Jimny AllGrip: how the 4×4 system actually works
The Jimny’s four-wheel-drive system is old-fashioned in a way that is entirely deliberate, and it is the main reason the car is more capable than its size suggests.
Part-time, not permanent
ALLGRIP PRO is a selectable system with three modes: 2H, 4H and 4L. In 2H the car is rear-wheel drive. In 4H, drive goes to all four wheels. In 4L, a low-range transfer case multiplies torque.
There is no centre differential. When four-wheel drive is engaged, front and rear axles are locked together mechanically.
Why that matters
A locked centre gives better traction than an open differential because it cannot send all the torque to whichever axle has least grip.
The trade-off is that you must not use 4H on dry tarmac. With the axles locked and no differential between them, the drivetrain has nowhere to absorb the difference in wheel speed through a corner. It winds up, and something eventually gives. Modern crossovers with permanent four-wheel drive have no such restriction — the Jimny does.
When to use each mode
- 2H — all normal road driving, including rain
- 4H — loose or slippery surfaces: mud, snow, wet grass, gravel
- 4L — steep descents, deep mud, rock, controlled low-speed work
2H to 4H can be done on the move at low speed. Selecting 4L requires stopping and putting the transmission in neutral.
The low range is the real trick
Low range multiplies torque by roughly double, which lets the car crawl at walking pace under full control. That is what allows a 100bhp small car to climb things that defeat far more powerful vehicles.
What it does not have
No locking differentials front or rear. Traction control brakes a spinning wheel to redirect torque, which works well but is not the same as a mechanical locker. On severe cross-axle terrain this is the Jimny’s limit — and a set of all-terrain tyres pushes that limit further than any electronic aid.
