[Aditya]

Maruti Fronx Review

Maruti Fronx Pros

• Smart looking crossover with sharp & attractive styling
• Feels better built than some other Maruti cars
• 1.0L Boosterjet turbo-petrol engine is quick and has minimal turbo lag. Driveability is satisfactory
• Smart Hybrid system ensures excellent fuel efficiency. ARAI = 20.01 to 22.89 km/l
• Nicely tuned suspension glides over small bumps, potholes and road imperfections
• User-friendly cabin with loads of space! Can easily seat 5 adults (unlike many competitors)
• Long feature list includes LED auto headlamps, LED DRLs, cruise control, 9-inch touchscreen HU paired with an Arkamys sound system, 360-degree camera, head-up display, rear A/C vents, wireless charging, footwell lighting, tilt & telescopic steering adjustment, connected car features etc
• Safety kit includes 6 airbags, 3-point seatbelts for all, ESP, traction control, hill-hold assist and ISOFIX
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service, wide dealer network & fuss-free ownership experiences

Maruti Fronx Cons

• On the inside, it’s almost identical to the regular Baleno. Differentiation should’ve been more
• Quality of some plastic parts and fabric upholstery is mediocre
• 1.0L turbo-petrol although quick, is not exciting enough for enthusiasts
• 308-litre boot is among the smallest in the segment
• No diesel option like some rivals
• Rear seat’s under-thigh support is lacking for taller passengers
• A few missing features like sunroof, TPMS, rear armrest, drive modes, auto wipers and front parking sensors
• Lesser height means, despite the smart styling, it doesn’t have the road presence of typical crossovers

This review has been jointly compiled with SDP. Thanks to him for the expert observations!

Introduction

Over the past few years, we have seen a new segment emerging between hatchbacks and compact SUVs. This sub-compact crossover segment has cars like the Citroen C3, Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger and the Tata Punch. If you look at their sales figures, these cars are doing well for themselves. Now, market leader Maruti Suzuki has decided to join the fray with the Fronx crossover, which slots between the Baleno and the Grand Vitara in the Nexa line-up.

The Fronx is manufactured at Suzuki's Gujarat plant. Along with India, it will be sold in overseas markets. In India, the Fronx will be sold through Maruti's Nexa dealerships. It will be available in 5 variants - Sigma, Delta, Delta+, Zeta and Alpha. There will be two engine options to choose from - an 89 BHP, 1.2L, 4-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol mated to a 5-speed MT or 5-speed AMT and a 99 BHP, 1.0L, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol with a Smart Hybrid system mated to a 5-speed MT or 6-speed AT. While these engine capacity and power figures are at par with the competition, the AT is the only torque converter unit available in the segment. This is a big advantage for the Fronx against its direct rivals.

Maruti Fronx Price & Brochure

The prices of the Fronx will be revealed soon. We hope that the car is priced competitively.

The official brochure of the Fronx can be downloaded here: Maruti Fronx Brochure.pdf.

Exterior

Design & Styling

The Fronx uses Nexa's "Crafted Futurism" design philosophy. It looks attractive in the flesh. The front end bears resemblance to the Grand Vitara, while the side has a hint of the Baleno. The car gets an imposing radiator grille, black cladding on the wheel arches and sides, silver skid plates and roof rails. The proportions are just right and the use of chrome is subtle.

The Fronx has sharp creases all over that give it a sculpted look. Some notable features on the outside are the LED multi-reflector headlamps and LED tail-lamps with a light bar connecting them, LED DRLs and 16" alloy wheels. The car will be offered in 6 single-tone body colours. These include Nexa Blue (our test car), Arctic White, Earthen Brown, Opulent Red, Splending Silver and Grandeur Grey. 3 dual-tone body colours are also available including Earthen Brown + Bluish Black, Opulent Red + Bluish Black and Splendid Silver + Bluish Black.

