Having sold my RS almost a year back, I was at home the instant I pressed the accelerator. It took off without a hint of lag.

BHPian shibujp recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Among some of the mysteries of life is the inability of Maruti to sell the BoosterJet engine variants in decent numbers. I owned this engine in the form of a Baleno RS for over a lakh kilometres and there I can understand that its suspension tuning did it no favours but still the engine itself was worth it given its flexibility and responsiveness.

Got a chance to test drive the Fronx BoosterJet AT a week back for a relative of mine. Having sold my RS almost a year back, I was at home the instant I pressed the accelerator. It took off without a hint of lag. The throaty rasp that I loved in the RS was still there and what especially stood out was the gearbox in traffic..no hunting for ratios and super smooth as self-respecting torque converter ATs should be. The paddle shift was great too and shifted up and down on demand as needed. But frankly, the gearbox in regular drive mode was so well-tuned that I hardly felt the need to use the paddles.

Press the accelerator and the mid-range eagerness that I had in my manual RS was still there...if Maruti had tuned this engine for more mileage it wouldn't affected the character much. I also put it into manual mode and loved the fact that it held onto the gear till you changed gears.

One great thing that Maruti has improved over the RS is the suspension tune. Even though it is suspended higher up than the RS the suspension was just great not feeling too soft given the power of the engine which was one of the drawbacks of the RS. If it hadn't been for the Jimny this could have been the RS replacement.

Drive on,

Shibu

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Urban Cruiser Taisor will be a rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx.

Toyota has confirmed its plans to unveil a new compact crossover on April 3, 2024. The new model is expected to be called 'Urban Cruiser Taisor'.

The Urban Cruiser Taisor will be a rebadged version of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx. It is likely to get Toyota-specific cosmetic changes, including a revised front grille, new LED DRLs, reworked tail lamps and new design alloy wheels, among a few others.

The interior of the Urban Cruiser Taisor could be largely identical to the Fronx. It will come equipped with a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, automatic climate control, a 360-degree camera and a heads-up display.

The Urban Cruiser Taisor is expected to be offered with the same engine options as the Fronx. These include a 1.2-litre petrol engine producing 89 BHP and 113 Nm and a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol unit that puts out 99 BHP and 148 Nm. Both engines come with a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard. While the 1.0L engine gets an optional 6-speed automatic, the 1.2L unit could be equipped with a 5-speed AMT.

Source: Autocar India

The Fronx hybrid is said to be one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles offering 35 km/l.

Buoyed by the market’s response to its hybrid offerings, Maruti Suzuki is planning to offer hybrid powertrains in mass segments. According to a media report, the carmaker is working on hybrid versions of the Fronx, Baleno, Swift and even a small MPV.

The report states that Maruti Suzuki will not use Toyota’s hybrid system, but is developing an in-house hybrid powertrain (codenamed: HEV). It is said to be a series hybrid that’s cheaper to produce compared to series-parallel and parallel hybrid. It features an internal combustion engine that serves as a range extender. The engine produces electricity that in turn powers an electric motor.

The report states that Maruti could launch the Fronx hybrid sometime next year. The car is rumoured to be one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles offering 35 km/l.

The Baleno hybrid is likely to be introduced in 2026, followed by the Swift hybrid a year later. The next-gen Brezza, which is also said to be a hybrid, will be launched around 2029.

Source: Autocar India

The Fronx Velocity Edition is available in three variants – Delta+, Zeta and Alpha.

Maruti Suzuki has launched a new special edition of the Fronx called the Turbo Velocity Edition.

The Fronx Turbo Velocity Edition is available in three variants – Delta+, Zeta and Alpha. The special edition gets 16 accessories worth Rs 43,000.

The Turbo Velocity Edition is equipped with a grey and black exterior styling kit, door visors, ORVM cover, headlamp garnish, body side moulding, illuminated door sill guard, red dash designed mat, NeXCross Bordeaux sleeve seat cover, 3D boot mat, spoiler extender, wheel arch garnish, front grille garnish and an interior styling kit with carbon finish.

The Fronx is available with two engine options. These include the 1.2-litre petrol engine that makes 89 BHP and 113 Nm, paired with a 5-speed manual and 5-speed AMT and a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol unit that puts out 99 BHP and 148 Nm that is available with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic. The Turbo Velocity Edition is only available with the latter of the two engines.

Source: Rushlane

Maruti’s SUV product portfolio wholesale started to decline during the 2023 festive season, mostly due to the fall in sales of the Jimny and Fronx.

BHPian pqr recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

2023: Maruti lost the #1 SUV rank in just 2 months

After showcasing Fronx and Jimny at the January 2023 Auto Expo, wholesale dispatch of Fronx started in April 2023; this was followed by Jimny in June, and Maruti steadily climbed to the #1 position in the Indian SUV market by July, with a 25% SUV market share.

