Suzuki Jimny 5-Door vs Gwm P Series

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
Gwm P Series in South Africa

Gwm P Series

2.0T Double Cab LX 4x4 Diesel Automatic
ZAR 599,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 110 kW 🔧 480 Nm ⛽ 9.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance P Series
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Tie
📦 Practicality Jimny 5-Door
🔑 Ownership Tie
Jimny 5-Door starts ZAR 444900 cheaper Jimny 5-Door from ZAR 439,900 · P Series from ZAR 444,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec Jimny 5-Door P Series
Engine Power 75 110
Torque 130 480
Engine Size 1462 1996
Claimed Mileage 15.9 9.8
Ground Clearance 210 210
Boot Space 85 -
Airbags 6 6
Kerb Weight 1170 1985
Seating Capacity 5 5
Warranty 5 5

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

P Series

60
/ 100
+7
pts
#2

Jimny 5-Door

53
/ 100

Very close match. Final decision depends on buyer preference.

The Bottom Line

Both Jimny 5-Door and P Series are extremely closely matched, making the final choice dependent on buyer preference.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance P Series +8 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Equal
Practicality Jimny 5-Door +1 pts
Ownership Equal

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

P Series

Performance 14/20
Efficiency 0/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 8/20
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
  • More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Family Usage
🏆 Overall Winner

P Series

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to: Highway Driving

Which One's Right for You?

Jimny 5-Door

  • Large families needing more practicality and usability

P Series

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Jimny 5-Door P Series
Engine 1.5L K15B 4-Cylinder Petrol 2.0L GW4D20 Turbocharged Diesel
Engine Type Inline 4 Cylinder Naturally Aspirated Inline 4 Cylinder Turbocharged Diesel
Engine Code K15B GW4D20
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Naturally Aspirated Turbocharged
Displacement 1462 1996
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 16
Cylinder Bore 74.0 84
Piston Stroke 85.1 90
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 16.5:1
Engine Position Longitudinal Front-Mounted Front Longitudinal
Variable Valve Timing VVT on Intake Camshaft No
Fuel System Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI) Common Rail Direct Injection
Turbocharger Not Applicable Yes
Power 75 110
Power @ RPM 6,000 rpm 3,400-3,600 rpm
Power 100 148
Torque 130 480
Torque @ RPM 4,000 rpm 1,600-2,600 rpm
Maximum Engine RPM 6800 4,000
Engine Oil Capacity 3.7 8.0
Fuel Grade Required 93 RON Unleaded Petrol Diesel
Top Speed 140 175
0-100 km/h 15.5 110
Engine Type Config Available Inline 4 Cylinder (I4) DOHC 16-Valve Turbocharged
0–100 km/h Available 13.2
Battery Capacity Available -
Charging Port Available -
AC Charging Time Available -
Engine Displacement Available 1996
EV Range Available -
Spec Jimny 5-Door P Series
Transmission 4-Speed Torque Converter Automatic 8-Speed Automatic
Transmission Type Automatic Automatic
Number of Gears 4 8
Drive Type 4WD — AllGrip PRO Part-Time 4WD
Drivetrain Layout Rear Wheel Drive (2WD) / 4WD with Low-Range Front Engine Rear Wheel Drive
Final Drive Ratio 4.090:1 3.54
Steering Turns Lock to Lock 3.8 16.5:1
Clutch Type Torque Converter -
LSD Available Not Available No
Differential Lock Not Available Yes
Transfer Case Two-Speed Transfer Case (Hi / Lo Range) Yes
Paddle Shifters Not Available No
Drivetrain Available 4x4 AWD
Transmission Available Automatic

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Gwm P Series wins with 60 pts vs 53 pts for Jimny 5-Door

In structured scoring, P Series 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 P Series 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 P Series 0. 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, P Series 18. 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, P Series 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, P Series 8. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Jimny 5-Door 6, P Series 14. 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 P Series edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The P Series 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 P Series in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Jimny 5-Door scores 6 vs 14.

Efficiency: Jimny 5-Door scores 0 vs 0.

Safety: Jimny 5-Door scores 18 vs 18.

Practicality: Jimny 5-Door scores 9 vs 8.

Ownership: Jimny 5-Door scores 20 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives P Series the advantage in this comparison.