In 2016, the Changhe-Suzuki joint venture had serious plans to produce the third-generation Suzuki Jimny off-road mini SUV in China. Sadly, in the end, it didn’t happen. Here’s why.
About Changhe Suzuki
This Changhe-Suzuki joint venture existed from 1995 until 2018, albeit with many ups and downs. The Chinese name of the joint venture was 昌河铃木, Chānghé Língmù. Initially, the joint venture mainly produced all sorts of minitrucks and minivans based on the seventh-generation Suzuki Carry.
Later, the company added several cars to its lineup, including the Suzuki Wagon R+, the Suzuki Liana & Liana A6, and the Suzuki Splash.
Changhe-Suzuki shouldn’t be confused with the similarly named Changan-Suzuki joint venture, which was a completely different company.
Imports
Besides producing and selling locally-made cars, Suzuki also sold various imported models in China. Suzuki distributed these imports via the existing dealer networks of its joint ventures. This was a common arrangement at the time. Examples of Suzuki imports were the Vitara, the Grand Vitara, and the Suzuki Jimny.
The Suzuki Jimny
The Suzuki is an off-road mini SUV. It has a long history. The first generation debuted in 1970, and the second generation in 1981. Suzuki launched the third-generation Jimny in 1998, and production continued until 2018, when the current fourth-generation model replaced it.
The Third-generation Suzuki Jimny
Suzuki produced the Jimny in Japan, Spain, and Brazil. The model code of the base 3-door model was JB33. Suzuki offered various engines: a 0.7-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder, a 1.3-liter 4-cylinder, a 1.4-liter 4-cylinder, and a 1.5-liter turbo diesel. The dimensions were: 3675/1600/1705, with a 2250 millimeter wheelbase. The third generation was a big success for Suzuki, selling in big numbers all over the world. It was popular both for real off-road usage and for posing purposes in the city.
The Suzuki Jimny in China
Official sales of the imported third-generation Suzuki Jimny in China started in 2007. The Chinese name for the Jimny is 吉姆尼, Jímǔní, a phonetic translation of Jimny.
The China-spec imported Jimny had the 1.3-liter four-cylinder petrol engine under the hood, with an output of 62.5 kW and 110 Nm. Buyers could get it with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic, always combined with four-wheel drive.
The Jimny was not a fast car by any means. The 0-100 sprint took 13.2 and 15.9 seconds, respectively. The price ranges from 138.800 yuan for the manual to 138.800 for the automatic. There was just one trim level and no options.
My Jimny adventure
Here’s an import Jimny of a friend of mine. I borrowed it in the winter of 2019 to go to Hebei Province to visit several car markets and a Mercedes-Benz collection. My friend, a lady in her 40s, had bought it new in 2009. It had the automatic gearbox. She added loads of after-market extras, like the bull bar, the roof rack, and the ladder on the back.
It was a cold and snowy day, and the Jimny performed on the rough field in the photo, where I found loads of old trucks. I had engaged the 4WD system, and it was good fun to drive around there. On the road, however, the Jimny was a terrible car; cramped, noisy, with a hard ride, vague steering, and a complete lack of power. I do understand the appeal of cars like the Jimny, but make sure you try before you buy! My friend still owns it today – she’s happy with it, so that’s okay, I guess.
The 2012 update, and the first reports about local production
In 2012, Suzuki launched an updated variant of the Jimny in China, with a slightly revised design. It got new bumpers, a new grille, and new light units. For the first time, Suzuki added several trim levels: Mode 3, JLX, the JLX Navigation Edition, and the Mode 3 Flagship Edition. The powertrain remained unchanged. Prices went up, with a range of 147.800 yuan to 160.800 yuan.
At the same time, the first reports emerged about the local production of the Jimny. The reports said the locally-produced car would be about 20.000 yuan cheaper than the imported Jimny. But after those initial reports, it became very quiet about the locally-produced Suzuki Jimny. Until 2016.
