Maruti Suzuki, India’s largest carmaker with over 40 percent market share, has been the industry leader for over 3 decades for a variety of reasons. However, one thing that works in favor of the Indo-Japanese brand is their understanding of the mass segment audience, the biggest car buyers in India. As per the sales data, half of the cars sold in India are in the sub Rs 10 lakh segment. Of these half, Maruti Suzuki accounts for a major share with a bouquet of affordable offerings. Joining them is the new Maruti Suzuki Fronx, an upgraded version of the popular Baleno premium hatchback.
While the Maruti Suzuki Fronx was first introduced in India at the Auto Expo in January 2023, the Indian automaker is now planning its launch. The Frons aims to reach out to younger buyers, who are looking to buy a car that is not a hatchback or an SUV, but offers the value and practicality of the latter. Ahead of the launch, we bring to you our exclusive and honest review of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx. read on…
Maruti Suzuki Frox: Video Review
Maruti Suzuki Fronx: What To Expect?
First things first, the Maruti Suzuki ‘Fronx’ name has been getting mixed reviews on social media, with some praising it for being peppy while others calling it too typical for a vehicle. But names aside, Frunks promises to tap three segments at once. While it is a Baleno-based crossover that targets a subcompact SUV audience, it will entice buyers from the hatchback as well as the compact SUV segment. Also, it is not a replacement for the S-Cross, but will be sold through NEXA dealerships.
Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Design
The biggest change in the Maruti Suzuki Fronx compared to the Baleno is the design as it is a hatchback on stilts with a car body kit, roof rails and skid plates. It also gets a new grille, stacked LED DRLs in cube shape, precision cut alloy wheels and connected LED rear combination lights which gives it a very sporty, yet SUV stance. For me, the rear angle of the Bronx works best and despite being the same size as the Baleno, the raised ground clearance and massive wheel arches give it a muscular touch.
Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Cabin & Features
Sitting inside the cabin of the Franks, you realize how far Maruti Suzuki has come in terms of cabin design. The heart of the Fronx is in the right place and it gets a dual tone dark treatment which gives the car a sporty vibe but takes away the roominess. But this also sets it apart from the Baleno. The use of wine colored upholstery gives the car a rich look, worthy of a Nexa dealership. There’s a free-standing 9-inch SmartPlay Pro+ infotainment system with the Arkamys sound system.
You also get Suzuki Connect with 40+ connected car features, wireless charger, HUD display, which is a segment first and 360 degree. In terms of practicality, the car has the same amount of space as the Baleno, which means it has ample legroom and headroom at the rear, and can seat 3 adults. The boot space is 308-litres which is quite deep. I did miss the sunroof and the digital instrument console, but that makes me greedy.
Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Engine & Performance
The Maruti Suzuki Fronx will get two engine options: a 1.2-litre NA petrol unit with manual and AMT gearbox options and a 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine with manual and automatic gearbox options. We had a good time in the turbo auto variant, and also drove the turbo manual for a while. The overall driving dynamics impressed me, as was the case with the Baleno. It is a very urban car with chunky D-cut steering to hold on to.
We also did some controlled off-roading and tight maneuvering in the fronts to understand the structural stability and found it to be quite capable. The only problem I see with the car is its mileage. Despite being a Baleno-derived crossover, the Fronx returns a mileage of 22.89 kmpl (AMT). Maruti itself is offering cars with 25 kmpl+ average and this might be a turn off for some buyers.
On the positive side though, the engine is super refined and powerful enough, especially the turbo unit that gets 100 PS and 147 Nm output. The 1.2-litre unit makes 90 PS and 113 Nm, which is good for a car of this size. Performance isn’t the best for a turbo motor, but it does the job well for urban dwellers.
Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Safety
In terms of safety, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx gets 6 airbags and is based on the Heartect platform. It also gets hill hold assist, electronic stability control among other things. If that doesn’t please Global NCAP, I’m not sure what will. Maruti says that they follow all the norms set by the Government of India and I don’t see anything wrong with it.
Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Should You Buy?
FRONX is another attempt by Maruti Suzuki to position itself as a premium vehicle manufacturer. In doing so, they have created a car that looks miles different from other Maruti cars, has a premium cabin and also makes me wonder how well Maruti Suzuki understands the driving sensibilities of the Indian buyer. should you buy one? Well, it all depends on the pricing, but prima facie, this crossover is good enough to at least draw you to the showroom.