Suzuki Jimny vs Ford Ranger Raptor vs Jeep Wrangler Rubicon- Off-roading Challenge [Video]

The lovable Suzuki Jimny has turned 50 this year. For a true auto enthusiast, the Suzuki Jimny is a motoring icon that hardly needs any introduction of sorts. The lovable little off-roader has earned itself a strong reputation internationally and has become one of the most-awaited cars in India. While the launch prospects of Jimny in India look uncertain at the moment, we want you to have a look at this video that shows how capable is the Jimny is off the road-

This is a video where you can see the humble Suzuki Jimny perform in the toughest terrains. The mini-SUV is seen in the company of some badass off-roaders like theFord Raptor and Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. You might or might not know that in the international markets, the Ford Raptor and Jeep Wrangler Rubicon are two of the most accomplished off-roaders. 

They are literally the hard-core offroaders that can give you loads of thrills. On paper, all three cars sound very similar, especially for the Suzuki and Jeep. The key difference between the three is that the Jimny gets differentials that don’t lock and uses street tyres with little traction. When standing side by side with the two biggies, the Jimny looks rather humble. However, on the real-world terrains, we find out it’s no ordinary car at all.

For starters, let’s take a look at the engine specifications of three off-roaders. The Suzuki Jimny gets a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder NA petrol engine making 100 HP at 6,000 rpm and 130 Nm at 4,000 rpm, mated to a 4-speed AT and a dual-range four-wheel-drive transfer case.Meanwhile, the Wrangler Rubicon comes with a 2.2-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel mill good for 147 HP at 3,500 rpm and 450 Nm at 2,000 rpm, a dual-range transfer case and an 8-speed AT.

Ford Raptor, the biggest vehicle of the lot by far, has a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder bi-turbo diesel motor tuned to produce 210 HP/ 500 Nm of peak torque, while a 10-speed auto to take over the transmission duty. A dual-range transfer case alongside a six-mode Terrain Management system are also on offer.

These beastly vehicles indulge in series of off-road actions like high-speed driving on sand, water wading and hill climbing. At first, you can see all of the monstrous machines can manage the sand driving without difficulty, thanks to the electronics to maintain the vehicle’s stability and traction. The Suzuki Jimny turns out to be fun-to-drive on the sand but among the three, the Ford Raptor seems to be the most suitable one.

The game seems unchanged at the water wading test where we find the small Jimny get the lowest water depth of 300 mm, followed by the Jeep Wrangler with 762 mm and the Raptor leading the pack with a water wading capacity of 800 mm. Notably, the Jeep Wrangler gets the rock-crawling mode that helps it effectively maintains the traction while delivering a decent amount of torque.

Lastly, the muddy hill driving is the most difficult test here. While all cars pass it, the Suzuki had to work really hard to make it down the trails. The Ford Raptor and Wrangler got through it with ease. Even on climbing up the hill, the Raptor and Wrangler look totally relaxed. Eventually, it’s again the Ford Ranger Raptor to take the lead, followed by the Wrangler Rubicon and Suzuki Jimny, respectively. While the Jimny isn't a great match for these thoroughbred off-roaders, do note that the price of Suzuki Jimny is about one-third of what the other vehicles command.