Turbo Kits for Suzuki Jimny (2018+)
With 100bhp on tap, the 2018+ Suzuki Jimny can feel a little sluggish at times, especially when loaded up with camping equipment and luggage!
Turbo kits are one of the topics we get asked about the most. We should stress that fitting a turbo kit to a current generation Suzuki Jimny is not a quick, easy or cheap process - there are many components and a lot of manual labour involved, and there are no shortcuts.
The ECU (electronic control unit) is the most critical aspect of the turbo installation, as this controls all of the main functions of the Jimny's engine performance. The standard Suzuki ECU can't be used in conjunction with a turbo kit as it is not capable of being modified to suit the demands of the turbo installation (such as increased fuel flow, altered ignition timing etc.). As a result of this, an aftermarket ECU needs to be installed and then "mapped" (i.e. tuned) to suit the new components.
The installation of an aftermarket ECU from the likes of AEM, Link or Syvecs is a costly and time consuming process. Not only are the ECUs themselves expensive, they also need to be plumbed into your Jimny's wiring loom, preserving all of the every day features that the Suzuki ECU has to deal with. The final process is "mapping", whereby the Jimny would be driven onto a rolling road (often referred to as a "dyno") whereby an engineer can create a "map" for the ECU. Peak horsepower and performance is only a small part of the puzzle; the engineer also has to tune the ECU to handle engine starting in all manner of hot or cold temperature conditions, emergency shut down procedures (i.e. low oil pressure) and many other mundane features that we often overlook when driving modern vehicles all year round in an array of circumstances.
As you can see, simply buying and installing a turbo kit and associated hardware (intercooler, oil cooler, oil sump etc.) is only half of the process. Pulling everything together and getting it to work harmoniously is a very complex task, which is why turn-key turbo installations for the Suzuki Jimny from the likes of Twisted Automotive appear to be, on the surface, quite expensive. However, given the amount of components and hours of labour required to install them (not to mention the expertise to do so), it soon becomes clear as to why the costs are quite high.
If you do think that you are able to take care of the ECU installation and subsequent tuning, then we recommend taking a look at the GReddy Bolt-On Turbo Kit for Suzuki Jimny (2018+). We recommend considering the various GReddy optional extras when ordering (such as the Oil Sump/Oil Pan) as these aid with the installation process.
It's worth noting that Japanese-brand turbo kits (such as GReddy) are designed for RHD (right-hand drive, steering wheel on the right) models only. This is because the steering column on LHD (left-hand drive) models is located where the turbo manifold would ideally be located within the engine bay. If you have an LHD Jimny, please consider a LHD-specific turbo kit, most likely developed in a country or region that typically drives LHD vehicles.