The Fronx measures 3,995 mm in length, 1,765 mm in width, and 1,550 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 2,520 mm.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

The Fronx is built on the Heartect platform, which is shared with many other Maruti cars. While the bonnet and tailgate have some weight to them, the car's doors are light. That being said, the Fronx does not feel flimsy at all. There’s barely any flex in the body panels & doors, and the car feels fairly well-built. One point to note is that unlike most Maruti cars, which are lighter than their rivals, the Fronx weighs at par with cars such as the Citroen C3, Tata Punch and Nissan Magnite. It has a kerb weight of 965 - 1,060 kg. The body panel gaps are tight and uniform. The overall fit & finish levels are good.

Wheels & Tyres

The Alpha variant gets funky 16-inch precision-cut alloy wheels, while the Zeta and Delta+ variants get 16-inch painted alloys. The Delta and Sigma variants come with 16-inch steel wheels. All variants get 195/60 section tyres. The wheel and tyre combo looks proportionate to the metal on top. They fill up the wheel arches well. The spare tyre is a 195/60 R16 unit on a steel wheel.

Ground Clearance

On paper, the Fronx has a healthy unladen ground clearance rating of 190 mm, which is at par with the Tata Punch. This is sufficient for Indian road conditions. For reference, the Citroen C3 has a GC of 180 mm and the Renault Kiger and Nissan Magnite have a GC of 205 mm.

Standard & Extended Warranty

The standard and extended warranty packages for the Fronx will be revealed at the time of launch. Maruti cars come with a standard warranty of 2 years or 40,000 km. Extended warranty can be availed for up to 5 years or 1,00,000 km and you can expect the same to be offered on the Fronx as well.

Safety

The Fronx is loaded with safety features like ESP, ABS with EBD & brake assist, traction control, 3-point seatbelts for all five occupants, 6 airbags, ISOFIX child seat mounts, rear parking sensors, 360-degree camera, auto headlamps, hill-hold assist and rollover mitigation.

That being said, the car has not been tested by GNCAP or other independent bodies.

[Aditya]

Interior

Cabin Design & Quality

Step inside the cabin, and you can immediately tell that the dashboard is taken from the Baleno. The design looks and feels fresh with a pleasant layout. The dual-tone dashboard is black with a dark brown lower portion and a thick silver insert in the middle. Piano black is used around the A/C vents, infotainment head-unit and climate control console.

You won't find any soft-touch plastics here, but the interiors are well put together. There aren't any rough edge plastics in places that one would usually touch and everything seems to be well-finished in the cabin. The part quality is a mixed bag with some plastics feeling good to touch and others feeling cheap.

Space & Comfort

Ingress & egress are easy and you can just walk into the car without difficulty. The Fronx is a wide car and it also has a long wheelbase, which translates to good space in the cabin. However, there is quite a wide gap between the doors and seats, which means the Fronx doesn't make full use of its external width and the driver and front passenger sit closer to each other than expected.

The seats are upholstered in dual-tone fabric, which is of average quality. While there is no lumbar adjustment, they offer good overall support and with the right amount of cushioning, spending long hours here shouldn't be a problem. The driver seat gets height adjustment and can slide back far enough even for tall occupants to feel comfortable. Apart from this, you have a leather-wrapped centre armrest that can slide forward as well for those needing the adjustment. The doorpads too host leather-wrapped armrests which are useable. Overall, the front seats are nice to be in and most users will find the experience to be pleasant.

Driving Position & Ergonomics

In the driver's seat, you'll get acquainted with all the controls pretty quickly. The three-spoke, leather-wrapped steering is perfectly sized and lovely to hold, while the horn pad is easily reachable with your thumbs. The steering itself is adjustable for height and reach, which makes finding the perfect driving position that much easier. The sliding centre armrest helps matter further and the frontal view is good too.

