Auto Expo 2023 was Maruti Suzuki’s big showcase of the year and the nation’s largest carmaker took the opportunity to show off its SUV-focused future.
Taking its place alongside the EVX concept and the new 5-door Jimny was a new crossover SUV based on the Baleno. Dubbed the ‘Baleno Cross’ by the automotive fraternity, that had been setting tongues wagging and forcing auto pap shutter buttons on burst whenever it tried to sneak around under camo cover.
At Auto Expo 2023, the Baleno-based crossover took to the stage for the first time with its official Maruti Suzuki appointed name – Fronx (and yes we did roll our eyes and wonder what the person behind it was sniffing).
Maruti Suzuki recently came calling ahead of the all-new Fronx’s launch asking us if we wanted a turn behind the wheel of its brand-new ‘SUV’. We dutifully dropped tools and got into the driver’s seat of the all-new Fronx.
The question we wanted the answers to was if Maruti Suzuki had finally got the crossover SUV right or if we had another jack of all trades and master of none on our hands.
Here’s what we found out after a day on the busy roads of Goa in the all-new Maruti Suzuki Fronx…
Maruti Suzuki Fronx Design & Features – The Nexa Kool-Aid Blend
When Maruti Suzuki first pulled the covers off the Fronx at Auto Expo, we were greeted by a rather eclectic mix of the latest hits from the firm’s premium Nexa department shaped into what was quite obviously a crossover hatchback.
At the front, the new Fronx quite obviously takes inspiration from Maruti’s flagship Grand Vitara SUV. The crossover hatchback sports an upright front end with a split headlamp design.
The triple LED DRLs are connected to the Suzuki badge set into the upper section of the grille by chrome strips. These chrome strips start off the size of the DRLs before suddenly thinning out into sleek strips as they join up at the Suzuki badge.
Like the Grand Vitara, the headlamps of the new Fronx crossover hatchback are found in their own enclosures on the sides of the front bumper. Underneath the grille sits a sleek, angular air dam section with the grey, faux bash plate sitting further below.
When viewed from the side, the Fronx”s Baleno heritage shines through with the section near the C-pillar a rather familiar site for owners of Maruti’s premium hatchback. The C-pillar also features a black plastic insert which gives the illusion of a floating roof.
The rear section of the Fronx crossover hatchback is all new as are the geometric precision-cut 16-inch alloy wheels. The rear section of the Fronx sports a sharply raked windscreen and connected LED taillights that give the Fronx a rather distinct look when someone gazes at it from the back.
However, it is when you open the doors and get inside the cabin of the new Fronx does the new car’s Baleno origins really flare into life. The cabin of the new Fronx looks like it has been directly lifted off from the Baleno, which may put off some buyers.
The dash feels rather plasticky and the lack of soft-touch materials seems like a rather avoidable miss from Maruti. The seats are rather comfortable though Maruti could have added an armrest at the rear to give the Fronx a more premium feel.
The all-new Fronx’s cabin sports a dual-tone theme with the layered dash playing host to a large 9-inch infotainment screen with support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The display also allows owners to interact with the Suzuki Connect suite of 40+ connected car features. The output from the 360-degree camera is also transmitted through the central display.
Other features on the Fronx include a heads-up display, a wireless phone charging pad and paddle shifters for the automatic variant.
The new Maruti Suzuki Nexa comes packed with safety tech as well with the crossover hatchback sporting up to 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP, Hill-Hold Assist, rear parking sensors, the aforementioned 360-degree camera, day/night IRVM and ISOFIX anchor points for child seats.
The all-new Fronx is offered with a choice of 6 single-tone colour options – Nexa Blue, Arctic White, Grandeur Grey, Earthen Brown, Opulent Red, and Splendid Silver. Also on offer are three dual-tone colours – Earthen Brown, Opulent Red, and Splendid Silver with Bluish-Black roofs.
Maruti Suzuki Fronx Specs & Dimensions – The Return Of The Turbo Three-Pot
The Maruti Suzuki Fronx is offered with two engine options – the 1.2-litre naturally aspirated K12C engine and an updated version of the 998cc turbocharged three-cylinder engine that was last seen on the Baleno RS. Both engines feature mild-hybrid tech.
The 1.2-litre engine is lifted directly from the Baleno and produces 88.5bhp at 6,000rpm and 113Nm of peak torque at 4,400rpm. The K12C engine is offered with 5-speed manual and automatic (AMT) gearbox options.
The three-cylinder Boosterjet engine churns out 98.7bhp at 5,500rpm and 147.6Nm of peak torque from 2,000 to 4,500rpm. The Boosterjet version of the Fronx is offered with either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
The Maruti Suzuki Fronx is 3,995mm long, 1,765mm wide and 1,550mm tall and sports a 2,520mm long wheelbase. The Fronx offers 190mm of ground clearance, a 37-litre petrol tank and a 308-litre boot.
The Fronx weighs from 965 to 975kg for the version equipped with the 1.2-litre engine while the turbocharged versions of the crossover hatchback weigh between 1,015 and 1,060kg.
Maruti Suzuki Fronx Driving Impressions – Boosted Twitch
We got to drive the new Fronx with the Booster Jet engine and the 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. The combination while good on paper isn’t a booster banger getting off the line.
The boosted three-pot takes a bit of time to spool up but offers good mid-range and top-end grunt. Once on the move and in boost, the turbocharged engine is a hoot to drive though it can get a bit noisy at the top end.
The 6-speed automatic has all the characteristics of an old-school torque converter as it takes a bit of time to wake up but once going, shifts through the gears with ease.
The gearbox is best left in automatic mode, though if you want to have a bit of ‘fun’, changing gears with the paddle shifters will easily give you the feels.
If you have a leaden right foot, the gearbox eagerly shifts down two gears, which makes overtaking a dun endeavour. However, if you care more about mileage, that right foot better remain as light as possible.
Braking duties are handled by disc brakes at the front and drums at the rear. While the brake pedal has a bit more travel than we expected, the Fronx offers good initial bite progression when you step on the anchors.
The suspension setup of the Fronx is perhaps its best point. The Fronx’s suspension setup is slightly on the stiffer side though this doesn’t really cause any issues when going over our bumpy and pothole-friendly roads.
However, don’t go shoving the Fronx into a corner as while there is a bit of body roll, it is the slightly twitchy steering that really lets it down.
The steering is way too light when travelling at higher speeds, which doesn’t really help with your confidence. However, considering most Fronx owners will find themselves stuck inside the city, the light steering can also be a blessing as we found on the crowded and narrow streets of Goa.
Final Thoughts About The Maruti Suzuki Fronx – Almost A Mastered Mashup
The Maruti Suzuki Fronx takes the Baleno formula and raises it slightly more above the ground to give a pseudo-SUV combination that will appeal to most buyers. For us though, the lack of a sport mode and the ultra-light steering at high speeds were slightly off-putting.
However, Fronx isn’t a jack of all trades. The Fronx does the crossover hatchback game rather well. If Maruti Suzuki is as aggressive as they usually are with the pricing, we expect the Fronx to start flying out of showrooms when it finally hits the streets later this month…
Keyword: Maruti Suzuki Fronx First Drive Review - Mashup Remastered