This year, Maruti Suzuki launched its new compact SUV, the Fronx. However, the Fronx is a crossover version of the Baleno hatchback. Here is our review of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx 1.0L AT:
Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Exterior Details
The road presence of the new Maruti Suzuki Fronx is slightly smaller than the other sub-4 metre SUVs. But the Fronx gets a unique and sporty styling. Upfront, the Fronx gets an aggressive stance, split-type LED headlights, a wide grille, and a new bumper with a skid plate.
Meanwhile, the side profile of the Fronx gets a sloping roof which adds to its sporty design. Also, it gets squared wheel arches, a raised stance with higher ground clearance, and 16-inch alloy wheels.
The rear profile of the Fronx looks stunning and has an eye-catching design. The compact SUV gets unique LED taillights, a roof-mounted spoiler, and a bumper with a skid plate and reflectors. All of these elements result in a sporty and unique-looking compact SUV that stands apart from the crowd.
Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Interior and Features
Unlike the exterior, the interior of the Fronx is largely similar to the Baleno. However, the Fronx gets a different interior theme of black and maroon with titanium accents. The fit and finish quality levels are fairly good in this segment.
Meanwhile, the dashboard gets the flat bottom steering wheel which feels good to hold, an analog instrument cluster with MID showing various car info, and a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The infotainment system is sleek and smooth in response and supports various features like Apple Carplay, Android Auto, etc. However, the AC of the car offers great cooling performance.
Other features include Wireless Charging, Automatic Climate Control, Keyless Entry, Push Button Start/Stop, Rear AC Vents, etc. The seat offers good cushioning and feels comfortable. And the quality of paddle shifters is good and feels nice during operation.
Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Engine and Performance
Maruti Suzuki Fronx is available with 2 engine and 3 gearbox options. The lower variants get the 1.2L K-Series VVT petrol engine making 82hp and 113nm of output. This engine is available with 5-Speed Manual and AMT Gearbox.
However, the higher variants get the 1.0L K-Series turbocharged petrol engine. This engine makes 100ps of power and 147.6nm of torque. The carmaker offers the options of a 5-Speed Manual and 6-Speed Automatic Transmission with this engine.
In this review, we drove the 1.0L engine with 6-Speed Automatic Transmission. Talking about the engine performance, the 1.0L Boosterjet offers great performance across the rev band. It offers a linear and punchy acceleration. Meanwhile, the Torque Converter Gearbox offers smooth shifts and you hardly feel the gear shift on part throttle. But on the hard throttle, this car downshifts the gear for a strong acceleration response.
The claimed fuel efficiency of this variant is 20.01 kmpl. However, we managed to achieve 13-15 kmpl including the city and sub-urban driving circumstances.
Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Ride and Handling
Maruti Suzuki has tuned the suspension of the Fronx for urban and rural driving conditions. The suspension tuning feels balanced and offers good stiffness and comfort. At lower speeds, the suspension has stiffness and feels hard somehow. However, at higher speeds, the car offers good stability and feels pliant on the road.
Talking about the steering response, it offers a good feel and feedback for commuting purposes. On the lower speeds, the steering is light in its feel which makes it easy to drive in the city. The steering becomes quite hard and achieves artificial weight after gaining speed.
Maruti Suzuki Fronx: The Conclusion
The Maruti Suzuki Fronx offers the complete package as a sub-4 metre compact SUV. The Fronx has a good road presence, raised stance, sporty styling, and higher ground clearance. Inside, the Fronx is loaded with features, premium, and comfort.
With the new 1.0L turbo petrol and AT combination, it offers smooth drivability along with good mileage. Meanwhile, the suspension is tuned in a manner that it feels balanced and offers a good steering response.
If you are looking for a unique sub-4 metre compact SUV, which offers a class-apart design, higher ground clearance, loaded with features, and a powerful engine, then check out the new Maruti Suzuki Fronx.