Jimny 2022 auto vs manual

[GerritV]

Hey all,

I am looking at getting a Jimny, at the moment looking at a used 2022 Jimny GLX automatic
however I am also looking at a manual 2021 GLX
which Is better in the long run? Both have low mileage on them
since I got my Lisence I have only been driving automatic, which makes me lean towards automatic especially for offroad in Johannesburg traffic.

any thoughts based on experience? Any problems that Jimny’s l get?

[mikeml]

Hey all,

I am looking at getting a Jimny, at the moment looking at a used 2022 Jimny GLX automatic
however I am also looking at a manual 2021 GLX
which Is better in the long run? Both have low mileage on them
since I got my Lisence I have only been driving automatic, which makes me lean towards automatic especially for offroad in Johannesburg traffic.

any thoughts based on experience? Any problems that Jimny’s l get?

It depends what you want to use it for. I have the 2021 auto GLX. I got the auto, as it will (is) used for mainly urban travel. The primitive auto box is perfect for this. I also prefer manual for offroad. Personal preference. But got auto as a trade off.

But, the auto box is rubbish on the open road. It's torque converter does not lock up in any gear, so whenever you hit an incline, it often goes into a "half gear", before eventually going into the next gear further down. On long trips in hilly areas, like KZN, that gearbox oil will probably get very hot because of this.

For my purposes, I'm fine with the auto box, as I will never use it for long trips.

[GerritV]

It depends what you want to use it for. I have the 2021 auto GLX. I got the auto, as it will (is) used for mainly urban travel. The primitive auto box is perfect for this. I also prefer manual for offroad. Personal preference. But got auto as a trade off.

But, the auto box is rubbish on the open road. It's torque converter does not lock up in any gear, so whenever you hit an incline, it often goes into a "half gear", before eventually going into the next gear further down. On long trips in hilly areas, like KZN, that gearbox oil will probably get very hot because of this.

For my purposes, I'm fine with the auto box, as I will never use it for long trips.

thank you for the explanation!
I really appreciate it!
I will use it as a daily driver and when we go away on holiday and on weekends going off roading.

we would like to explore Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Drakensberg, Mozambique etc so some very far locations.

would you in this case recommend a manual?
especially with regards to ensuring engine and overall longevity and getting most use out of the Jimny.

i just don’t want to go auto for the comfort and end up over stressing the car on long roads and off-roading and risking damage, if it makes sense?

i have seen a 2021 manual, also with low mileage for around 30K less than the automatic.

[Bob9863]

After extensive test driving of both I when with the auto for several reasons.
It is a little dim witted, but after plugging a throttle controller into it (might not have told the car yard about that) it sped up the changes by taking the lag out of the acceleration.
The adaptive cruise control only comes on the auto.
The auto is much smoother for off road use, you don't have to rev it like the manual, and it doesn't stall like the manual can in some off road situations.
I found it wasn't so bad on the hills if you use the overdrive button, drive it with the overdrive on when on the flats as a 4 speed auto, then when you hit the hills or need to overtake, turn the OD off and it becomes a 3 speed automatic so it can't change up and bog down.

[mikeml]

thank you for the explanation!
I really appreciate it!
I will use it as a daily driver and when we go away on holiday and on weekends going off roading.

we would like to explore Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Drakensberg, Mozambique etc so some very far locations.

would you in this case recommend a manual?
especially with regards to ensuring engine and overall longevity and getting most use out of the Jimny.

i just don’t want to go auto for the comfort and end up over stressing the car on long roads and off-roading and risking damage, if it makes sense?

i have seen a 2021 manual, also with low mileage for around 30K less than the automatic.

With your scenario, my choice would be definitely manual. Bob above will disagree - you will get different opinions here. I suggest that you take both on a long drive which includes hills to see if you are happy how the auto behaves on these.

As for off road, from previous discussions, it sounds like the majority prefer auto. Here I also prefer manual.

Edit: As far as I know, adaptive cruise control only came out recently - my 2021 model does not have it

[WillieJimny]

With your scenario, my choice would be definitely manual. Bob above will disagree - you will get different opinions here. I suggest that you take both on a long drive which includes hills to see if you are happy how the auto behaves on these.

As for off road, from previous discussions, it sounds like the majority prefer auto. Here I also prefer manual.

Edit: As far as I know, adaptive cruise control only came out recently - my 2021 model does not have it

The SA versions still dont have adaptive cruise contrrol.

Manual would be my pic for the OP as well.

[RoelfleRoux]

I know the Jimny uses the same 1500 motor as in some of their platkarre. My wife's Baleno is such. If the Jimny also uses the same 4-speed auto gearbox, then I think I'd rather go for the manual.

[mikeml]

I know the Jimny uses the same 1500 motor as in some of their platkarre. My wife's Baleno is such. If the Jimny also uses the same 4-speed auto gearbox, then I think I'd rather go for the manual.

Does the auto in the platcar also hunt between gears? Probably less so as the platcar is lighter than the Jimny.

[RoelfleRoux]

Does the auto in the platcar also hunt between gears? Probably less so as the platcar is lighter than the Jimny.

It's quite bad in the little Baleno as well.
I can manage keep it in top gear when not using cruise control, but it requires a really careful approach with the right foot.
My wife doesn't concentrate enough on her right foot control, and the car is forever changing up and down.
Cruise control is even worse. The slightest hill, and it gears down. The rev difference between gears is significant (there are only four ratios), so a down-shift is dramatic, and the little engine gets quite noisy.
PS. If only it had tiptronic, then locking it in topgear would have worked a charm. There's enough engine grunt.

[GerritV]

With your scenario, my choice would be definitely manual. Bob above will disagree - you will get different opinions here. I suggest that you take both on a long drive which includes hills to see if you are happy how the auto behaves on these.

As for off road, from previous discussions, it sounds like the majority prefer auto. Here I also prefer manual.

Edit: As far as I know, adaptive cruise control only came out recently - my 2021 model does not have it

thank you Mike! I appreciate it!
I am definitely going for manual based on what I have heard here and read online.

I have come across 2 Jimny’s:
2018 GLX manual with 48K mileage (from WBC)
2020 GLX manual with 78K mileage (From a dealership)

would you guys suggest getting the newer model that will still have its warranty for this year
or buy an older model and get extended service plan and warranty?

[Bob9863]

Depends on if you plan to mod it, a lot of mods void parts of the warranty.
So if your going to keep it fairly standard then the more factory warranty the better, if your going to mod it a bit, then there's less incentive to worry about the warranty as less of it will be covered.
I usually go for whatever has the lower mileage on it, but have a close look at it, if it's been used mostly for weekend off road use then the mileage can be much lower but the abuse it's taken is always much higher then one that's been used on the road or on formed dirt tracks.
If your only dealing with a years worth of warranty it's probably a mute point, and extended warranties from dealerships are as a rule of thumb nit worth the paper they are printed on.
At least down here anyway.

[leons]

Little bit late to the party. Also tested both, elected manual, and I'm very happy I did. We do both long trips and town one's.