Maruti Suzuki cars have always received plenty of flak over safety, especially when crash tests are considered. None of their products from the Arena or premium Nexa outlets have ever received a full 5-star crash test safety score from Global NCAP. So, the brand has to deliver more in the name of safety features, to set a positive sentiment in the market. The latest product to be launched, the Jimny SUV has one such feature which is being pitched for safety, but in fact, is quite daft and can be an unpleasant experience.
Maruti Suzuki’s Jimny, just like the Fronx has a seat belt reminder buzzer. This feature is load sensing for the front seats, which means it detects if there is someone sitting on the seat, and only then it makes a buzzing sound to alert the occupant to buckle up. However, the rear seat does not have such a load sensor. This is clearly a cost cutting measure, typical of Maruti Suzuki cars. So even without anyone seated in the back seat, the seat belt alarm keeps ringing for 90 seconds unless the seat belt is in place. So even without passengers, to keep the cabin quite and noise free, you will have to buckle up the back seat belts without passengers, so that this buzzer does not annoy users.
There’s a lot of discussion and comparison about the Maruti Suzuki Jimny Vs. Mahindra Thar. For anyone who wants to buy a real SUV, and more so which is SAFE, the Mahindra Thar is way more superior to the Jimny. And this is proven with the Thar’s off-road credentials so far and also with the Thar’s Global NCAP crash test. What will work in favour of the Jimny is that it is a small SUV, easy to drive in the city. Also, since it will be lighter, it can climb up steep inclines possibly easier than the Thar. However, the biggest drawback of the Jimny is the lack of torque. The 1.5L petrol motor of the Jimny is absolutely no match to even the Thar’s base 1.5L diesel engine, when torque is the point of discussion. Also, the Jimny is a very small car, so it does not have road presence.
Given that the Jimny is a Maruti Suzuki product, it should sell well. We hope it scores well in crash tests and proves itself as a worthy mass market off-road lifestyle vehicle.
