Maruti Suzuki Fronx: The New Gamechanger Coupe SUV?

Maruti Suzuki Fronx: The New Gamechanger Coupe SUV?

If you’ve always wanted a coupe SUV and you have a lot of money, you should check out Maruti Suzuki’s Fronx. It’s the new game-changing coupe SUV or crossover SUV that’s going to take over the Indian roads soon. The interesting fact is, many car companies have tried their hands on this type (i.e.: the coupe SUV or crossover SUV) in the past, such as Skoda with the Fabia, Volkswagen with the Polo, Hyundai with the i20 Active, and Honda with the Jazz. And, one thing has been common in all of them: all of them failed! So, it’s clear that this is a hard formula to solve. Now, the question is, whether Maruti has cracked the code with its Fronx?

EXTERIOR

Well, even though the Fronx is built on Maruti Suzuki’s top-of-the-line premium hatchback Baleno, it is very different in many ways. The exterior body panels, plastic wrapping, and soft parts like the hood and headlights are all very similar to the Grand Vitara and not at all like the Baleno. The big front grill, three-element LED DRLs, and LED headlights give the car a tough, SUVish look.  Even from the back, the Fronx looks strong and powerful, thanks to a connected LED tail lamp that is quite similar to that of the Grand Vitara. Overall, the back has a thicker character line because the waistline goes up in the back and meets a window line that goes down. This gives it a unique look. Not only that, the sheet metal is also quite different. The doors are bolder than that of Baleno’s, the redesign is really good, and with its tall hood and high nose, speaks volume about its efforts to look like an SUV. Also, you might be able to tell from the sides that the ground clearance has gone up from 170 mm (on the Baleno) to 190 mm. This can be seen in the wheel openings as well. So, it’s nice to have an extra 20 mm, which was made possible by a raised and stronger suspension and a bigger profile tyre. There is a big skid plate and a diffuser on the back that

are both styled and done in a different colour. On the trunk lid is the number plate. The boot space is said to be 308 litres, which is less than the Baleno’s 318 litres, but there isn’t much difference in reality.

INTERIOR

On the inside, it looks a lot like a Baleno, since it has a smart-looking dash and a lot of features like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless charging. There are toggle buttons for automatic temperature control, which is always a good thing to have. It’s much easier to use buttons instead of a touch screen or touch panel. When it comes to touchscreens, the top trims have a 9-inch unit on the dashboard, while the lower trims have a 7-inch unit. There is also the HUD (Heads-up Display) from the

Baleno, as well as the Baleno’s flat steering wheel with buttons and two dials that look sharp. Overall, the interior feels pretty high-end, even though the panel doesn’t have any soft-touch materials. Maruti has also added silver details to the Dash to brighten up the cabin, which is mostly dark. The Fronx also comes with Suzuki’s connected car tech, a 360-degree camera, ESP, front, side and curtain airbags. But it doesn’t have a sunroof or a back seat armrest with cup holders. At the back, there isn’t a lot of room for the head, especially for people taller than 6 feet. There is a lot of room for your legs, and there are three headrests that you can change. There are two USB ports and AC vents (one type A and the other type C).

ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE

In terms of its engine and performance, the Fronx has the Baleno’s 1.2-liter engine with both a manual and an automatic transmission. But the best part is the booster jet engine, which was there in the old Baleno. This time, though, it’s paired with a light hybrid system, which makes it very fuel efficient. Even though Maruti says that the automatic form of the booster jet gets

20 km per litre, this needs to be checked in the real-life conditions. All of the powertrains in the line-up get between 20 and 22.8 kilometres of mileage per litre. Maruti claims that the automatic can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 11.48 seconds and the manual in 11.4. The booster jet engine has a torque converter with six speeds, while the 1.2-liter engine has an automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

RIDE QUALITY AND HANDLING

In terms of riding comfort and quality the Fronx feels firmly grounded despite the higher suspension, and Maruti Suzuki did a fantastic job of making the ride and handling as similar to the Baleno as they could. Low body roll and superb high-speed dynamics are also present. Although it is neither unpleasant or jarring, the ride is undoubtedly firmer than the Baleno’s, and on uneven roads, there is a considerable amount of vertical movement. You are also aware of the road surface below. Although other Maruti cars in general don’t have a powerful self-centering motion like the Fronx does, the Baleno’s steering feel is superior. The higher Fronx’s suspension geometry caused a lot of play or a dead zone to form around the straight-ahead position, which was corrected by recalibrating the EPS. The front disc and rear drum brakes work well and provide adequate stopping force.

VERDICT

Overall, the Fronx is a strong package with all the makings of a hit. It is spacious, comfortable, and well-equipped, and for an anticipated price of between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 11 lakh, the Fronx is a very well put together car. But only time will tell whether it will change its lineage or not!

VARIANTS

SPECIFICATIONS

EXTERIOR 

INTERIOR

DIMENSIONS

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE

DRIVE PERFORMANCE

SAFETY, COMFORT & CONVENIENCE