The basic ergonomics of the Fronx are pretty much perfect. Everything is exactly where you would expect it to be and within easy reach of the driver. The only real complaint that I had was regarding the positioning of the dead pedal in the MT. The clutch is placed too close to it and as a result, you will always find it coming in the way of your foot while you press the clutch. This gets very annoying, particularly in stop-go traffic. Even the lower part of the dead pedal sticks out a little off the floor. It is not comfortable to rest your left foot on.

Cabin Storage

There are a fair number of storage spaces in the cabin. You get an illuminated glovebox, doorpads that can hold a bottle along with some other items, two cupholders in the centre console and a wireless smartphone charging pad at the base of the centre fascia. The driver also gets a cubby hole to the right of the steering wheel and the centre armrest has a storage bin underneath. The left front seatback has a pocket for rear passengers to use.

Air-Conditioning

The Fronx comes with a climate control unit with physical switches which feel nice to use. In the Zeta and Alpha variants, air vents have been provided at the rear as well. On a hot April day in Goa, the A/C functioned very well to keep us cool.

Features

Unique & Noteworthy Features

Features are super important in a market like India. A feature-packed car surely draws people into the showrooms. Maruti sure has done a good job here. The Fronx comes with a comprehensive list of features. These include keyless entry & go, auto LED headlamps, LED DRLs, LED tail-lamps, UV cut glass, sliding front armrest, 360-degree camera, head-up display, cruise control, multi-function steering with tilt & telescopic adjustment, auto-dimming IRVM, automatic climate control, three-point seatbelts for all occupants, front footwell lighting, wireless phone charging, rear A/C vents, two USB charging ports at the rear. The 1.0L AT comes with paddle shifters as well.

The Fronx gets a 9-inch touchscreen head-unit with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and comes with an in-built telematics system. The system also gets an onboard voice assistant and over-the-air updates. Users can experience 40+ connected car features ranging from safety and security, location and trips, vehicle information and alerts, and other functionalities. They can remotely access functions like A/C operation, door locking, headlamps off, and more through the Suzuki Connect app on a smartphone, smartwatch and Alexa Skill.

Features such as rain-sensing wipers, sunroof, ventilated seats, seat lumbar adjustment, rear centre armrest and a subwoofer are missing.

Audio System & Sound Quality

Maruti offers a 9-inch touchscreen with its SmartPlay Pro+ infotainment system. The user interface is simple and easy to get used to and the display is crisp and clear. It's extremely smooth and seamless in operation. A physical rotary knob for the volume control and power on/off would have been nice to have though. Music is played through 4 speakers & 2 tweeters and is tuned by Arkamys.

In terms of audio quality, it's pretty good especially when you get the settings right. There are presets to choose from as well, which is just perfect for beginner audiophiles. This is a well-rounded system and I don't think many owners would be going for an upgrade.

Rear Passengers

Rear Seat Comfort & Space

Getting in and out of the rear seat isn't difficult. The rear bench is placed at a fair height too. So, you do not need to sit down in it. Just like the front, the rear seats are comfortable and the cushioning is on point - neither too hard nor too soft.

The seat is wide and can accommodate three adults. It also comes with 3 adjustable headrests and 3-point seatbelts for all 3 passengers. The only problem is that the floor hump is wide and prominent and the centre console takes up some legroom.

The knee room at the rear is excellent and there's a good amount of headroom as well. At 5'10", I had a lot of room to spare while sitting behind my driving position. That being said occupants over 6' in height might find the headroom tight. Overall, the space is more than adequate for most passengers. The backrest is also set at a comfortable angle. The under-thigh support is sufficient for most people, but taller occupants will find it too less for their liking. One of the complaints we have is that Maruti has not provided a centre armrest. Additionally, the occupant of the left seat cannot slide his / her feet under the front seat because the battery of the Smart Hybrid system is placed there. Rear occupants get A/C vents and two USB ports (Type A and Type C ports) for charging their smartphones.

