Suzuki Jimny 5-Door vs Nissan Navara

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Suzuki Jimny 5-Door in South Africa

Suzuki Jimny 5-Door

1.5 GLX AllGrip AT Petrol Automatic
ZAR 489,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 75 kW 🔧 130 Nm ⛽ 15.9 km/l
VS
Nissan Navara in South Africa

Nissan Navara

2.5 Pro-4X Automatic Diesel Automatic
ZAR 690,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 140 kW 🔧 450 Nm ⛽ 12.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Navara
Fuel Economy Navara
🛡 Safety Navara
📦 Practicality Tie
🔑 Ownership Tie
Navara starts ZAR 439900 cheaper Jimny 5-Door from ZAR 439,900 · Navara from ZAR 433,500

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Jimny 5-Door Navara
Engine Power 75 140
Torque 130 450
Engine Size 1462 2488
Claimed Mileage 15.9 12.8
Ground Clearance 210 228
Boot Space 85 0
Airbags 6 7
Kerb Weight 1170 2050
Seating Capacity 5 Available
Warranty 5 6

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Navara

71
/ 100
+18
pts
#2

Jimny 5-Door

53
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

Navara holds a noticeable edge over Jimny 5-Door, especially in key ownership areas.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Navara +9 pts
Efficiency Navara +7 pts
Safety Navara +2 pts
Practicality Equal
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Navara

Performance 15/20
Efficiency 7/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 20/20

Jimny 5-Door

Performance 6/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 20/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Jimny 5-Door

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Less comprehensive safety features
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Navara

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger safety package
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Fuel Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

Jimny 5-Door

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Navara

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Jimny 5-Door Navara
Engine 1.5L K15B 4-Cylinder Petrol 2.5L Turbo Diesel
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated Inline 4 Turbocharged
Engine Code K15B Standard
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Naturally Aspirated Turbocharged
Displacement 1462 2488
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Cylinder Bore 74.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 85.1 92.0
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 10.5:1
Engine Position Longitudinal Front-Mounted Available
Variable Valve Timing VVT on Intake Camshaft Available
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI) Common Rail Direct Injection
Turbocharger Not Applicable Available
Power 75 140
Power @ RPM 6,000 rpm 150
Power 100 150
Torque 130 450
Torque @ RPM 4,000 rpm 400
Maximum Engine RPM 6800 Available
Engine Oil Capacity 3.7 Available
Fuel Grade Required 93 RON Unleaded Petrol Petrol
Top Speed 140 180
0-100 km/h 15.5 10.5
Engine Type Config Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available
Spec Jimny 5-Door Navara
Transmission 4-Speed Torque Converter Automatic 7-Speed Automatic
Transmission Type Automatic Automatic
Number of Gears 4 6
Drive Type 4WD — AllGrip PRO Part-Time 4x4
Drivetrain Layout Rear Wheel Drive (2WD) / 4WD with Low-Range Selectable 4WD
Final Drive Ratio 4.090:1 Available
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 3.8 Available
Clutch Type Torque Converter Available
LSD Available Not Available Electronic
Differential Lock Not Available Electronic Lock
Transfer Case Two-Speed Transfer Case (Hi / Lo Range) Low Range 4WD
Paddle Shifters Not Available Available
Drivetrain Available Available
Transmission Available Automatic CVT

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Nissan Navara wins with 71 pts vs 53 pts for Jimny 5-Door

In structured scoring, Navara emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Jimny 5-Door may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Navara edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Jimny 5-Door 0 vs Navara 7. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Jimny 5-Door 18, Navara 20. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Jimny 5-Door 20, Navara 20. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Jimny 5-Door 9, Navara 9. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Jimny 5-Door 6, Navara 15. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Navara edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Navara scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Jimny 5-Door and Navara in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Jimny 5-Door scores 6 vs 15.

Efficiency: Jimny 5-Door scores 0 vs 7.

Safety: Jimny 5-Door scores 18 vs 20.

Practicality: Jimny 5-Door scores 9 vs 9.

Ownership: Jimny 5-Door scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Navara the advantage in this comparison.