Maruti Suzuki has cleared out that there will be no two-wheel-drive (2WD) variant of the Jimny SUV.
The carmaker introduced the Jimny, the successor to its immensely successful off-roader Gypsy in India, in June 2023.
The company has cited several reasons for its decision, including Jimny’s core brand ethos as an off-roader, the potential for dilution of the brand if a 2WD variant were introduced, and the sluggish sales of the existing 4WD Jimny.
Despite receiving feedback from several customers asking for a 2WD variant, Maruti Suzuki believes that it would go against Jimny’s core brand ethos.
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The company also believes that a 2WD variant would dilute the brand, as the Jimny is globally known for its off-road capabilities.
In addition, the company is concerned that a 2WD variant would cannibalize sales of the existing 4WD Jimny.
The 4WD Jimny is already struggling to sell, with monthly sales hovering around 3,000 units.
The company believes that introducing a 2WD variant would only make it more difficult to sell the 4WD Jimny.
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Maruti Suzuki is instead focusing on boosting sales of the existing 4WD Jimny.
The company has introduced discounts of up to Rs 1 lakh on the Jimny during Diwali, and it has also slashed the prices of the entry-level manual transmission variants by Rs 2 lakh for a limited period.
The company is also hoping that the improved supply chain will help to boost production of the Jimny.
The lesser availability of components for the automatic variants had skewed initial production towards the manual variants, leading to significant discounts.