New Suzuki Jimny leaked

Undisguised at last, here's the mini G-Wagen for people who actually go off road

As the world succumbed to the apparently irresistible charms of the SUV, so the little Suzuki Jimny continued to tread its own path. Simple yet mightily effective and diminutive yet capable, it has captured the heart of many an off-roadist over the years.

It's pleasing, then, to see these first undisguised pics of the next Jimny appearing to show a similarly back-to-basics 4x4. This fourth generation retains the boxy, functional aesthetic of the third-gen car, albeit here slightly larger and with updated styling. Autocar is suggesting that Suzuki is keen to retain and prioritise the Jimny's off-road prowess, which should come as no surprise, and explains the short overhangs, bluff edges and generous ride height. That's a theme that appears to continue inside (in the one grainy pic currently seen), with chunky, durable controls and a simple design.

The Jimny is likely to be powered by the new range of Suzuki Boosterjet engines, which should bring drastic improvements in power, torque and efficiency over the old 1.3. Beyond that very few mechanical details are known.

While these leaked pics from a Facebook fan page show a car that looks very close to production, the Jimny Mk4 is not expected over here until early 2019. With more modern technology, it's predicted to surpass the old car's sales of around 1,200 a year in the UK. Quite what else the first Jimny update in more than 20 years will bring isn't quite clear just yet, though we'll be sure to update you on the latest developments as 2019 approaches.

Finally, should you want one of the last available examples of the current generation, this white SZ4 has delivery miles and is for sale at £15k. If you need a genuinely rugged and reliable off-roader, there remains little better...