Boot Space

The Fronx has a boot space of 308 litres which is among the smallest of all sub-4 metre crossovers. Only the Mahindra XUV300 has a smaller boot (257 litres). The rear seat is split in a 60:40 ratio. Folding the backrests down gives the car more luggage capacity. A bag hook and a light have been provided as well.

[Aditya]

Driving the Maruti Fronx 1.0L Turbo-Petrol MT

1.0L turbo-petrol Boosterjet engine makes 99 BHP @ 5,500 rpm and 148 Nm @ 2,000-4,500 rpm:


The Fronx is powered by a 1.0L, 3-cylinder Boosterjet turbo-petrol engine with a Smart Hybrid system. This unit is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission and puts out 99 BHP and 148 Nm. These numbers are better than the Tata Punch, but substantially less compared to the segment-leading Citroen C3 (109 BHP & 190 Nm). With a kerb weight of 1,015 kg, the power-to-weight ratio & torque-to-weight ratio are 97 BHP/ton & 146 Nm/ton respectively. These are not the highest in the segment and hence, the Fronx is a brisk performer, but not as fast and exciting as we would expect a turbocharged engine to be.

Start the engine by pressing the super light clutch and hitting the engine start/stop button. The Fronx moves off the line smoothly. Sedate throttle inputs see the Smart Hybrid's ISG motor kick in with an assist before disengaging and letting the engine take over fully. The throttle response is good too. Driving about at city speeds, the car feels smooth. Good driveability is the key here and the Fronx can clear the second gear speed breaker test easily. Despite the turbo, the engine doesn't struggle at low revs and the car can keep up with the traffic without the driver having to shift down too often. This trait combined with a small footprint and light controls makes the Fronx very easy to drive around in the city. The engine starts feeling comfortable above 1,400 rpm. The car is relaxed doing 50 km/h in 4th gear with the engine spinning at 1,600 rpm. Above 2,000 rpm, power surges in a progressive manner.

On the open road, the Fronx is a brisk performer. However, it is not as fast or exciting as some of the other 1.0L turbos that we have experienced. The power delivery is linear in nature. For enthusiasts, the engine doesn't evoke any emotions and appears a rather standard fare. There is decent mid-range delivery to facilitate quick overtaking manoeuvres. The driver will enjoy this mid-range torque and the car should offer good highway driveability. The engine revs freely up to ~6,300 rpm and falls to its conservative 6,000 rpm limit, but most of the grunt is delivered up to 5,000 rpm. At high rpm, that typical 3-cylinder thrum is well controlled, but it’s very much there. In terms of cruiseability, in 5th gear, 100 km/h is seen at 2,500 rpm while 120 km/h is achieved at 3,000 rpm.

The 5-speed manual transmission is slick to operate. The throws are smooth and sure-slotting. The clutch is super light and the travel range is average. As mentioned earlier though, the dead pedal could have been better positioned.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

There is a slight shake of the body as the engine cranks, but other than that, there are no vibrations felt inside the cabin. At idle, you will feel some faint vibrations on the centre armrest though. While driving around calmly, the engine sound doesn't bother the cabin. However, as the revs climb, the engine makes itself heard a lot more in the cabin. While it's a likeable sound for enthusiasts, other occupants are likely to complain as things get boomy at higher revs.

Wind noise starts creeping into the cabin above 90 km/h and gets louder with speed. Even so, it’s not excessive at 100-120 km/h. Road noise and tyre noise are average.

Mileage & Fuel Economy

As we are already aware, turbo-petrols are sensitive to throttle input and you will be visiting the fuel station more often if you have a heavy foot. But drive sedately and you should see some acceptable FE figures. The Fronx turbo-petrol MT's ARAI-certified fuel efficiency is 21.5 km/l, while the AT's is 20.01 km/l.

The 1.2L naturally aspirated petrol has an ARAI-certified fuel efficiency of 21.79 km/l for the MT and 22.89 km/l for the AMT.

