@wheelsaustralia 111
7.6L/100km to a worst of 11.5L/100km.
The trip computer indicated an
accumulated average of 10L/100km,
while our own math said 9.7L/100km, so
let’s call it 9.9L/100km, which we think
is pretty respectable for a two-tonne
family SUV.
Criticisms? There aren’t many, to be
honest. Some reckon it’s too expensive,
but I’d point them to the level of
standard features, especially the safety
and driver-assistance kit, as well as
the well-appointed and nicely finished
interior. There were small annoyances,
of course, like the sudden tugs at the
wheel from the standard lane-keep
assist, or the fact that the cruise
control allows a bit too much speed
to wash off on hills, or that you can
inadvertently turn the seat heaters on
by bumping them. Which is not great
in summer.
But these are minor criticisms of
what is really a terrific family SUV, one
that easily accommodated our family of
four in safety, comfort and style for half
a year of haulage.
We’ll miss having the Santa Fe in our
driveway and our lives, but we’ll always
have the fond memory of it, as well as
a new-found mastery of ways to say
goodbye in Korean, when next we dine
out on bibimbap or bulgogi.
GED BULMER
’VE ALWAYS LOVED John
McEnroe, the friz-haired
American tennis star with the
short fuse and titanic dummy-
spits. And I’ve long wondered
how he approaches driving –
could be quite the spectacle, I imagine.
Ol’ John would no doubt constantly
lose the plot, dropping F-bombs,
bouncing between the horn and flashing
the headlights. But while incidents of
road-rage are well documented, I can’t
remember witnessing anyone going full
McEnroe recently, or even flashing their
lights. Until the Jimny came along.
Now well into our tenure of the
Suzuki, young Kirby and I have had
plenty of time to get familiar with its
pros and cons. While we have much
praise for the mini-wonder, a few minor
chinks have begun to appear.
Recently while cruising to work on
the freeway, a driver ahead suddenly
freaked out and bolted to get out of
the way. I wasn’t charging along or
tailgating, and surely the diminutiveJimny isn’t that intimidating, is it?
The same scenario played out a few
more times before I twigged as to what
was occurring – the automatic headlight
sensor was flashing the lights every
time I passed under an overpass, of
which there are plenty. Even the two-
lane bridges were setting the damn
lights off. That level of flashing would
have made George Michael proud.
Now the auto lights are kept off in
the day, but occasionally I’ve forgotten
tokill them in the morning and the
shade of trees has set them off again.
Something else we’ve become
mindful of is how easily the car
is affected by road and weather
conditions. A combination of being
light-weight (1075kg), high-riding,
softly sprung and on small tyres
make it a victim of the elements.
Road imperfections can unsettle its
trajectory, as can strong wind gusts. It
certainly keeps you on your toes, even
more so in wet winter conditions.
There is also a bit of wind and tyre
noise to contend with, plus the sound of
the 1.5-litre engine droning at just over
3000rpm at 100km/h. Another gripe is
the placement of the cup holders, which
sit almost behind the seats – blindly
reaching for a coffee gets tricky.
What the Suzuki does have going for
it are its elevated position and great
360-degree visibility. And there has
been much joy in how easy it is to get
through small gaps on congested roads
and while the manual gearbox can get
tedious in heavy traffic, it’s definitely
the pick over the four speed auto.
We’ve had plenty of new metal come
through the Wheels garage lately, but
it’s always been a delight jumping into
the Suzuki. Even its tennis-ball hue has
grown on me. McEnroe would approve.
FELIPE UBILLATOTAL LIGHTWEIGHT
CAN STILL SCARE
OTHER MOTORISTS
OFF THE ROADHABITUAL
FLASHER
SUZUKI JIMNY
Price as tested: $24,490
This month: 831km @ 8.1L/100kmI
REPORT
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