The Temerario is loaded with 'product defining components', as Dr Mohr puts it. "The electric front axle was a standalone development … the battery is a standalone development – we are using only in the [VW] Group cell, because we are not developing cells, chemical cells, but the battery assembly and so on [is Lamborghini]." "Cooling concept is Lambo. Gearbox is only Lambo. Engine – people think it's based on the [Lamborghini] Revuleto [V12] engine – it has nothing to do with the Revuleto," Dr Mohr explains. "Because if you want to rev 10,000rpm, to be honest, you cannot start with the standard V8. You can reach a 10,000 because you start everything based on the mechanical configuration of the engine with this [10,000rpm] point [in mind], so this is completely standalone." The V8 includes a 'hot vee', the term used to describe turbochargers mounted within the 90-degree cylinder banks, which again aren't taken from another Lamborghini or Volkswagen Group powertrain. "[The Revuleto's] turbochargers are not used [the Temerario's are smaller for better response], but there is a pump for the cooling circuit – something like that is carryover – but the rest is standalone," the tech boss explained. "This [synergy], I have to say, is one of the strengths. As an organisation, we became focussed on the differentiation … we could balance what is important for the brand and what is make or break to make a difference" MORE: Explore the Lamborghini Temerario showroomMORE: Lamborghini Temerario: A deep dive with Lambo's chief technical officer Content originally sourced from:
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However, Suzuki Australia general manager Michael Pachota says the model is not yet extinct in showrooms. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "From an S-Cross perspective, based on our current inventory, we still have a long sales journey based on what we can supply and what we can sell," he told CarExpert. "So we're still re-evaluating that position, but we haven't made a decision yet on S-Cross' future per se. "We'll continue selling it until we haven't got it, maybe." Mr Pachota's vague wording doesn't inspire confidence for the resurrection of the S-Cross, at least as we know it. This isn't surprising, given the S-Cross was comfortably Suzuki's lowest-volume model in its final two full years on sale. In 2023, it chalked up 598 deliveries, below the 2016 posted by the next-closest Vitara, and followed it up with 706 in 2024, still down on the 1815 recorded by the Ignis. Production for the Vitara and Ignis also ended for Australia when the ADR axe fell. The current, Hungarian-built S-Cross, launched here in 2022 as a significant update of a model that entered production in 2013. Suzuki Australia had previously confirmed it would bring a hybrid version of the S-Cross to Australia in 2024, but this never eventuated. The outgoing car is still available on Suzuki Australia's website in both MY23 and MY24 guises, starting at $33,290 and $36,990 drive-away respectively. As for the Vitara, which was axed by the separate Suzuki Queensland entity, Suzuki Australia has confirmed an updated Vitara Hybrid and new electric eVitara will launch in early 2026. The latter will be Suzuki's first-ever fully electric vehicle (EV). When asked about early indications for the Vitara Hybrid, which has yet to be confirmed with either mild- or strong-hybrid power, Mr Pachota said he believes "the Australian consumers are ready for a hybrid Vitara". MORE: Suzuki ends production of multiple models for Australia as new safety regs loom MORE: Suzuki Vitara, S-Cross axed in major Australian market MORE: Everything Suzuki S-Cross Content originally sourced from: Production may have ended for Suzuki Australia's largest and most expensive SUV, but the brand insists there's still plenty of stock for prospective buyers. The S-Cross was one of five Suzukis to fall victim to updated Australian Design Rules (ADR) that outlined specific performance requirements for autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems. This change also affected several Mitsubishi models. Suzuki Australia announced production of the S-Cross ended in February 2025, ahead of the introduction of the new rules on March 1, 2025. Since then, there has been no confirmation on whether shipments of the S-Cross would resume with a compliant AEB system, though separate distributor Suzuki Queensland said it was axing the model. However, Suzuki Australia general manager Michael Pachota says the model is not yet extinct in showrooms. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. "From an S-Cross perspective, based on our current inventory, we still have a long sales journey based on what we can supply and what we can sell," he told CarExpert. "So we're still re-evaluating that position, but we haven't made a decision yet on S-Cross' future per se. "We'll continue selling it until we haven't got it, maybe." Mr Pachota's vague wording doesn't inspire confidence for the resurrection of the S-Cross, at least as we know it. This isn't surprising, given the S-Cross was comfortably Suzuki's lowest-volume model in its final two full years on sale. In 2023, it chalked up 598 deliveries, below the 2016 posted by the next-closest Vitara, and followed it up with 706 in 2024, still down on the 1815 recorded by the Ignis. Production for the Vitara and Ignis also ended for Australia when the ADR axe fell. The current, Hungarian-built S-Cross, launched here in 2022 as a significant update of a model that entered production in 2013. Suzuki Australia had previously confirmed it would bring a hybrid version of the S-Cross to Australia in 2024, but this never eventuated. The outgoing car is still available on Suzuki Australia's website in both MY23 and MY24 guises, starting at $33,290 and $36,990 drive-away respectively. As for the Vitara, which was axed by the separate Suzuki Queensland entity, Suzuki Australia has confirmed an updated Vitara Hybrid and new electric eVitara will launch in early 2026. The latter will be Suzuki's first-ever fully electric vehicle (EV). When asked about early indications for the Vitara Hybrid, which has yet to be confirmed with either mild- or strong-hybrid power, Mr Pachota said he believes "the Australian consumers are ready for a hybrid Vitara". MORE: Suzuki ends production of multiple models for Australia as new safety regs loom MORE: Suzuki Vitara, S-Cross axed in major Australian market MORE: Everything Suzuki S-Cross Content originally sourced from:
