New mandates for crash-avoidance technology have impacted Jimny three-door, with production for Australia put on hold temporarily.
Suzuki Australia says it is working to fix the problem. It says it has enough stock to continue delivering the Jimny three-door in the meantime.
Evidently the five-door Jimny is not affected currently but it could be later on this year.
Because ADRs are not relevant locally, Suzuki New Zealand will continue to offer both the three- and five-door versions of Jimni here.
Other Suzuki models may also be caught up in the AEB rule changes, however.
The popular 4WD Jimni has fallen foul of ADR 98/00 over the ditch, a new mandate for autonomous emergency braking (AEB) technology. Although the three-door Jimny is equipped with AEB, it does not comply with new operating parameters outlined in the rules. They come into effect on March 1, 2025.
The Jimny five-door does meet the March 2025 rules, for it evidently has a more advanced AEB system that met new standards released in March 2023.
Suzuki Australia is yet to confirm when the three-door Jimny will be upgraded with improved AEB tech, but the company suggests it may happen later this year.
The new AEB rules have also affected three Mitsubishi models in Australia, with ASX, Pajero Sport and Eclipse Cross not meeting standards. The same is true for Mazda 6 sedan and wagon.
The Ignis city hatch is another Suzuki model in the crosshairs as it does not have an AEB system. The S-Cross, Vitara and Swift Sport offer AEB but their systems do not meet the Australian requirements either. Updates to Vitara and S-Cross models of AEB technology are due later in the year. Plans for a next-generation Swift Sport are not yet clear.
Jimny three- and five-door are popular Australian models, selling over 10,000 examples last year. That’s almost one-half of Suzuki’s total 21,278 new-vehicle deliveries.
Swift is another Suzuki that has fallen foul of rule changes, managing just a single safety star from ANCAP after recent crash testing of the latest generation. Suzuki New Zealand says the parent company is aware of this issue but no further details are available regarding a solution.
