- The Suzuki Jimny has been added to the Australia’s Police Crime Prevention Unit fleet.
- Authorities hope the 4×4’s approachable design will promote community engagement.
- All Jimnys are powered by a 1.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder and a 4-speed auto.
Police vehicles are often powerful and fast, making them ideal for chasing down and transporting criminals. However, a police force in Australia just added one of the least powerful off-roaders on the market to its fleet: a Suzuki Jimny.
Referred to affectionately as “Sergeant Jim,” this tiny off-roader will be put to work by the Macquarie Police Crime Prevention Unit in New South Wales.
Read: The Suzuki Jimny’s Final Chapter In Europe Is Its Best Yet
While the Jimny is an excellent off-roader and capable of keeping pace with much larger and more expensive 4x4s along off-road trails, it’s no match for the BMW 5-Series, Kia Stingers, and VW Passats that have become common in police fleets across Australia. Fortunately, Sgt. Jim won’t be used in the pursuit of criminals.
The four-door Jimny has been supplied directly by Suzuki Australia and will be used to “enhance and promote community engagement” with the NSW Police Force at schools and community events. Lake Macquarie is one of the largest regional centers in the state, roughly 150 km (93 miles) north of Sydney.
Local authorities think that the “approachable design” of the Jimny makes it the perfect vehicle to build trust in the community.
“Sergeant Jim’s livery will hopefully be a great conversation starter while on display and get more people, especially younger people, comfortable with approaching their local police,” local Superintendent Tracy Chapman (not the singer…) said. “The purchase of this vehicle comes at no cost to the community thanks to the generosity of Suzuki Australia in providing this vehicle for our community engagement activities.”
As for the specs, well, don’t expect much. Just like the two-door Jimny also sold in Australia, the four-door model is sold exclusively with a 1.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine. This pint-sized powertrain produces a measly 100 hp (75 kW) and 96 lb-ft (130 Nm) of torque and is coupled to a four-speed automatic transmission.
