Suzuki to finally build pickup truck version of the Jimny?

We've already seen pickup truck conversions of the popular Suzuki Jimny for several years now. Just before the pandemic hit four years ago, Suzuki revealed the Jimny Sierra pickup concept which not only gave enthusiasts plenty of ideas to modify their 4x4, but it also showed the potential of the vehicle as a proper utility vehicle off-road.

It was then followed by a single-cab pickup truck conversion released for the New Zealand market. It's not as stylish or as eye-catching as the Jimny Sierra concept but the transformation done by a New Zealand dealership comes with a warranty and looks as if it was factory-made. This means there is a market for a pickup truck version of the Jimny but Suzuki has yet to officially make one.

That doesn't mean, however, that the company hasn't considered making it a reality. You read right, the automaker is supposedly looking to make a pickup variant of the popular 4x4. According to a report by Australian publication CarSales, the rumored Jimny pickup will reportedly be set for a global release should Suzuki greenlight the project.

When the publication asked Suzuki Australia's General Manager for cars Michael Pachota regarding the possibility of a Jimny pickup, the executive said that the project is not dead.

“Anything that starts with Jimmy ends in sales. The project, I would say, is not dead. Imagine a Jimny with two seats at the front and nothing at the back?,” shared Pachota.

So what is keeping Suzuki from making the pickup truck version of the Jimny a reality? Well, for starters the automaker is looking to introduce more eco-friendly models powered by electrified powertrains. Suzuki has already confirmed that there will be an EV version of the Jimny in the not-so-distant future but a hybrid variant is apparently also in the works.

For now, there are no official details yet regarding the hybrid Suzuki Jimny. If anything, the electrified 4x4 could get a mild-hybrid system like its stablemates or it could use Toyota-derived hybrid technology to make the Jimny emit fewer carbon emissions. After all, Suzuki is already using Toyota's hybrid powertrain in the all-new Grand Vitara which is in itself derived from the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder.

With Suzuki looking to build not just a hybrid version of the Jimny but also a pickup truck, will these make sense in the long run? And could we expect Suzuki Philippines to bring either of the two in the future should they be greenlighted? Let us know what you think in the comments.