Emissions Laws Silence a Beloved Icon of Off-Roading

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• The Legendary Suzuki Jimny Will Soon Be No More In Europe
  • The Fourth-Gen Jimny Arrived At The Ideal Time

• Emissions Regulations Made Short Work Of The Jimny In Europe
  • The Jimny Lived On In Europe As A Commercial Vehicle, But Even This Has Been Outlawed

• The Jimny's Lightweight Nature Is One Of Its Key USPs

• The Jimny Isn't Just Extremely Light

With governments around the world determined to try and slow down the effects of climate change as quickly as possible, as well as keep the air we breathe as clean and non-toxic as can be, vehicles with less efficient engines are being clamped down on progressively more aggressively. To achieve this, governments have been developing stricter regulations that cars need to adhere to, otherwise they'll be ineligible to be sold to the public, or at the very least made prohibitively expensive for manufacturers to do so.

One of the most rugged and effective little off-roaders in the world has fallen victim to these tightening rules, bringing an end to an iconic nameplate once again, at least in some markets.

This piece explores the story of the Suzuki Jimny, and why the final nail in the coffin has been hammered to ensure its production run will end. All data used was sourced from reputable providers.

The Legendary Suzuki Jimny Will Soon Be No More In Europe

The vehicle in question is the Suzuki Jimny, which is one of the most effective and recognizable small off-roaders to grace the sector. The model was first introduced back in 1970 as essentially a miniature version of the Toyota Land Cruiser , with Suzuki spotting a handy little gap in the market for such a creation. It was ideal for getting into smaller and tighter areas that required a hardcore off-roader to reach, with its lightweight frame and intelligent design ensuring it could give the big boys a run for their money off the beaten trail, despite lacking outright grunt.

A second-generation version was released in 1981, before the third and fourth-generation vehicles landed in 1998 and 2018, respectively. The Jimny became ever more usable on normal roads as the model developed through the years, but Suzuki made sure all the while to preserve its formidable off-road capability.

The Fourth-Gen Jimny Arrived At The Ideal Time

The fourth-gen car caught eyes across the industry, mainly due to its retro styling , which became a running trend in the off-road class over the coming years, thanks to the likes of the resurrected Ford Bronco that arrived in 2021. The Jimny also received critical acclaim due to its impressive off-road performance when combined with how affordable it was, the model costing the equivalent of only $25,000 in the UK. It was never offered in the US due to Suzuki pulling out of the market in 2012, though the standard equivalent would ultimately be short-lived in Europe anyway.

Emissions Regulations Made Short Work Of The Jimny In Europe

Despite the fourth-gen Jimny being well-received upon release in 2018, it would soon find that dodgy off-road trails weren't the only challenges it would have to face. In Europe, one of Suzuki's biggest markets, the brand had to adhere to a rule that stated that a manufacturer's entire vehicle line-up had to average a C02 emissions reading of 95g/km, and the Jimny made this impossible for Suzuki. On its own, the off-roader emitted 154 g/km due to its 1.5-liter four-pot powerplant.

As a result, the passenger version of the Jimny was discontinued from Europe in 2020, though it continued to be sold in markets with less stringent emissions regulations, such as Japan, Indonesia, and South Africa.

The Jimny Lived On In Europe As A Commercial Vehicle, But Even This Has Been Outlawed

To get around this rule in Europe, Suzuki developed a version of the Jimny called the LCV, which could be sold under commercial rules, which weren't subjected to the same emissions laws as conventional passenger cars. To homologate the Jimny LCV, the rear seats were removed, while the trunk area was segregated from the passenger compartment by a partition panel, essentially making it a van. The Jimny LCV took over from the normal model in 2021, though it has been killed off as European emissions rules have tightened even further, forcing Suzuki to take action.

As of June 2025, the Jimny LCV has already been discontinued in most European markets, with it only remaining on sale in France. It will be phased out of the nation, and thus the entirety of Europe, by the end of the year, though, with a special final 55th Anniversary Edition model being launched to celebrate its life. Suzuki is moving towards an electric future to comply with future emissions regulations, though it's yet to be seen whether the Jimny will be resurrected as an EV. Company president Toshiro Suzuki appeared to pour water on this theory in 2024 at the launch of the brand eVitara, with the Japanese remarking that making an EV Jimny would "ruin the best part of the Jimny", as in being lightweight.

The Jimny's Lightweight Nature Is One Of Its Key USPs

This view is understandable, as the Jimny's lightweight construction is key to its appeal. It tips the scales at less than 2,500 pounds, which makes it great off-road as the lack of mass prevents it from getting bogged down in pesky mud or sandy terrain, which bigger and heavier off-roaders may fall victim to. The Jimny's cute but rugged styling is also not done to make it stand out from the crowd either, as each piece of the vehicle is designed to make it more effective when traversing dodgy roads.

Suzuki also worked hard to keep everything about the Jimny simple, which includes its no-thrills cabin, which only includes the most basic equipment needed to make it a viable road car in 2025. This not only helps keep the Jimny light, but also dependable and affordable to maintain, as well as purchase in the first place.

The Jimny Isn't Just Extremely Light

The Jimny's talents stretch beyond being as light as a feather, as it comes with a range of useful engineering tricks to ensure it bosses whatever terrain is thrown at it. For starters, it gets part-time four-wheel-drive and a low-range mode to help boost torque when needed, as well as little extras like Hill Descent Control. It also comes with a beefy Ladder Frame chassis , which works alongside a pair of full-width rigid axles, which push the unloaded wheels into the ground to improve traction should the car be navigating a steep hole or crevasse.

The Jimny's body is also designed to reduce the risk of grounding out, with the wheels placed towards the front of the body to prevent the nose scraping along an obstacle. As a result of this, the vehicle boasts an impressive approach angle of 37 degrees, while its heightened riding position means it also has an impressive 8.2 inches of ground clearance. It's also equipped with ample underside protection to make sure you don't cause any major damage if you get a little too carried away attacking large obstacles. All this means it performs excellently off-road, as The News Pulse found out when it tested the Jimny in South Africa in 2019, despite only producing 101 hp from the little inline-four engine.

While it can still be purchased in other markets around the world, the news of the Jimny's European journey coming to an end is a sign that cars like these are not long for this world. It means even more off-road aficionados will miss out on the little Suzuki. Shame.

Sources: Suzuki .