Suzuki Fronx GLX MY25
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Finding a well-equipped, Japanese-badged SUV priced under $30,000 in today’s market is becoming increasingly difficult, but small car specialist Suzuki has served one up in the form of its new Fronx.
The name is an amalgam of ‘Frontier’ and ‘X’ (as in crossover), positioning the Fronx as Suzuki’s pint-sized SUV champion in a segment dominated by the Mazda CX-3 and the Toyota Yaris Cross.
With its stylish SUV-inspired looks including a coupe-like roofline in contrasting black, attractive 16-inch alloy wheels and black over-fender flares, the Fronx looks more in keeping with what buyers are looking for than the outgoing Ignis.
The interior design is quite conventional, with lots of hard-wearing plastics and a plethora of buttons and switches lifted from the Suzuki global parts bin. It’s all perfectly durable and usable but a bit old-school by modern design standards.
The flat-bottom steering wheel is leather-trimmed and the manually adjustable seats clad in an attractive two-tone faux-leather. Ahead of the driver is a large and easy-to-read analogue speedo and tacho, plus a head-up display.
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The 9.0-inch central touchscreen offers quick and easy smartphone connectivity with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.
Other standard equipment in the singular GLX variant includes a wireless smartphone charger, heated front seats, and keyless entry and start.
Under the bonnet is a 1.5-litre four-cylinder mild hybrid, driving through a six-speed torque converter automatic.
It’s not overly endowed with torque and in its standard drive mode the Fronx feels leisurely.
Things liven up when you switch to Sport mode, with enough response to keep pace with traffic and deliver decent acceleration away from the lights.
Engine noise is pronounced under hard acceleration but on a lighter throttle the cabin is reasonably well insulated.
Combined cycle fuel economy is a thrifty 4.9L/100km but we saw a higher 6.2L/100 over a mixed 150km of congested urban and slightly freer-flowing driving on Brisbane’s
urban-fringe.
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The limited test drive provided few opportunities to push the car through bends but where we were able to do so the Fronx felt competent and well balanced, although certainly not sporty.
At just under 4m in length and boasting a compact 4.8m turning circle the Suzuki SUV is easy to park and manoeuvre, aided by good cabin visibility, a 360-degree camera system and rear parking sensors.
The coupe-like roofline means you need to duck your head when accessing the rear seats but once in position the accommodation is comfortable enough for a 182cm passenger to sit behind a similarly sized driver.
The boot is accessed by a manual tailgate to reveal a segment-competitive 304 litres (VDA), expanding to 605 litres with the rear seat folded.
There’s a decent list of safety kit but the Fronx lacks some of the latest inclusions so has no ANCAP rating.
Despite this, there’s an honesty to the Fronx that makes it quite endearing.
It’s attractively designed, well equipped and keenly priced, and like most Suzuki vehicles it conveys an underlying feel of quality engineering.
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Specifications
PRICE: $28,990 (MRLP)
WARRANTY: Five years/
unlimited km
POWERTRAIN: 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol, mild-hybrid with Integrated Starter Generator and 12V lithium-ion battery, six-speed automatic, front-wheel drive (76kW/137Nm)
ANCAP CRASH RATING: Not rated
FUEL CONSUMPTION (CO2): 4.9L/100km (114g/km).
Pros and cons
FOR: Affordably priced; well equipped; easy to park and manoeuvre; fuel-efficient; comfortable ride; roomy interior.
AGAINST: No ANCAP rating; lacks some of the latest safety features; modest performance; no full-size spare wheel (tyre repair kit).
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