Maruti Suzuki Jimny came to India with a lot of expectations. In fact, India became the first market to receive the 5-door version of the SUV and pre-launch bookings reached more than 31,000 bookings according to Maruti Suzuki official figures. Jimny started selling in India for Rs 12.74 lakh from June 2023 but it simply unable to beat the tried and tested Mahindra Thar.
In the month of December 2023, Maruti Suzuki dispatched 730 units of Jimny whereas Mahindra dispatched as many as 5,793 units of Thar. In fact, a graphical presentation by T-BHP shows how the dispatch of Maruti Suzuki peaked at 3,778 units in July, one month after the launch and since then it has been on a decline. In the month of December, Maruti Suzuki dispatched 730 units.
Now, these numbers are dispatch numbers not the actual sales figures of the Jimny. Interestingly, Maruti Suzuki offered Rs 2 lakh discount on the top-end variant of the Jimny. Recently, Maruti Suzuki has clarified that the discounts were to clear the dealer stock and get rid of the 2023 units.
With the dealer stockyard piling a high number of Jimny, Maruti Suzuki dispatched only 730 units last month. Now the brand has removed the discount from the SUV. Looking at the previous figures, Maruti Suzuki Jimny is likely to become a niche product just like the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy with the monthly sales settling somewhere around 500-700 units per month.
Maruti Suzuki is likely to export vehicles to the international markets to make the assembly line more productive and efficient. The 5-door Jimny’s export started in October 2023 and it will sell in Latin America, Africa and Middle East.
How Mahindra is selling more?
There are some reasons why the Mahindra Thar is outselling the Maruti Suzuki Jimny. Firstly, the Thar offers both petrol and diesel engine options, while the Jimny is only available with a petrol engine. Additionally, the Thar can be purchased with either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, whereas the Jimny comes standard with four-wheel drive. The rear-wheel drive option for the Thar also allows for a lower starting price compared to the Jimny.
The base variant of the Maruti Suzuki Jimny gets a price tag of Rs 12.74 lakh without discounts. The top-end variant costs Rs 15.05 lakh. The Mahindra Thar’s 2WD variant starts at Rs 10.55 lakh while the 4X4 version starts at Rs 13.87 lakh. The top-end version of the Thar 4X4 diesel-automatic costs Rs 16.78 lakh.
In terms of engine power, the Jimny comes with a 1.5-litre petrol engine that produces 105 PS and 134 Nm of torque. The Thar, on the other hand, offers a more powerful 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that generates 150 PS and 320 Nm of torque. The Thar also offers the choice of a 6-speed automatic or manual transmission, while the Jimny is available with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.
Overall, the Mahindra Thar’s wider range of engine options and drivetrain configurations, along with its more powerful engine, make it a popular choice for buyers looking for a versatile and capable off-road vehicle.
