Reading time: 6 min
1. Intro — Stock Jimny didn’t last long…
So, I bought a 2020 Suzuki Jimny — my charming little side project.
As much as I loved it as-is, it had…flaws.
Tiny Wheels that look like something that belongs on a Chevy Cruze.
Halogen Headlights that lit the road like a candle in a tunnel.
Fog lights that, when lit up, somehow increased the fog’s confidence.
Space? What space? 2 badly placed cup holders, that’s all you get, deal with it.
Thin steering wheel that reminds me of those bumper cars when I was a kid.
The back? PLASTIC. Throw 2 grocery bags and they will have a damn joyride. Eggs become omelets, wheat turns to flour, and eventually, if you drive long enough… Surprise! You baked a cake!
No armrest, because you don’t need that, of course. Comfort is for the weak.
Even the hood needs emotional support to keep it open; there is a twig that holds it open, somewhere in there, never found it.
Even the stereo was just so 1995, CDs? FM/AM? Really? And 2 speakers that whisper on the highway?
I just can’t have that, can I?
I had to DIY the living hell out of it,
And I freaking did.
2. Roof Rack — Because storage is optional in a Jimny…
The first thing I had to add was a roof rack, ask me why!
Because the damn Jimny has the cargo space of a shoebox. Once you open that rear door and you realize one thing:
“You can fit your soul in there, and maybe one watermelon if you chop it right.”
So if you decide to do groceries while having luggage for a weekend stored in there, you are pretty much out of luck.
You must always think about how you pack things…
Groceries? you do one week’s worth, not a month, so frugal weekly grocery shopping is key.
Weekend trip? Pack like you are going to prison.
Camping? Congratulations, you unlocked the secret game of the Jimny, Tetris.
That roof rack changed everything. Suddenly, things started to fit in the car.
Luggage? Goes on top. Furniture? Goes on top. Dreams? Goes on top.
It also gave this tougher, taller look to the Jimny. See? The Jimny can grow up.
Bonus? it became my default excuse for anything.
“Oh sorry I didn’t pick you up, mate. My roof rack was…full.”
No regrets there. An absolute must-have for any Jimny.
3. Awning Tent — Because Middle East Sun Doesn’t Play Games
Look, I currently live in the Middle East. Camping? You don’t just “Camp” here — You survive here.
The sun here isn’t like Europe — A light inside the fridge.
Here, the sun attacks, and slaps, and makes you regret decisions.
Shade is refuge of the living here, and the Jimny, God Bless it’s tiny boxy soul, offers exactly…None of that.
So yeah — had to bolt an awning tent.
Now, I just unzip and pull, Instant Shade!
The awning tent makes all the difference when it comes to anything between a quick coffee break in the desert, to a chill session by the sea.
Also, it is kind of a flex. That big Nissan Patrol, next to a big Ford Raptor F150, and the people just pull those little dinky chairs to sit on, while I park next to them, and pull my awning tent and it just feels like,
“Step aside, normies. I brought my comfort zone.”
It’s practical, badass, and just works. Best Middle Eastern thing I’ve ever picked during my life here.
4. Off-Road Tires — The Stock Ones Were Basically Flip-Flops
Let me simply say this: Jimny stock tires are a joke.
Those tires, you might find the same ones installed on a rental hatchback or a Corolla.
Nothing about those tires even says All-Season, mind you, 4×4 All Terrain…
Hey, they are tires though, they are…round, can go places, if the road is kind and doesn’t have potholes, glass, rocks, dust, water, sand, etc.
I just had to swipe those out, and I didn’t even break the bank doing it.
I didn’t go for those BFGoodrich Mud Terrain Nightmares or the ESH (Expensive As Hell) Yokohama Geolandars; I went with a much wiser choice.
There is this Indonesian company called Accelera, which makes BEASTLY All-Terrain off-road tires, and trust me, if those are good in Indonesia, where the majority of roads are unpaved, gravel, sand, and dirt roads, they will perform well here.
Those tires are chunky, grippy, and loud as hell, but they look the part, and definitely play the part, especially with some spacers.
And the difference? Immediate!
Suddenly, dunes became easy, Mud isn’t a problem, and even the curbs started respecting me a bit.
Visually, they are stunning, the Jimny stopped looking like a toy, and more like a proper Micro-overlander.
Downsides? A tad noisier than your usual sedan tires.
Even on-road, the car feels more stable and gives the car better handling.
Do you need off-road tires right away? Of course not. But if there are any plans to leave the paved roads and actually enjoy what the car is designed and made for? GET ‘EM ASAP!
5. Halogens to Projectors, Fog Lights to LEDs — Because Seeing The Road Shouldn’t be a Luxury
Let’s talk about road visibility at night, or in foggy conditions — something the Jimny doesn’t have much of.
The stock halogen headlights are cute. Turning those on at night will do one thing: make the switch sound “Tick”; that’s all.
It felt like when God said:
“Let there be light”
Genesis 1:3
I was out of town…
Driving at night with those felt dangerous; everything about the road you are driving on is a damn mystery.
So I took those out and swapped in a proper LED Projector Headlights.
Finally, I can see… it actually worked, shining bright like Gandalf the white!
Didn’t stop there, fog lights were next.
Changed those “Fog Enhancing Lights” to proper LEDs that can punch through the fog and make the car look badass doing it.
Driving at night isn’t gambling anymore.
Finally, some lights that don’t apologize for existing.
6. Final Thoughts — The box got Teeth
Modding the Jimny externally wasn’t about overkill.
I just wanted the box to bite and now:
- I have storage space.
- I have shade in the desert.
- I have traction.
- I have headlights, that can illuminate the road, and pierce through the fog.
And the best part?
The Jimny looks meaner, bigger, stronger.
A Mean Machine, with purpose.
Hey, wanna see what I did to the Jimny from the inside? Check this out: Jimny Mods That Made the Interior Suck Less.
So cool that there is a car you can change so much too and it makes such a difference!
The Suzuki Jimny is such a modular car, makes all the difference! Happy Modding 👍