The turbocharger is placed on the front of the engine and you also have a cold air intake:


The bonnet gets insulation underneath and helps keep the noise levels low:


MT gets a gear shift indicator:

Suspension

Ride Comfort

The Fronx comes with a McPherson strut suspension at the front and a torsion beam suspension with coil springs at the rear. The ride over small potholes and uneven roads at city speed is absorbent. No bumps are transmitted hard into the cabin. Even over bad roads, the suspension does a good job of keeping the car's occupants comfortable. Large potholes do register themselves in the cabin though. Overall the ride quality is very compliant. The suspension works silently too.

All variants of the Fronx ride on 16-inch wheels with 195/60 section tyres and the recommended tyre pressure is 29 PSI.

Handling & Dynamics

The Fronx has a good all-rounded suspension setup. It is neither too stiff nor too soft. Straight-line stability is good for a car in this segment and occupants won't even know that the car is cruising at triple-digit speeds. Expansion joints on the highway do not unsettle it.

On long curves, the car holds its line well. Push the car on twisty roads and you will experience some body roll, but it's very well-controlled. The car changes direction without fuss. Our test car came with 195/60 R16 Good Year Assurance tyres, which provided enough grip for the power on tap.

Steering

The Fronx gets an electric power steering, which is very user-friendly. It's light in the city and most owners will appreciate that. The compact dimensions of the car, light steering and a tight turning radius of 4.9 metres make the Fronx very easy to drive in the city. At higher speeds, the steering weighs up well. There's no nervous feeling or twitchiness at all while cruising on the highways. However, on the twisty roads, you will find that it doesn't relay much feedback.

One point to note is that the steering has a stronger return to centre action than some of the Maruti cars we have driven in recent times.

Braking

The Fronx is equipped with disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. The performance is as expected and the car comes to a halt without much drama. Under hard braking too, the car doesn't lose its composure.

Niggles & Problems

While we expect the drivetrain to be trouble-free (as is in the case of most Maruti cars), we did have a couple of complaints. A portion of the LED light bar at the rear had stopped working. This was not expected on a car with just ~300 km on the odo.



Next, all the seatbelts have to be buckled in while the car is being driven, even if there is no other person in it other than the driver. If not done, the seatbelt alarm keeps sounding. No, this was not a niggle with our test car. The system has been designed that way and it's incredibly stupid. What if you want to fold the rear seatbacks down to carry more luggage than the boot can hold?

[Aditya]

Maruti Fronx Exterior Images

Front end bears resemblance to the Grand Vitara with a large grille and the placement of the DRLs and headlamps:


Rear features multiple cuts and creases. Notice how the tail-lamps stick out from the sides. "Fronx" and "Smart Hybrid" badges are pasted on the left and right of the tail-gate respectively:


Roof rails and black cladding along the wheel arches and sides give the Fronx a rugged appearance. Side windows get UV cut glasses:


Maruti has done a good job of distinguishing the Fronx from the Baleno and Grand Vitara. Yet it does not manage to turn many heads:


The Fronx measures 3,995 mm in length, 1,765 mm in width, 1,550 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2,520 mm. The relatively small size and height take away some of the road presence:


LED DRLs sit on top and double up as turn-indicators. Alpla, Zeta and Delta+ variants get multi-reflector LED headlamps with glossy black housings. No fog lamps have been provided:


Thick, silver chrome strip runs across the upper section of the piano black radiator grille and connects the LED DRLs. Except for this strip, the badges and the window line, you will not find chrome anywhere on the car. The front camera is placed just below the "S" badge:


Bumper houses the head-lamp clusters, a wide air dam with horizontal slats, a black insert and a silver skid plate at the bottom. Notice the number of creases on it:


Slim and wide mud flaps just ahead of the front wheels:


Full underbody protection at the front. That's nice to see:


Triple jet windshield washers are fairly well concealed under the bonnet:


