The Suzuki Jimny’s micro-RV twists through tight space that other installations can’t

The Suzuki Jimny has long been an endangered endangered species: a very capable SUV, small and maneuverable enough to turn, squeeze and bypass obstacles that leave large vehicles trapped in place. But a tiny design that helps make Jimmy the excellent SUV also makes it an obscene base for campers. Shops and DIYers are usually happy to set up a rooftop tent and get on the day. Not surprisingly, however, there are a few Japanese campers who see more potential in a pint-sized Jimny cabin. Smile Factory has designed the most impressive Jimny camper we’ve seen, complete with a full bed, ancillary food and an indoor and outdoor design. He can sleep a couple of nomads or support a single adventurer on journeys through dense forests and the narrowest canyons.

Smile Factory took part in a Japanese camping show last week, and when its focus was on its latest minibus Off Time Traveler 3, it was another member of the Off Time family that caught our attention while viewing information about the company and its operations. The Jimny-based Off Time Crossroad isn’t exactly a full van with a kitchen, but it’s a step closer than the Jimnys bedroom we’ve seen in the past, with a folding bed the size of a cabin, an auxiliary power supply and a refrigerator. Vacationers can simply bring their own stove, outdoor furniture and other camping equipment to complete a full night of camping.

The Universal Off Time Crossroad Multilayer Bed can be installed in several ways, depending on when it will accommodate one or two people. Using a steel frame attached to the sides of the Jimny, it mounts the top folded seats at waist level. With all the pillows loaded, it creates a double mattress for two that stretches all the way to the steering wheel.

If the driver rides alone, he or she can either create an L-shaped upper bed around the driver’s vertical seat, or sleep on the lower single bed that lies in the folded passenger seat. The best option, however, may be to just enjoy this full double mattress for yourself.

Smile Factory

The width of the Off Time Crossroad mattress is comparable to other RV beds, starting at 50 inches (127 cm) at the foot and slightly tapering to 47 inches (120 cm) at the top closer to the dashboard. The length, however, is less generous. Because the driver of the double mattress has a steering wheel, it is only 61.4 inches (156 cm) in length, shorter than average height Japanese. The passenger side stretches 67 inches (170 cm), which is almost long enough for a Japanese man of medium height, but still firmly on the short side. Vacationers above these sizes will have to bend at the knees or otherwise bend to adjust – hopefully the next day they won’t do anything too physical because it can cause pain and cramps.

These length figures show exactly why you see more Jimny with tents on the roof than Jimny campers for sleeping. If you don’t push the bed onto the dashboard and up to the windshield, it’s just too short for comfort. A tent on the back door to extend the bed seems like a smart addition, but we think the mattress size will suit some buyers, and those looking for a larger bed can approach the Smile Factory microcamp with a longer bed. The Crossroad double bed really can withstand over 440 pounds (200 kg), so at least weight won’t be an issue.

Smile Factory

Another piece of the Off Time Crossroad puzzle is the compact power supply. Instead of a full pull-out kitchen in this 35-inch (90 cm) box, there is a 30-liter Engel refrigerator that connects to the 70-acre rechargeable battery. The right part of the box is set aside for electrical outlets, which allows campers to connect to both DC and AC power. The included 1500W inverter provides AC power to two 100V outlets, and 12V and USB ports connect directly to the battery. The box is neatly placed on the trunk door, under the bed, for easy access to the car, and is removed and installed on the outside on folding legs. It looks like it could serve as a comfortable table to accommodate a stove, possibly an induction hob that runs on batteries.

Smile Factory

Jimny has the same charmingly tiny 134 inches (340 cm) as Mishima Daihatsu Hijet quack we watched earlier in the week. While many global markets (unfortunately not the US) have access to only a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, the Jimny is available as a proper kei car in Japan with a 63-liter gas engine. s. 658 cc manual or four-speed automatic, and part-time 4WD low-range system.

Smile Factory doesn’t show prices for Off Time Crossroad, but given the simple modular nature of the package, we can’t imagine that the total cost of Jimny’s adventure setup is too far into orbit. The new Jimny costs from 1,485,000 yen (about $ 12,925), according to Japanese website Suzuki.

If you’re wondering how to bring camping on a Suzuki Jimny, this is it Suzuki quick clip shows how a mini-4×4 makes its way through a slippery narrow ravine, helping to illustrate. Such a dense set of walls would definitely close around some larger 4x4s, and if that’s the only way to camp, Jimmy’s team will be sipping fine whiskey into the campfire while the rest are still working to escape.

Source: Smile Factory (Japanese)