The 2016 MIIT listing
Every month, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) publishes a list of vehicles approved for production. The so-called MIIT list is a legacy of the planned-economy era: automakers must obtain approval for every new model, and even for facelifts of existing ones. For years, manufacturers have tried to rein in or delay these disclosures, as the list reveals new models well ahead of their official debuts. So far, those efforts have gone nowhere—the MIIT list remains very much alive.
The Suzuki Jimny in the MIIT listing
The MIIT listing showed a dark-gray Jimny with five-twin spoke wheels. The design appeared to be identical to the imported car. The model code was CH6377BBB1. CH = for Changhe. Every car made by Changhe, and that included the cars made by Change-Suzuki, had a model code starting with CH.
The manufacturer is 昌河铃木, Changan-Suzuki. The engine code was M13A. According to the filing, the producer of the 1.328-liter engine was “Suzuki.” That means the engine was imported from Japan. If the engine were made locally, it would say 昌河铃木 as well. The output was 62.5 kW, good for a 135 km/h top speed.
The chassis, however, was locally made, with the product code JS3JB43V. Note the 昌河铃木 badge on the left and the Jimny badge on the right.
The final MIIT photos showed various options, including a luggage rack, a two-tone body, a spare-wheel cover, and chromed door handles. The various MIIT photos indicate that Change-Suzuki pre-produced at least four cars.
The Changhe-Suzuki Jimny was approved for production, the specs were in order, so it was good to go. Right? Well, no. Not every car that is approved by MIIT makes it into production. Approval doesn’t mean that production is obligatory. Car makers may get into financial trouble, or launch a new strategy, or decide to cancel the launch for any other reason.
The Spy Shots
Soon after the MIIT listing, somebody spotted a brand new Changhe-Suzuki Jimny at a Chang’an-Mazda dealer. Sadly, we don’t know why it was there. The car was black and fitted with the optional spare wheel cover.
It had an automatic gearbox. There’s a temporary license plate behind the windscreen, on the right. These kinds of plates are often used for test or demo cars.
Around the same time, a fuel consumption label popped up on the interwebs. The label states “Transmission type: Manual” (变速器类型：MT). So, apparently, Changhe-Suzuki planned to offer both the manual and the automatic, just like with the imported Jimny. The label also shows the fuel consumption: 8.7L/100 km in the city and 7L/100 km combined.
And then, there was nothing
That was the last sight ever of the China-made Suzuki Jimny. Around this time, things had started to go very badly for Suzuki in China. The brand had suffered declining sales for years due to the increased competition from local Chinese brands. These brands launched a new model seemingly every day, and an increasing number of cheap NEVs.
Suzuki had nothing to defend itself against the onslaught. The decline worsened in 2018, fuelled by rumors that Suzuki planned to leave China. These rumors proved to be true. In the summer of 2018, Suzuki divested from Changhe-Suzuki, and it sold its share in the joint venture to Changan-Suzuki, its other joint venture.
Soon after that, it also divested from that joint venture and sold the shares to Changan. That was it for Suzuki in China – the Japanese brand pulled out entirely.
With that, the Suzuki Jimny project in China came to a definite end. None of the MIIT cars have ever been seen in public. Not once! Suzuki probably crushed the poor cars or shipped them home to Japan. It is a shame, because even today, the Jimny is still a popular vehicle.
The Suzuki Jimny in China today
Also in 2018, Suzuki launched the all-new fourth-generation Jimny. Since Suzuki had left China, this new Jimny wasn’t sold in China, at least not officially.
Some Chinese consumers really want a Jimny, and that led to a vibrant gray market, where specialized Chinese companies buy Jimnys in bulk from elsewhere. The current selling price hovers around 165.000 yuan for the 3-door version and 180.000 yuan for the new 5-door version.
A gray import Suzuki Jimny. I saw it in 2024 at a hotel parking lot. Buying a Jimny in this way is only for die-hard Jimny fans, because maintenance isn’t easy to arrange. There are still some Suzuki repair shops left, but they have no expertise for the Jimny. So, an owner relies on a small network of dedicated shops that cater to gray-import cars. Well, at least the Jinmy is still alive in China!