The Suzuki Jimny has run through four generations since 1970, evolving from a tiny Japanese kei off-roader into the cult “giant-killer” 4x4 South Africans queue months to buy. The badge reached SA first as the second-generation SJ410 around 1983, then as the Samurai around 1990, before the Jimny name arrived properly with the third-generation 1.3 and today’s fourth-generation JB74 and five-door JC74. Through every one of those generations the recipe has stayed remarkably consistent: a separate ladder-frame chassis, part-time four-wheel drive and a low-range transfer case in a deliberately small, light package. This guide traces the full lineage with the South African milestones that matter, so you can place any Jimny you are looking at in its proper era.
If you are shopping rather than just reading, you can check current values with our Jimny valuation tool or see live market data as listings come in.
First generation: the LJ (1970–1981)
The Jimny line begins in 1970 with the LJ10, a feather-light kei-class 4x4 powered by a 359cc two-stroke engine. Over the decade it grew through the LJ20, LJ50 and LJ80, eventually picking up a 797cc F8A four-stroke engine. These were never sold officially in South Africa, but they established the formula the model has kept for more than fifty years: small, simple, body-on-frame and genuinely capable off-road thanks to low range and short overhangs. The LJ is where the Jimny’s reputation for going places far bigger 4x4s cannot was born.
Second generation: SJ410, SJ413 and the Samurai (1981–1998)
The second generation arrived in 1981 and is the first Jimny most South Africans ever saw. The SJ410 used a 1.0-litre F10A engine and reached SA around 1983. It was joined by the larger-engined SJ413, running a 1.3-litre G13 motor, which arrived locally around 1990 badged as the “Samurai” — a name that stuck so firmly that many South Africans still call early Jimnys Samurais today.
This generation cemented the model’s underdog status. Light, narrow and unstoppable on a farm track or dune, the Samurai became a budget overlanding and 4x4-club favourite. It was only ever sold here in limited numbers, which is part of why clean, original examples now have genuine collector appeal.
Third generation: the JB43 “Jimny Wide” (1998–2018)
In 1998 Suzuki launched the third generation and, for the first time, the model wore the Jimny name in SA. The export version sold here was the JB43, nicknamed the “Jimny Wide” because it was broader than the kei-spec JB23 sold in Japan. It used a 1.3-litre M13A engine producing roughly 63 kW and 110 Nm, paired with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic, and kept the part-time 4x4 system and low range.
This is the generation that made the Jimny a mainstream SA buy. Suzuki Auto South Africa opened its dealerships in February 2008 and brought the Jimny to the official local range in September 2008, running it through to 2018 (some press references the model’s import-era SA “debut” back around 1997–1998). The 1.3 ran for two decades with minimal change, which makes it one of the easiest used 4x4s to understand and maintain. Today these turn up used at roughly R120,000 to R250,000, framed as asking prices aggregated daily as listings come in — not transaction prices. Our Jimny 1.3 model guide covers this generation in detail.
Fourth generation: JB74 and the 5-door JC74 (2018–present)
The current Jimny is the one that turned the model into a phenomenon. The three-door JB74W launched in South Africa on 2 November 2018 and was an instant sensation, with waitlists forming almost immediately. It moved to a 1.5-litre K15B naturally aspirated petrol engine (75 kW / 130 Nm), gained the AllGrip Pro part-time 4x4 system with low range, and adopted the boxy retro styling that drove its popularity.
Two key developments followed. The GL trim was added around April 2022, slotting below the GLX, and in early November 2023 Suzuki launched the five-door JC74W — a longer-wheelbase, India-built version with a far bigger boot and a back seat adults can actually use. (Note the five-door’s code is JC74W, not JB74W.) Used fourth-generation cars currently ask roughly R250,000 to R460,000-plus, again as aggregated asking prices updated daily, not transaction values. For the buying decision most people face today, see our 3-door vs 5-door guide and our main Jimny model guide.
Generation table
| Generation | Years | Codes | Engine | SA status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (LJ) | 1970–1981 | LJ10 / LJ20 / LJ50 / LJ80 | 359cc 2-stroke → 797cc F8A | Not sold officially in SA |
| 2nd (SJ / Samurai) | 1981–1998 | SJ410, SJ413 | 1.0 F10A / 1.3 G13 | SJ410 arrived ~1983; SJ413 “Samurai” ~1990 |
| 3rd (“Jimny Wide”) | 1998–2018 | JB43 (1.3 export) | 1.3 M13A, ~63 kW / 110 Nm | First Jimny sold new in SA; official Suzuki Auto run ~2008–2018 |
| 4th (3-door) | 2018–present | JB74W | 1.5 K15B, 75 kW / 130 Nm | Launched SA 2 Nov 2018; GL added ~Apr 2022 |
| 4th (5-door) | 2023–present | JC74W | 1.5 K15B, 75 kW / 130 Nm | Launched SA early Nov 2023; India-built, longer wheelbase |
The giant-killer reputation and SA milestones
What ties all four generations together is the Jimny’s status as a giant-killer — a small, cheap 4x4 that embarrasses vehicles several times its price on a technical trail. That reputation is built on the unchanged fundamentals: ladder frame, low range, light weight and short overhangs.
The fourth generation turned that respect into silverware. It was named 2019 World Urban Car and took the Lifestyle Utility category at the 2019 South African Car of the Year awards. Off the spec sheet, the SA Jimny community is one of the strongest of any model in the country — the 2025 Jimny Gathering set a Guinness World Record with 1,127 vehicles in one place. Combined with chronic supply shortages and long waitlists, that demand is exactly why used Jimny prices stay unusually firm.
The bottom line
The Suzuki Jimny is a four-generation lineage that started with the 1970 LJ and runs through to today’s JB74 and five-door JC74, reaching South Africa as the SJ410 (~1983) and Samurai (~1990) before becoming an official local fixture from 2008. Every era kept the same ladder-frame, low-range 4x4 formula, which is why a 1990s Samurai and a 2026 Jimny share the same giant-killer DNA. If you are weighing up which generation to buy, start with our Jimny valuation tool and browse the latest listings — and remember any prices quoted here are asking prices aggregated daily, not final transaction figures.
Generation photos via Wikimedia Commons: LJ10 by Tennen-Gas (CC BY-SA 3.0); SJ410 by Charlie (CC BY 2.0); JB43 by RL GNZLZ (CC BY-SA 2.0); JB74 by Vauxford (CC BY-SA 4.0); JC74 5-door by Ethan Llamas (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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