first drive

What’s this new car all about then?

Fronx is a new compact-SUV from Suzuki New Zealand. If you’re thinking the company already has a few of those on the go, you’re not wrong; this one’s supermini-sized, at just under 4m in length, although it gives the outward impression of being bigger and has generous cabin space, because the wheels are pushed right out to the corners of the car.

In the larger scheme of things, Fronx fits in between Ignis/Swift (okay, the latter isn’t an SUV, but just for context) and Vitara. You could also argue it fills the gap left by the Baleno, which was dropped back in 2022 when the facelifted model was introduced in India.

Ah yes, India. Baleno is especially relevant because like the old Baleno hatchback, the Fronx SUV is a product of Suzuki’s Indian subsidiary. There are still a few Baleno bits underneath, although both models are based on Suzuki’s ubiquitous Heartect platform, and very little is carried over directly from Baleno; that even goes for the stuff you can’t see, with the Fronx having new engine, steering and suspension configurations.

The name, which doesn’t exactly trip off the tongue, is a portmanteau of “frontier” and “crossover”.

Under the bonnet is a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine with a 12v mild hybrid system. That’s very mild indeed, and works in the same way as the Swift and Vitara hybrids: there’s a tiny battery fed by regeneration that helps with running the electrical stuff to take load off the engine; it also powers an integrated starter-generator, which can provide a 55Nm boost for up to 30 seconds, at below 3900rpm.

Which is welcome, because the petrol engine makes just 76kW/137Nm (the latter at a heady 4400rpm); fuel consumption under the Kiwi 3P-WLTP standard is 5.4l/100km.

Suzuki Fronx.” width=”937″ height=”703″ data-caption=”Petrol engine makes a very modest 76kW/137Nm, but gets some electrical assistance.” loading=”lazy”/>

It’s a relatively high-compression engine (12:1), but Suzuki NZ says it’s approved to run on 91-octane, although you might get some performance/economy benefit from running it on more costly 95.

A 6-speed automatic transmission is standard and before you get any ideas about that raised ride height, unlike the Vitara and S-Cross the Fronx is FWD-only.

Fronx is far from Suzuki NZ’s most expensive model, but the company says it’s still the most highly specified. Standard equipment includes a 9-inch infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto plus Qi wireless charger, heated front seats (with “leather effect” upholstery elements in snazzy burgundy), 360-degree camera and head-up display.

The cabin styling is thoroughly conventional and very similar to other Suzuki models, which will probably suit the large contingent of loyal brand-customers likely to buy the car. There are analogue dials in the main instrument panel and lots of physical buttons.

The interior still looks quite classy overall, especially with all that reddish trim; it’s just that there are a lot of hard and unattractively grainy plastics in play. Then again, it’s a cheap-and-cheerful car.

It’s deceptively spacious inside (the wheelbase is actually 20mm longer than the Vitara), with the rear seat providing pretty good accommodation for two adult occupants; 3 might be a stretch, just because of the width restriction.

The boot is quite modest, at just 308 litres. But it’s novel in having 3 separate layers: there’s the main (removeable) cargo floor, which lines up with the folded rear seats, another shallow section underneath and if you look hard enough, a lower-still section lined in polystyrene where the spare wheel might otherwise be; that’s where you’ll find the emergency compressor (also in its own snug little holder).

Fronx has a comprehensive suite of driver assists, including adaptive cruise control, lane keep/departure warning (including steering assistance), weaving alert, traffic sign recognition and rear cross traffic alert (alert only, no braking function). There’s a retractable head-up display and the Fronx is the first Suzuki sold here to have an electric handbrake.

Given the unfortunate/unexpected 1-star ANCAP safety rating handed out to the Swift last year, the elephant in the room might well be Fronx’s safety score. It’s not sold in Europe so there’s no Euro NCAP result (which is often used to extrapolate an ANCAP rating), and it’s not currently booked in for an Australian test, not least because it’s not being launched there until later in the year.

How much is it?

There’s just one model available in NZ, the GLX. The official price is $31,990, or $32,990 if you want a 2-tone exterior finish (meaning a black roof).

However, Suzuki NZ is running a launch special of $29,990/$30,990 for the first 300 cars. Our understanding is that around half of those are sold already, so expect the Fronx to revert to full pricing in a matter of weeks.

What’s it like to drive?

Fronx is primarily a city-SUV, but we took to the open road on our preview drive. Like so many other Suzuki small cars, it doesn’t shy away from higher-speed driving: the steering has substance and the chassis handles backroads with dignity.

It’s incredibly light at just 1065kg, which adds to the nimble handling, but fast it ain’t: the 1.5-litre is willing at low speed (with help from the mild hybrid system), but once you start to gather pace the the torque isn’t really there. And that’s okay, because it’s not really made for this kind of thing. We’re looking forward to trying it a bit more in its comfort zone: city streets.

Driving in convoy with other Fronxes on a Suzuki NZ-run media event did give us a chance to get a good look at the new SUV on the road. It looks a little awkward in some photographs, but it actually has a nice stance out in the real world, thanks to that wheel-at-each-corner thing.

It looks a bit S-Cross-ish at the front, but there’s also quite a bit going on lighting-wise, with some striking DRLs in the main lamps and a trio of chunky units in the front bumper. The low roofline at the back and oversized pseudo-skidplate also give it a distinctive look. It has character.

What’s the pick of the range?

There’s just the one Fronx GLX for Kiwis to buy, the only option being a two-tone paintjob for $1000. Suzuki has kept the colour palette super-simple, with a choice of black, white, blue or grey for the single-colour models, and orange, red or silver if you’re having the black roof.

What other cars should I consider?

Suzuki NZ has its eye on the big sellers in the compact-SUV segment for Fronx sales: the Kia Seltos ($32,990-$43,859) and Mitsubishi ASX ($27,990-$35,990). They’re both quite a bit bigger on the outside than the Fronx; Suzuki argues its car is still a genuine rival, by virtue of its generous cabin space.

Others might include the just-launched Chery Tiggo 4 ($24,990-$29,990 for the straight-ICE, hybrid to come for $32,990-$37,990), MG ZS ($27,990-$37,990, including hybrids) and Omoda C5 ($29,990-$34,990).

If you’re keen to keep closer to actual Fronx-size (around 4m in length), the newest rival is another product of India, the Mahindra XUV 3XO ($29,990-$32,990). Other littlies in the frame are the Hyundai Venue ($31,990), Honda Jazz Crosstar ($30,770) and Kia Stonic ($28,990-$35,200).