With prices of the 2021 Suzuki Jimny in Malaysia touching the RM 169k mark, needless to say, internet commenters went ablaze, stating that the Jimny is overpriced.

So the big question for everyone’s mind is – why is the Suzuki Jimny so expensive?

Also Read: RM 169k 2021 Suzuki Jimny is expensive? First 2 shipments sold out, more coming

The short and simple answer is that the Suzuki Jimny itself is an expensive little SUV to begin with, right from the factory.

Also Read: 45 pics on why the first two shipments of 2021 Suzuki Jimny is sold out - even at RM 169k

To illustrate this, we took the prices of several cars from Singapore’s Land Transport Agency (LTA) website, as it provides a transparent open market value (OMV). 

OMV is essentially the cost of the car when it arrives at the destination country’s port, inclusive of wholesale price, freight, insurance, and delivery charges, but minus local taxes. In other words, it is the duty-free price, almost.

The OMV of the top-spec A-segment Suzuki Jimny is SGD 23,443 (~RM 72,125), higher the C-segment Subaru Forester (SGD 20,071, or ~RM 61,768) and Mazda CX-30 (SGD 23,347 or ~RM 71,846).

Yes, the adorable Suzuki Jimny costs more than even the Mazda CX-30.

Another factor that is at play is import taxes slapped on by the Malaysian government. Being an imported model, the made-in-Japan (CBU) Suzuki Jimny is slapped with a 75-percent excise duty and 30-percent import duty, bumping the already-expensive price even higher up.

In theory, cars from Japan can be imported without the 30-percent import tax, but this is contingent on manufacturers submitting the necessary ‘Certificate of Origin’ documents, listing the origin of each part. However, seeing how the Jimny is a low-volume, high-demand model, we're unsure if Suzuki has agreed to go through the hassle of preparing the lengthy documents for a small market like Malaysia. 

To refresh, Naza Eastern Motor, the new Suzuki distributor in Malaysia, just launched the all-new 2021 Suzuki Jimny. The sole four-speed automatic-equipped variant is priced at RM 168,900. Its naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine is good for 102 PS and 130 Nm.

Naza was also keen to point out that more than 50 units of the Jimny have been booked so far, indicating that the model has struck a chord with buyers. 

Also Read: All-new 2021 Suzuki Jimny launched in Malaysia, priced at RM 169k