Suzuki has confirmed that its iM-4 mini crossover, shown at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, will enter production. It will reportedly go on sale by 2018.
The concept for the Suzuki iM-4 made its public debut appearance back in March in Geneva, and it showed off a compact, boxy and overall quirky design. There has been speculation that the iM-4 will replace the Suzuki Jimny. However, the mini-SUV is instead expected to remain in production for at least a few more years before being replaced by a different new model.
When it launches, the iM-4 will be an all-new addition to Suzuki’s range, rather than replacing any existing model. Because of its size, it is expected to slot in just above the Celerio city car but below the SX4 S-Cross and even the Vitara crossover, the latter of which launched in Britain last month.
In terms of its competitors, the most comparable rivals to the Suzuki iM-4 are likely to be the Fiat Panda 4x4 and Fiat Panda Cross, both small cars with off-road driving ability.
Engines that could feature in the production version of the iM-4 include the 93bhp 1.2-litre Dualjet petrol unit already available for the Swift. A smaller 67bhp 1.0-litre Dualjet, which is set to arrive for the Celerio later this year, could also arrive for the production-ready iM-4.