Strong crease lines on the front body panel run onto the front door:


Dual-tone ORVMs get integrated LED turn-indicators and cameras underneath for the 360-degree view system:


Both front door handles get request sensors. Only the RHS unit gets a keyhole:


C-pillar is thick and houses a tiny quarter glass along with a black plastic panel to give a "floating" roof effect:


Black body cladding holds a silver insert:


Strong crease runs across the rear door and onto the rear panel above the tail-lamp cluster. Another one runs from the rear door, across the fuel flap and bumper and onto the hatch just below the tail-lamp cluster:


Alpha variant gets 16-inch precision-cut dual-tone alloy wheels. 195/60 R16 tyres are standard on all variants:


Drum brakes at the rear. The rear overhang is short. Notice the mud flap just ahead of the wheel:


Both front and rear wheel wells get full cladding on the inside:


No stickers or markings on the fuel flap or fuel cap to indicate the diet of the Fronx:


Roof is not ribbed. It holds silver roof rails:


Rear section of the roof carries a sharkfin antenna:


Roof spoiler also houses the HMSL:


Full LED tail-lamp cluster consists of pilot & stop lamps along with reversing lights and turn-indicators:


LED light bar connects the two tail-lamp clusters. Rear washer & wiper are available on the Zeta and Alpha variants:


Rear camera is tucked away above the numberplate (on the left):


Bumper gets numerous cuts and creases along with a black insert and a large silver skid plate. It houses 4 parking sensors and slim, vertically oriented reflectors:


Tailpipe is located on the right. There's a cutout in the bumper to accommodate it:

[Aditya]

Maruti Fronx Interior Images

Cabin feels modern and up-to-date in terms of design. However, we feel that the dashboard has too many colours and textures:


Typical Maruti leather-wrapped, flat-bottom steering with thumb contours and a piano black insert on the lower section. It gets tilt & telescopic adjustment which helps in finding your perfect driving position:


Audio and infotainment-related controls are located on the left spoke, while the right spoke holds switches for the cruise control system:


Telephony and voice command controls are placed behind the wheel:


The top of the dashboard (behind the instrument cluster) houses the retractable head-up display. It feels rather after-market'ish. You can adjust the view and brightness:


You can toggle through information and can even have turn-by-turn navigation displayed here. The display quality is good and I didn't have to take my eyes off the road very often:


Stalks are chunky. Wipers have 4 speeds for the intermittent setting. While automatic headlamps have been provided, rain-sensing wipers have been given a miss:


Engine start/stop button gets a nice chrome ring around it. Next to it, are the HUD controls, traction control switch, front camera activation button, idle start/stop off switch and headlamp leveller. Excess dummy buttons look bad:


Easy-to-read instrument cluster consists of a tachometer and speedometer with an MID in the middle. Analogue fuel and temperature gauges have been provided:


Ugly adjustment stalks stick out of the instrument cluster on both sides:


MID displays plenty of information like torque and power reading, accelerator and brake pattern, power flow and G force meter. You also get the usual driving information like average fuel economy, range, driving time, etc. You can also just have a clock displayed and the door open indicator displays if the bonnet or tailgate is open too:






Side A/C vents get piano black surrounds and air volume controllers:


Storage space to the RHS of the steering can hold small items:


Bonnet and fuel flap release levers are located below:


Black & brown theme with silver inserts is carried over to the doorpads. Door pockets can hold a 1L bottle and other knick knacks:


Door handles are finished in chrome:


Power window console is from the Maruti parts bin. The switches feel cheap and flimsy:


Armrests get soft artificial leather padding:


Fabric-upholstered front seats get side airbags too (no seat covers here please). We would've liked to see ventilated seats here. Overall, the seats offer sufficient bolstering & back support:


A closer look at the fabric upholstery. The quality is just average:


Driver’s seat is 6-way adjustable. A lumbar adjustment has been omitted. Lever to recline the seat feels loose and so does the backrest. Neither lever feels very durable:


