After backlash, Maruti Suzuki shifts Jimny's media drives from Ladakh to Dehradun

Maruti Suzuki has shifted the media test drives of its latest SUV Jimny from Ladakh to Dehradun after receiving backlash for shooting a TV commercial for the off-roader SUV in a lake in the Union Territory.

Mint’s national editor shared the news on Twitter calling it a 'wise' decision.

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The issue was first flagged by the Member of Parliament of the Union Territory, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, on Twitter. Namgyal had shared a clip of the shooting of the SUV’s commercial and tweeted, “I condemn @Maruti_Corp's irresponsible advertisement act. The fragile ecosystem should not be destroyed for the sake of commercial gain.”

In the same tweet, he also urged the administration to take legal action on the shooting of the commercial.

The tweet triggered a flood of reactions on social media with Twitter users criticising not just the carmaker’s move to shoot the advertisement in the lake but also the authorities for allowing this to happen.

Maruti Suzuki launched its SUV Jimny for the first time in the country in January, at the Auto Expo 2023. The car adds to its SUV portfolio, in a bid to increase its market share in the booming segment and rival competitors such as Mahindra's Thar.

Read | Maruti launches 5-door Jimny to rival Mahindra’s Thar

The five-door model will have an all-wheel drive equipped with a ladder frame chassis for off-roading purposes and a 1.5-litre K15B petrol engine.

The SUV is expected to roll out in May.

Suzuki Motor Corporation, Maruti’s Japanese parent firm, first made Jimny 50 years ago and has sold about 32 lakh units in 199 countries and regions, so far. But, the model announced for the world's third-largest auto market will come with a 5-door feature, first time in the world.