I am writing this long-term report with kind of a bittersweet mood. Sweet because I recently completed 7000 km on my long term car, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx. And bitter because it is now time to say goodbye to this very capable crossover. Yes, after spending over 6 months at the car&bike garage, the Fronx is finally heading back home to Maruti Suzuki India. And I for one have enjoyed almost every moment of these last 6 months with this car.
Over these last 6 months, the Fronx had to go through all the ordeals that team car&bike had managed to throw at it, in addition to being my daily driver. So, it’s now time to talk about everything I loved about the Fronx, things I disliked, and things that could have been better. Most importantly, answers the question - Is the Maruti Suzuki Fronx all the car you need?
Let me get the specifics out of the way. The model with me was the range-topping Alpha trim of the Fronx, featuring the much-loved 1.0-litre Boosterjet turbo petrol engine, with a 5-speed manual gearbox. The car is painted in the brand’s signature Nexa Blue shade, and this particular trim, at the time of writing this article, was priced at Rs. 11.48 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).
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Now I am a firm believer in the fact that looks are subjective, and I admit, while my colleagues and a lot of you out there were impressed by the design and stand styling of the Fronx, my opinions were quite mixed. What did not work for me was the busy-looking grille, and the beefy wheel arch cladding, which felt like a bit of an overkill. But after driving it daily for a few weeks the car grew on me and I kind of warmed up to the crossover design.
It’s also very practical and well-proportioned. It’s compact enough to be your daily driver in our metro cities yet striking enough to get you a lot of attention. And a ground clearance of 190 mm means that the car can handle the rough roads too quite well.
The LED DRLS and the connected LED taillights, along with the 16-inch dual-tone alloys look particularly nice and give it an upmarket look. At the same time, these LED headlamps are nice and bright, and even the base model gets halogen projector headlights.
Now, if we keep the looks aside, it’s the cabin where you’ll be spending most of your time. And I have quite liked what I have experienced. Despite being a compact car, Maruti has managed the space quite well. The cabin doesn’t feel cramped at all and there’s ample room to move around, yet cosy enough that you don’t mind spending long hours behind the wheel.
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While I am 5.9 feet tall, even someone who’s above 6 feet will be comfortable in the car, except for the rear middle seat of course. Also, the driver’s seat is adjustable for height in the Zeta and Alpha trims. But what I truly love about this cabin is the convenience factor.
When I drive, I don’t like to keep anything in my pockets, and the Fronx has enough storage places to keep the 100 different items I tend to carry around every day – cell phone, wallet and other knick-knacks. The door pockets are big enough to store both large and small bottles and the glove box is big enough for large items.
While Maruti could have used soft plastic panes inside the cabin, the fit and finish feels solid. All the buttons here have a nice tactile feel to them, and the steering can be adjusted for both height and reach.
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The 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system is also pretty neat, and comes with both Android Auto and Apple Carplay, with wireless connectivity. In fact, the connectivity is quite seamless. But one of my favourite features has to be the 360-degree view cameras, and I'll go as far as to say these are the best car cameras you’ll find in this segment and are simply a great boon for the Fronx.
Now, for all you folks out there who like wireless phone chargers, the Fronx does get one, but I prefer to use the USB port. However, if you have a Type C to Type C cable then you’ll have to use the port given at the back for second-row passengers, as upfront you only get a Type A port. This, and the analogue design of the instrument cluster are what make the car look dated.
There is a big reason why I love this Fronx in particular, and that reason is right under the bonnet. I thank the stars for the day Maruti Suzuki India decided to bring back the Boosterjet engine and plonk it inside the Fronx. This car is simply a hoot and a half to drive. The turbocharged three-pot motor is tuned to make 99 bhp and develops a peak torque output of 147 Nm.
While on paper the numbers might not seem all that impressive, it’s how all things have been tuned and calibrated that make all the difference. It is quick, smooth, precise, and the power build-up is also quite nice. Yes, in the lower revs, you will notice some lag, however, as soon as you cross 2000 rpm, the turbo kicks in and then the Fronx goes full throttle.
The gearbox too is well-calibrated, and the shifts are also clean and precise. The clutch pedal is also nice and light so there’s less fatigue and you have to trust me on this. Close to 75 to 80 per cent of my total driving was done on urban roads, with a regular dose of bumper-to-bumper traffic. So yes, if you like to drive manual cars, you will enjoy this Fronx.
What could have been better is the suspension. It’s too soft, especially at the front end. Yes, on a good set of tarmac that’s not much of an issue but the ride is quite bouncy… throw in a bunch of speed bumps and potholes and the up and down movement becomes all too apparent, and to an extent, it can be a bit irritating.
Now, the Fronx is quite loaded in terms of safety as well, and the list of standard offerings is quite long. Features like dual airbags, ABS with EBD, Electronic Stability Programme, Reverse Parkins Sensors, ISOFIX and Read Defogger are all standard. The Zeta and Alpha trims get 4 additional airbags, and the former also gets a rear parking camera. The top-spec Alpha trim also offers the 360-view cameras I love so much, and the Head-Up Display, which I never liked using.
However, there is one thing that annoys me and it’s the seat belt reminder system. Don’t get me wrong I truly appreciate the fact that Maruti Suzuki India offers three-pointed seatbelts for all passengers with a reminder alert. But the annoying bit is that the ones at the back do not get a pressure sensor, which means, even if no one is sitting there the system will keep on buzzing for at least a minute or two. The only solution to that is to keep the rear seatbelts buckled at all times.
Now, let me answer the question that’s in everyone’s mind – ‘Kitna deti hai?’. Maruti claims that this 1.0-litre Boosterjet motor can return a mileage of around 20-21 kmpl. However, I feel that might be only possible inside a testing facility under optimal conditions. In the real-world, I was able to extract a maximum fuel efficiency figure of anywhere between 11 to 14 kmpl during my daily city driving. Which is not bad for a three-pot turbocharged engine. Now my highway driving was limited, but based on those occasional days when we did take the Fronx out of the city to stretch its legs, the crossover did return an impressive 18 to 19 kilometres to the litre.
The Fronx is priced from Rs. 7.52 lakh, going up to Rs. 13.04 Lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Yes, it is slightly on the pricier side when compared to some of the other subcompact SUVs, however, for the price you do get a well-rounded product. The Fronx looks good, it is quite feature-packed, and it performs well keeping you engaged at all times. So yes, if you are considering getting the Fronx, I for one can wholeheartedly recommend this one to you.