Seatbelts are not adjustable for height. Still, most users will find them placed at a comfortable height:


Leather-wrapped centre armrest is comfortable to use:


Centre armrest can be slid forward, but the action feels too loose:


While the A, B & C pedals are well spaced out, the clutch is placed too close to the dead pedal:


ORVMs are adequately sized and offer a good view of the action behind:


IRVM with auto-dimming function is wide, but thick C-pillars limit rearward visibility:


Thick C-pillars and a small windshield restrict rearward visibility. Still, with the compact dimensions and the reverse parking sensors & camera, reversing is not a difficult affair:


Centre fascia is identical to the Baleno. A/C vents get silver inserts:


Touchscreen is very smooth to use and doesn't lag when you are going through its functions. It is one of the nicer units in the segment and comes with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. With the Arkamys tuned sound system, there are 3 surround sense presets - Natural, Acoustic and Dynamic. All 3 are very distinct and offer a great listening experience:


Navigation is through Google Maps via Android Auto:


Vehicle details such as energy flow, instantaneous and average fuel economy, driving pattern, etc. are displayed on the touchscreen:


360-degree camera has plenty of options too for different views:


Reversing camera gets adaptive guidelines:


A/C controls have been placed below with a small readout in between. Physical buttons are so much easier to operate than touch-sensitive units while driving. These buttons are of good quality and operate with a nice click:


At the base of the centre fascia, you have a 12V power outlet and a Type-A USB port. Both come with covers:


Centre console houses a wireless charging pad for smartphones:


Centre console gets a pair of cupholders:


5-speed manual gear lever with the leather boot is shared with other cars from the Maruti stable. It is smooth and a joy to operate:


Bird's eye view of the centre console:


Under the centre armrest is a useful storage box:


The different colours and textures used on the dashboard are clearly visible on the passenger side:


Glovebox is not big. It is illuminated but not cooled:


Roof bezel houses the Bluetooth mic and 2 yellow individual map lights. We would have liked to see white lights here. Yellow cabin lights remind you of cars from more than a decade ago:


Sunvisors are thick and feel sturdy. Both units get vanity mirrors with illumination, covers and ticket holders:


Front footwells get illumination:


The Fronx comes with 6 airbags in total (front, side and curtain):


Rear doorpads have an identical theme to the front units:


Ingress & egress is easy and there's a healthy amount of legroom. Here's a look at the maximum and minimum legroom available:


SDP (5'10") sitting behind his driving position had plenty of knee room at the rear. The angle of the backrest is comfortable too, but the under-thigh support could have been better:


Headroom is adequate. SDP had more than 2 inches of clearance:


Battery for the Smart Hybrid system is placed under the front passenger seat which prevents the rear passenger from sliding his feet under the front seat:


Rear bench gets 3 adjustable headrests and all 3 occupants get 3-point seatbelts. Annoyingly, all seatbelts need to be buckled in when the car is being driven even if no one is sitting on the seats to prevent the seatbelt warning from sounding. A centre armrest has not been provided:


ISOFIX child seat anchors have been provided on both sides:


Window sill is high, the glass area is not very large and the upholstery is dark. However, the available space prevents people from feeling claustrophobic in the rear. Tiny rear quarter glass helps matters:


Rear window can be rolled down all the way...well, almost:


Only the front passenger seat has a seatback pocket. It is adequately deep and wide:


Rear passengers get A/C vents and...