Maruti was able to retain the #1 position in August as well, with a 24% share; however, from September onwards, Maruti’s SUV product portfolio wholesale started to decline during the festive season, mostly due to the fall in sales of Jimny and Fronx. By November, Maruti’s SUV ranking dropped to #4, just behind Mahindra, Tata, and Hyundai. Besides Brezza AT, every other model carries some discount in December 2023.

With a wider SUV product portfolio and new production capacity going on-stream, Mahindra regained the top spot from Maruti in September, at the beginning of the festive season.

Don't count your chickens until they are hatched.

Source

What is startling is the desperation shown by Maruti in claiming the #1 position in the SUV market through this expensive ad campaign. Which has now gone down the drain.

With Jimny’s positioning fiasco, it's high time for Maruti to do some soul-searching for its SUV product portfolio to achieve sustainability in the long term, as SUV and MUV body styles are only future markets; the rest will diminish over time.

Here's what GTO had to say about the matter:

Surprised to see such loud claims from Maruti when:

• India moved to SUVs & Maruti completely missed the boat in the initial years. They were late to the party and till date, don't have any SUV / Crossover that we can call the "segment best".
• They actually have just two SUVs, the Jimny & Grand Vitara Hybrid. The Brezza is really a raised hatchback, while the Fronx....amazing car, but not an SUV.
• If Maruti wants to continue misleading, why not include the S-Presso too? Maruti has marketed the car as a "Mini SUV".
• All their SUVs & Crossovers are targeting the lower end of the market or their respective segments. Hardly anything to be proud of.
• Maruti simply doesn't have a solid product loaded with tech that can match the Creta / Seltos, XUV700, Safari & gang.
• Fact is, Maruti doesn't know how to engineer a car costing over 15-lakh rupees. They can build you a cheap hatchback or sub-4 meter sedan, but a game-changer SUV for 25-lakh rupees? No knowledge at all. It's like telling a plywood manufacturer to build you a TV.
• Forget turbo-charged petrol engines, Maruti's biggest motor is a boring 1.5L NA petrol that feels like 1990. Forget dual-clutch ATs or CVTs, Maruti still has an AT gearbox from the 90s on sale. Forget EVs, they had to beg & borrow the hybrid tech from Toyota.
• Build your R&D capability, Maruti. Else you will have to stay content with hand-me-down tech from Toyota which will come slow, almost like drip-feeding.

Here's what BHPian coldice4u had to say about the matter:

They can make all the claims, all the ads, present all the stats. But that Fronx ain't even remotely an SUV by a very very long shot!

On second thoughts, I  wonder why they did not add the Ignis and S-Presso numbers.

Here's what BHPian bijims had to say about the matter:

Mahindra is the only major player to have true SUVs in the market under a reasonable price band that sell well, the rest don't even offer RWD (whereas Mahindra has cars that offer AWD, 4X4, and Body on-frame chassis). The only exceptions are the Jimny and the Grand Vitara AWD, whose sales are not much to talk about.

When just comparing SUV body style and high ground clearance, every maker has one or the other car in this segment. So Mahindra getting back the crown of number one SUV maker in India is no surprise.

Here's what BHPian Fuldagap had to say about the matter:

I log on to TBHP at least twice daily. Straightaway I click on the "Hot Threads" link and I see at least 2 threads on the Jimny among those. It might not be doing the sales numbers as expected but it sure has been keeping momentum on TBHP.

Maruti cars are no-nonsense cars, fuss-free and after the initial euphoria of owning a new car is over, which in my opinion 3-4 months or so, their products last a lifetime. This seems mostly true for first-time buyers, which are a lot in our country.

Some of their cars are even fun to drive. Ignis or the Swift for example have been perfect for my solo but long drives on Indian roads and weather conditions. Never faced any issues and travelled with zero fear of anything going wrong or the associated aftermath if anything does go wrong.

The Ertiga was never to my liking but once I drove it many years back, it was a clear winner for long drives with a bunch of people.

A probable Ignis with 4x4 can take on most tarmacs on long drives is what I have always felt. Spectacular little car.

A 2nd additional car in the family or in somebody's garage might or might not be a Maruti but the masses still bank upon their products.

I wish Maruti one day is able to break the 15 lakh price barrier and change its perceived image among people in general. To maintain the number one spot in terms of sales for so many decades is a feat quite difficult to manage even for much bigger companies than Maruti. I am sure the R&D and associated management must be on their toes all the time to give the country the current line up of their products.

I never thought that they would launch the Jimny for real anytime here but they did, even if it was too late as per enthusiasts' hopes. It possibly marks a change in their perception of the market today and maybe just maybe we would see better SUVs here in the future from them.

Whether the Toyota-Maruti partnership makes up for a good or bad case study a decade from now is yet to be seen. Homegrown companies like Tata are giving the much deserved flavour to the market not to mention stiff competition to Maruti in almost all segments.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The automatic variants of the Fronx contributed to 24% of sales.

