The Suzuki Jimny was forced off-sale last year, but is back without its rear seats as a light commercial. Is it still worth considering?

PROS:

+ Superb off-road ability

+ Rough and ready looks

+ Useful square load bay

CONS:

- Can't carry much weight

- On-road drive

- Driving position

Verdict: The Suzuki Jimny LCV looks great, is huge fun to drive off-road, and is relatively cheap to buy and run. It remains poor to drive on-road, though, and isn't a great commercial because it can't carry much weight in the back.

2021 Suzuki Jimny LCV review: the five-minute read

If you haven't been keeping up with the story, the Suzuki Jimny went off sale last year due to emissions restrictions, much to the dismay of car fans everywhere. But fear not for it's back, this time without its rear seats in Light Commercial Vehicle form.

Y'see, vans and pick-ups don't need to hit the same emissions levels and don't count towards fleet averages, so the Jimny can live on with the same engine but fewer pews.

But if you're getting excited by all this, you better be quick – only around 500 will be coming to the UK.

You'd struggle to tell that this was the LCV model on the outside, aside from its basic 15-inch steel wheels perhaps. Otherwise, it's the same boxy-but-brilliant little 4x4 it was before.

Inside you'll notice the same basic dash too, although it comes with a basic radio featuring Bluetooth and DAB radio rather than a touchscreen like the plusher versions of the passenger Jimny. It's as rough and ready inside as it is out, but that sort of the point of the Jimny and something buyers will actively want.

To help it qualify as an LCV, Suzuki has removed the rear seats and moved the front pair forward a touch, meaning there's less room for two tall people in the front than in the regular car. Behind them is an 863-litre space, plus the addition of a steel partition cage.

Access to this is via a side-opening tailgate, which isn't the most practical in tight space, although the opening is large and the space inside usefully boxy. That said, the Jimny LCV can't carry much weight on its rear axle – think just 150kg. That's way less than even very small vans can manage.

As mentioned, the Jimny LCV comes with the same 101hp 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and short-geared, five-speed manual gearbox as the passenger version. It also gets the same switchable all-wheel drive with low and high-range gearboxes. There's the same tough but basic coil-sprung, rigid-axle suspension too.

It also still weighs a little over a tonne, so is simply superb at skipping its way up seemingly impossible climbs and generally proving extremely capable away from the Tarmac.

Our drive was off-road, but given the LCV is near identical to the standard Jimny, on-road, its short wheelbase and rudimentary suspension will mean it's still bouncy and there's lots of noise and vibration in the cabin. It also still won't like cornering hard and performance is leisurely at best.

So, if you're in the market for a van or pick-up, the Jimny LCV simply can't carry enough bulk to make sense. But buyers will know this and will really be buying the Jimny LCV for its quirky looks and old-school appeal but with modern reliability. If that's what you're into, nothing else on sale will tick those boxes quite like it.

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Extended read…

2021 Suzuki Jimny LCV interior and infotainment

The standard passenger Jimny that's now off sale wasn't exactly a Rolls Royce, but the LCV is just about as utilitarian as a modern car gets.

The plastics aren't plush and the design puts function before fashionable, but that's exactly what the Suzuki Jimny is all about. More importantly, everything feels extremely well screwed together.

The LCV comes with manually operated air-con and a multifunction steering wheel, but a basic infotainment system that includes Bluetooth and DAB radio, but that's your lot. There's also a USB for charging your phone, and a 12v socket for charging, er, we're not sure these days.

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2021 Suzuki Jimny LCV practicality and boot space

To ensure that the Jimny LCV can be classed as a Light Commercial Vehicle, Suzuki has had to move the front seats forward a touch.

As such there's less room for tall passengers, and the steel mesh partition between the front seats and rear load bay means the seat adjustment is worse too.

There isn't much in the way of storage in the cabin, with no door bins, a modest glovebox and a small tray behind the gear lever to throw your phone into.

Behind the front seats sits an 863-litre load bay, which is a nice square shape and has great access. It's a side-hinged rear door though, which is tricky to open in tight spots, and the Jimny LCV can only carry 150kg on the back, which is way less than even small vans let alone pick-up trucks.

2021 Suzuki Jimny LCV engine and gearbox

The Suzuki Jimy LCV has the same 101hp, 1.5-litre, naturally aspirated petrol engine as the standard Jimny. It also gets the same short-geared, five-speed manual gearbox with low and high settings for more precision off-road.

Thanks to the Jimny LCV weighing just over a tonne, the 1.5's relatively modest power and torque aren't an issue off-road, where it has more than enough get-up-and-go to skip its way up rocky inclines.

On-road is where it starts to feel a bit leggy and noisy on the motorway where it's pulling more the 3000rpm in fifth gear at 70mph. Due to this, it isn't particularly fuel-efficient, either. Expect around 32mpg.

2021 Suzuki Jimny LCV driving

The Suzuki Jimny LCV has been designed to be driven off-road and this is where it feels best. Its low weight, good throttle response and skinny tyres allow it to carve its way up seemingly impossible inclines.

Our drive was off-road, but given the LCV is near identical to the standard Jimny, on-road, its short wheelbase and rudimentary suspension will mean it's still bouncy and there's lots of noise and vibration in the cabin.

Because it has fairly slow steering, cornering hard isn't much fun either. You're best off sitting back and taking things easy.

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