...Type-A and Type-C USB ports. A slot to keep a smartphone has been provided below:


Spring-loaded grab handles above each passenger door have a damped action. Only the rear right unit gets a coat hook:


Whitish roofliner with a cabin lamp for rear passengers:


Boot space is rated at 308 litres, which is among the smallest in the segment. Even the Baleno has a larger boot (318 litres):


Parcel tray with a prominent border has been provided:


Boot light and bag hook are located on the LHS:


Jack can be stowed away out of sight behind this plastic cover:


Loading lip is high and one will have to make an extra effort to load luggage. But, thanks to the split tail-lamps, the boot opening is wide making luggage easier to load:


The spare wheel is a full-sized steel rim:


Rear seat is split in a 60:40 ratio which allows selective folding if you need to carry a combination of cargo + passengers. The levers to unlock the seatbacks feel cheap and flimsy:


Folding the rear seatbacks gives you a lot more cargo space. The seatbacks do not fold completely flat though:


While the tailgate gets proper cladding on the inside, the demister connectors are left exposed. Plastic caps should have been used to cover them:


Tailgate gets an electromagnetic release as well as a request sensor:


Disclaimer: Maruti invited Team-BHP for the Fronx test-drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line.

[Anxiousblock]

Great detailed review as always. Fingers crossed for the pricing. Hope they don't surprise us.

[Asish_VK]

Great review as always.

Maruti has done a nice job of designing this car. Fronx looks sharp and modern. Though it resembles the Baleno in many angles, I would say it's a commendable job. This will clearly sell in numbers for sure. Glad to hear that the build quality seems better (no comments on crash safety for now).
And for some reason, I like the name 'Fronx' too.

[m8002?]

Seems to be a very good city car. Price it reasonably and they have another winner.
Any info on the auto transmissions?

[VinsWagen]

Maruti may not have been too happy with Nexon's shoulder-to-shoulder positioning with its blockbusters on the sales chart. It looks like Fronx is explicitly launched to take on Nexon and could very well displace it as the top-selling crossover. Tata cannot hold a candle to the ASS experience and peace of mind that Maruti can bring in. But, has Maruti built it as safe as Nexon? Fingers crossed.

[saikishor]

Fronx looks like a good deal to me. When I first saw it I hated it but now after seeing more pictures I really like it. Three misses which matter to me are leather seats, sunroof and ventilated seats. Another annoying thing that I read about was the seatbelt reminder thing. Makes no sense to buckle the seatbelts when there is no one sitting.

And yes, rear indicators are LED

[d-g-p]

Thanks for the Crisp review.
So, this is a rare new car launch without the menace of Sunroof in the top model ( If you can convince the family members )
Boot space is low for a car aspiring to be called as SUV/Crossover.
Rear headroom might bother a few.
Ventilated seat is not expected too soon from Maruti to keep costs down for the category, when even Brezza do not get it and only top full hybrid Grand Vitara gets.
TPMS is given a miss again ? I guess, Maruti is the only mass market manufacturer ignoring this important feature in India ! Even with aftermarket options, one has to go through the hassles of integrating / installing a display unit or a mobile app.
I am a bit worried about those seat belt alarms !!
A big question though would be of Structural safety considering the platform !
Over all it should be a good option in market if priced sensibly.

[shashant]

Great review as always

Is boosterjet + automatic driving impression coming soon?

[el lobo 6061]

Originally Posted by Aditya

Next, all the seatbelts have to be buckled in while the car is being driven, even if there is no other person in it other than the driver. If not done, the seatbelt alarm keeps sounding. No, this was not a niggle with our test car. The system has been designed that way and it's incredibly stupid. What if you want to fold the rear seatbacks down to carry more luggage than the boot can hold?

Some bean counter at Maruti would have come with this brilliant cost cutting idea.

Rather than using 3 weight sensor within seats, to determine need for seat belt; they simply took the driver seat belt reminder sensor and plonked them in every seat belt buckle.

How did this got approve would be a case study.

This definitely is a con/issue and should be highlighted.

Edit:
Would increase sales of Dummy Seat Belt Alarm stopper.

[Aditya]

Originally Posted by shashant

Great review as always

Is boosterjet + automatic driving impression coming soon?

Thanks. For this drive, only the MT was provided. We'll try to get the AT for a review in the coming weeks.