I’m smitten with the JB74 Suzuki Jimny, a vehicle that despite its tiny size is absolutely huge on fun and 4WD capability.

Now into its fifth year, the three-door Jimny and Jimny Lite are joined by a five-door version and called Jimny XL. The XL as its name implies, adds some space with a lengthened wheelbase and a rearrangement of the deck chairs inside offering some greater cargo potential, and enhancing new-Jim’s appeal to a wider audience.

One thing I always turn my attention to when taking delivery of a new 4WD is the wheel and tyre package along with the suspension, because these three elements are usually underdone and that’s certainly the case with Jimny.

Changing the tyres makes a lot of sense when your want is to go 4WDing, and I do that a lot.

The stock OEM rubber seen on Jimny is just like every other vehicle maker’s tyres, passenger car designed and focused for the ninety-percent of drivers who don’t go bush. Apart from poor on-road manners, like vague steering, terminal understeer, sketchy braking and wet-weather confidence, you can expect an equally dull day off-road.

Apart from sand (and that’s being generous), a stock passenger car tyre underperforms in every other terrain you’ll want to try your hand at, with a lack of grip, poor tread evacuation and likely puncture-prone, things that will definitely challenge you when you’re in the sticks.

So, out they must go, along with the stock suspension, the best case replaced with coils and shocks offering a modest 2” lift (go too high in a Jimny and you’ll be spending a heap of money to correct instability issues) and an increase in carrying capacity, so you’ll no longer be troubling the bump-stops on that next speedhump.

The wheels too are a bone of contention, as stock items are almost always too narrow and designed by someone in a parallel universe with a curious idea on what looks right.

That’s where our good friends at CSA have come up with a solution in the form of their new Ridgeline for Jimny, a ripper wheel in a 15 x 7” size with zero offset that will bolt up on your Jimny’s hubs quicker than you can say “Jiminy Cricket!”

Ridgeline has been in the CSA 4WD range for a little while now and has carved out a reputation for being stylish and importantly very strong.

That strength comes not only from its muscular looks but it has a massive 1,300kgs load rating which means you’ll never, ever come near to its 5,200kgs (across four wheels) capacity with a Jimny even at GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) at 1,435kgs (3-door) or 1,545kgs (5-door).

The Ridgeline’s appearance matters to me because the 11-spoke design coupled to its chunky centre caps screams tough, when the stock wheel doesn’t. Extra detailing on the rim’s edge akin to a faux-bead-lock design just adds a bit more sparkle to an already great design. For the technically minded the wheel has a 5/139.7 PCD (that’s Pitch Circle diameter).

The satin black finish adds a great aesthetic to the wheel and I know from past experience with CSA alloys that it is durable and also easy to clean.

Another hidden fact you need to know is that I’ve had great success with CSA wheels in keeping the tyre on the rim when aired down and slogging away on a difficult trail.

Too many OEM wheels use too-small a locating rib in the wheel well. Lay the tyre over at a lower pressure with a change of direction and the lateral force pops the bead. My Jimny spends a lot of its time on the beach in the wilds of South Australia’s far-west coast and at my preferred meagre pressures, my Toyo’s hang on impressively.

If you want some individuality with your Jimny along with some impressively increased strength, Ridgeline from CSA will transform your JB74 from mild to wild!

CSA Ridgeline is available right now from your local tyre store!