Maruti Suzuki Fronx 1-litre Turbo First Drive Review

It may look like a small, funky crossover but the new Maruti Suzuki Fronx is actually based on the Baleno, which isn’t a bad thing at all because the new Baleno is a pretty impressive car. And after having driven it, it’s safe to conclude that the Fronx has all the makings to become yet another strong seller for Maruti. Now, let’s take a deep dive into the positioning of the new Fronx.

The Fronx is part of Maruti’s SUV and crossover lineup and it sits below the Brezza and the Jimny. Naturally it’s got all the butch design ingredients to make it look more substantial than the Baleno. So you get a large bumper with integrated headlights, a grille that’s more in your face and a pretty substantial dose of black cladding all around. I like how the Fronx looks overall but the rear is undoubtedly my favorite angle of the car. It’s a genuinely good looking car and Maruti has done a good job of differentiating it from the Baleno.

I especially like the detailing on the taillights and the one piece light bar that joins the taillight units. In terms of size and road presence, the Fronx is 3,995 millimeters in length, 1,765 millimeters in width and its 1,550 millimeters off the ground. Now when you compare these with the Baleno you will see that the Fronx is a tad bit more substantial although the real world difference in size will be not be perceptible. Also, the wheelbase on the Fronx and the Baleno is identical so it’s not like you are going to get more room inside the cabin.

To put it short, it’s exactly like the Baleno. Everything from the design, the layout and seat upholstery is familiar affair. That said, the cabin’s design itself is unlike Maruti’s other hatchbacks and is, in fact, way more upmarket. In terms of familiarity, everything from the steering wheel, the dials, the center console and the seats are from the Baleno. Now I do appreciate the premium ambience of this cabin but it looks identical to other similarly priced Maruti cars. The basic design, the colors and textures used in the Brezza and the Grand Vitara are pretty much the same so a little originality here would have been nice, especially since so much work has gone into the exterior design of this car.

Given that it’s based on the Baleno, space and comfort levels remain unchanged for the Fronx. Jump in the back and you will notice how accommodating the rear is and spacious it feels despite the dark interior theme. There is a good deal of legroom and the rear seat is supportive as well. It might be a bit too flat for some people but good under thigh support and cushioning more than make up for it. The Fronx sits higher than the Baleno but it’s because of the mechanical changes and the cabin height is the same as the Baleno. Given its crossover positioning, I would have liked a higher driving position and more headroom at the rear.

So there are five variants including Sigma, Delta, Delta+, Zeta, and Alpha. As for the features, it doesn’t matter what variant you choose, you will get dual airbags, ESP, hill hold assist, reverse parking sensors, rear defogger, keyless entry, dual-tone interior, 60:40 split for the rear seat, front and rear power windows, automatic climate control and a flat bottom steering wheel as standard. Go for the most expensive Alpha variant and you will get all the new age features.

There’s a heads up display with turn-by-turn navigation, a 360 view camera, wireless charger, cruise control, 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels and a feature loaded infotainment system with a 9-inch screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You also get side and curtain airbags, tilt and telescopic adjustment for the steering wheel, height adjustment for the driver’s seat, rear AC vents, push button start, leather-wrapped steering wheel and LED headlights as standard on this top-spec variant. Oddly enough, a rear armrest is missing in the entire line-up.

The Fronx comes with two engine and three gearbox options. There’s the familiar 1.2-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine which can be had with either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT gearbox. What you see here is the 1-litre, three-cylinder turbocharged engine which has made a comeback with the Fronx. To be sold with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic, we have seen this engine in the older gen Baleno RS although this time around, it is locally made. Unfortunately, the 1-litre turbo engine can be had in the top three variants only whereas the 1.2 engine can be had with the base and mid-level variants.

The 1-litre Fronx makes 99bhp and 150Nm of torque which is spread across 2,000-4,500rpm, meaning you will have to stretch its legs a bit for maximum punch. I remember driving the Baleno RS with this engine at the Buddh International Circuit over half a decade ago and coming back with a reassuring grin. It’s a gutsy little engine that loves to rev – naturally there is some turbo lag below 2,500rpm but once you get it working in the midrange it will not hesitate one bit and pull you forward with enough gusto.

Now because it’s a relatively small turbo, the mid-range surge is smooth and when it’s on boost, the buildup in speed is linear making the Fronx quite user friendly. It also responds well to throttle inputs, winding out with a slightly throaty induction bark. The Fronx’s ground clearance is 20mm higher than the Baleno’s. Maruti tells us it’s because of the larger profile tires and different spring rates.

As for the suspension setup, it feels similar to the Baleno but because there’s a tad bit more travel, it is able to cope with deep potholes and speed humps in a slightly better manner, in the sense that it doesn’t knock as much, especially when the suspension decompresses. The ride quality on the Fronx is another big plus point – it’s comfortable, refined and when it comes to ironing out irregularities over poorly built roads, it’s got that layer of maturity that we have seen in Maruti’s current crossover line-up.

The new Maruti Suzuki Fronx is a brilliant little crossover. It’s got the looks, a long features list, commendable ride quality and an impressive turbo petrol engine. It’s biggest plus point though will be its positioning in Maruti’s line-up. To be sold between the Baleno and the Brezza, the Fronx has created its own niche in a market which has young buyers who want something different, something with character.

Bookings for the Fronx are already open but we do not know what the pricing is going to be like. Now we expect the 1.2-litre variants to be priced around a lakh or so more than the equivalent Baleno variant but there will be a significant premium that Maruti is likely to charge for the 1-litre Fronx, especially with the torque converter automatic gearbox because it is an expensive drivetrain to produce, after all.

Pictures by Kapil Angane