Maruti foresees minimal cannibalistion between Fronx & Brezza

Maruti Fronx at Auto Expo 2023

There will be ‘minimal’ cannibalisation between the Fronx (Rs 7.46 lakh, ex-showroom) and the Brezza, which was launched last year at a price tag of Rs. 7.99 lakh, as the consumer profiles of both the models are different, stated Shashank Srivastava, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited.

“We believe the Fronx and the Brezza cater to two separate segments, but of course, there will be some sort of an overlap,” Srivastava said, adding, “I do believe that the Brezza is actually on the higher side in terms of price because it has a K15 engine. The Fronx is somewhere in between the middle of the price range.” He revealed that nearly 26,500 units of Fronx have been booked since its launch.

Srivastava feels that the entry-level SUV segment is a very competitive space and there are multiple brands in this space.  He also said that there was a high possibility that consumers looking to buy cars in the same category as a Fronx or a Brezza may ultimately settle for the Maruti models.

“I guess the Fronx will take market share from vehicles such as the (Kia) Sonet and the (Tata) Nexon because it’s in a category which is different from the Brezza in terms of design,” said Srivastava.

With the introduction of the Fronx and soon-to-be-launched Jimny, MSIL aims to corner 25 percent of the domestic SUV market by FY2024-25.  Srivastava emphasised that the company was already the number one player in the MUV space and intends to replicate that in the  SUV space.

“Fronx would be more of a volume-puller than Jimny, which is a lifestyle vehicle. Fronx is meant for consumers who are urban in outlook, tech-savvy, and seeking something fresh. It is positioned as an entry-level SUV, where you have models like the Brezza, Sonet, (Tata) Punch, (Nissan) Magnite, etc. This is the largest subsegment in the passenger vehicle industry.”

“We want to achieve our objective of 50 percent overall market share in the medium term, and we also need to improve our market share in the SUV segment. Fronx will help us achieve both,’’ Srivastava had earlier told Moneycontrol.