The Drive Report: Maruti Suzuki Fronx

Its odd name aside the Fronx’s design is a slightly derivative though palatable mish-mash of existing Maruti Suzuki designs.

“What is a Fronx?” was the question that circulated in the pavilions of the 2023 Auto Expo, where Maruti Suzuki had displayed its latest offerings. Standing next to the crowd-pulling Jimny, the car looked familiar, owing to the fact that it is a crossover cousin of the Baleno hatchback. But the brand insists that the curiously named Fronx is much more than a Baleno on stilts. Maruti Suzuki, more importantly Nexa, wants to be more closely associated with off-road friendly vehicles than it has been in the past, and following the spectacular success of the Grand Vitara, it wants to waste no time with a follow-up act.

Its odd name aside, the Fronx’s design is a slightly derivative though palatable mish-mash of existing Maruti Suzuki designs. It has the front and rear of the Grand Vitara, a few elements of the Brezza, and the profile of the Baleno. Make of that what you will, because how much you like the Fronx’s looks depends entirely on where you stand on the whole crossover hatch / SUV debate.

According to the brand, the Fronx has been designed as sort of a bridge between the Baleno and the Brezza. It possesses the utility of a sub-compact SUV while not compromising on the sleek, curvy looks of a hatchback. Especially one as popular and relatively premium as the Baleno.

You’ve got the same tapering DRLs (daylight running lights) as you do on the Grand Vitara, with large bumper-mounted headlamps, roof rails, a single seam of red connecting the taillamps, along with sharply-cut 16-inch alloys with a design that’s exclusive to the Fronx. With plastic cladding bordering the bottom frame of the car and the wheel arches, along with two very prominent skid plates, the Fronx succeeds in looking purposeful and rugged. Its design suggests that it is in it for the rough stuff, designed to be driven as the crow flies, and well suited to the topographical rigours of urban and semi-urban areas where it will primarily reside.

Booster dose

The Fronx has one thing that many other urban SUVs do not. An optional 1.0-litre Boosterjet petrol engine, which marks its return after having been put to pasture post the culling of the Baleno Sport. It’s been the source of much excitement, particularly for those who find the far more economical 1.2-litre naturally aspirated (NA) unit a bit lacking in the horsepower department.

The 1.0-litre Boosterjet, which happened to be the only powertrain provided to us during the press tests, is one that’s decent fun around the narrow B-roads of Goa. On paper it produces only 10 more hp than the 90 hp NA unit despite having one cylinder less than the four-cylinder 1.2-litre motor. But after overcoming the initial turbo lag, it feels palpably more eager in its ascent to 60 kph than the former. Both engines benefit from mild hybrid tech.

Still, compared to the turbocharged iteration of the Hyundai i20, the Fronx comes up a bit short. The Boosterjet model can be paired with a standard 5-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed automatic transmission (AT). While the latter is available on the top-end Zeta and Alpha trims, it’s only truly engaging with the use of the paddle shifters. In standard automatic form, it tries to cope with AMT-levels of transmission lag, with only the paddles coordinating more effectively with the turbo boost to produce favourable results.

I discovered this after boost-braking and launching the Fronx for what was a timed lap around a special off-road section created just to put its claims of terrain-agnosticism to test. Sticking to “drive” mode, my attempt to “launch” the car was met with a decidedly undramatic lull in acceleration. The automatic isn’t as eager as the Boosterjet engine can be.

Switching to the manual feels far more rewarding, especially if it’s performance you’re looking for. Yes, there are peppier three-cylinder, turbo-petrol options offered by rivals, but Maruti Suzuki claims that the Fronx is lighter and therefore sprightlier.

Regardless of its claims, the Boosterjet motor does make the Fronx fun around a light-dirt track, where, at least in manual, the Fronx’s relatively light frame and punchy motor gives the driver the ability to fling it around bends so long as the revs are kept above 2,000 rpm. The Fronx even manages to clear sharp crests with ease, and a slightly stiffer suspension gives it a less wallow-y ride than the Baleno.

Make no mistake though, this is still very much an everyday Maruti Suzuki, calibrated for city driving comfort. The suspension is cushy and the steering is fairly light. The Fronx Boosterjet isn’t so much about pure driving thrills as it is about marrying the essential practicalities of a Baleno, dialling-it up a notch with a taller ride height, skid plates, and cladding, and then throwing-in some added performance for good measure.

Interiors

This is where Maruti Suzuki has really put in effort and it shows. While the base version comes with features like dual airbags, hill-hold assist, reverse parking sensors, and ESP (electronic stability programme) for better traction, the top-end models are crammed with features, from a highly intuitive multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, paddle shifters (AT only), HUD (heads-up display), connected car features, voice assist, a 7.0-inch touchscreen and infotainment system (available in Delta and upward trims), cruise control, 360-degree camera, and more – the list is exhaustive.

Given that design flair is one of Fronx’s USPs, there’s a range of official NEXA accessories to customise the exterior, from red inserts on the side skirts, ORVM covers, to an underbody spoiler. There’s even a carbon finish for the interiors, although I’ll reserve my comments on that until I see it. It should be noted that the 1.0-litre turbo is only available in Delta+, Zeta, and Alpha trims.

VERDICT: 

It’s hard to determine just how much more value-for-money the Fronx is compared to the Baleno without knowing exactly how much more it’s expected to cost. While the Baleno is certainly not a lesser offering, the Fronx’s added element of practicality does make it the safer choice in the same way that getting on a crowded subway with knee and elbow pads and trekking boots is technically the safer choice.

Necessary? Arguably. Mandatory? Not really. The fact is, even without being calibrated for any particular terrain, cars like the Alto and the WagonR often go where most cars do not. Are the tyres designed for mountains? Not in the least. Should an Alto go water-wading? Ill-advised. But they do it anyway. The Fronx is a survivalist’s Baleno. That’s essentially what it is.  You might not need the accoutrements, but it doesn’t hurt to have them.