Maruti Suzuki has sold over 1 lakh units of the Fronx since its launch. It achieved the sales milestone in a record 10 months.

The Maruti Fronx was showcased at Auto Expo 2023 and was launched in the Indian market on April 24, 2023. The carmaker states that the model has been instrumental in more than doubling its share in the SUV segment to 19.7% in CY2023 from 10.4% in 2022.

The Maruti Fronx is available with two engine options. These include a 1.2-litre K-Series Dual Jet motor that makes 89 BHP and 113 Nm. It is paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT. The second engine option is an all-new 1.0-litre K-Series Boosterjet turbo-petrol that puts out 99 BHP and 148 Nm. This engine is offered with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic.

According to Maruti Suzuki, the automatic variants of the Fronx contributed to 24% of sales. The 1.0-litre turbo-petrol version also witnessed considerable demand.

The Fronx is also exported to markets in Latin America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The carmaker has exported over 9,000 units till now.

The new compact SUV and 7-seater SUV could be launched in India between 2025 and 2027.

Maruti Suzuki - India’s largest carmaker by volumes, is said to be working on two new SUVs for the Indian market. These are likely to be introduced in the next 2-3 years.

According to a media report, Maruti has lined up a compact SUV (codenamed Y43), that will be positioned below the Brezza. It will compete with the likes of the Hyundai Exter and Tata Punch.

The second model will be a 3-row, 7-seater SUV (codenamed Y17). It will be based on the Grand Vitara and is likely to be priced in the Rs 15-25 lakh price bracket. The Y17 is also said to receive a strong-hybrid powertrain option.

Maruti Suzuki has doubled its market share in the SUV segment to over 20% since the introduction of the Fronx, Jimny and Grand Vitara. The upcoming models are likely to bring in incremental sales of 2.50 lakh units per annum as the carmaker aims to regain its 50% market share.

Reports suggest that the new compact SUV and the 7-seater could be launched in the Indian market between 2025 and 2027.

Source: Autocar India

The video shows the Fronx and Brezza being subjected to several crash tests at Maruti’s test facility.

Maruti Suzuki has released a video of crash tests conducted on the Fronx and Brezza.

The video shows the Fronx and Brezza being subjected to several crash tests at Maruti’s test facility. The cars undergo frontal, frontal offset and side impact tests to evaluate different safety parameters.

The video also explains the benefits of crumple zones and how they’re designed to deform during a collision. It also talks about the dummies used to simulate the impact on the human body.

Maruti Suzuki cars are said to undergo more than 50 tests before they reach showrooms. The carmaker has pledged to send at least three cars for the Bharat NCAP crash tests and the Fronx and Brezza could be among them.

Bharat NCAP recently released the results of the first two models evaluated under the new India-specific crash safety assessment program. Both the new Tata Harrier and Safari have been awarded a 5-star rating by the agency.

In India, the Fronx is available with 1.2L petrol and 1.0L turbo-petrol engines.

Suzuki has launched Fronx in South Africa. While the crossover is manufactured in India, the export version gets a bigger powerplant.

The South Africa-spec Fronx is powered by a 1.5-litre K15B petrol engine. It produces 104 BHP and 138 Nm and is paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission.

On the outside, the Suzuki Fronx looks similar to the Indian version. It has a hexagonal grille with a chrome insert, flanked by a set of LED daytime running lights. The triple LED headlamps are positioned in separate pods on the bumper.

The Fronx gets slim wraparound tail lights and dual-tone alloy wheels. Suzuki offers a unique orange exterior colour option in South Africa. Inside, the car gets a 3-spoke steering wheel, twin-dial instrument cluster and a touchscreen infotainment system in the centre.

In India, the Fronx is available with two engine options. These include a 1.2-litre petrol that makes 89 BHP and 113 Nm, paired with either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT and a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol unit that puts out 99 BHP and 148 Nm. This engine is offered with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic.

The rebadged version of the Fronx is likely to be launched this festive season.

Toyota has filed a trademark for the 'Urban Cruiser Taisor' nametag. It could be used for Toyota's version of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx.

The rebadged version of the Fronx is likely to be launched this festive season. It could receive a few cosmetic changes, including a revised front grille and bumper.

The interior of the Urban Cruiser Taisor could be largely identical to the Fronx. It will come equipped with a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, automatic climate control, a 360-degree camera and a heads-up display.

The Urban Cruiser Taisor is expected to be offered with the same engine options as the Fronx. These include a 1.2-litre petrol engine producing 89 BHP and 113 Nm and a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol unit that puts out 99 BHP and 148 Nm. Both engines come with a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard. While the 1.0L engine gets an optional 6-speed automatic, the 1.2L unit could be equipped with a 5-speed AMT.