Not sure what to make of the Suzuki Fronx.
It shares a platform with the Suzuki Swift, so it could be described as the crossover version of Swift.
The Fronx name is a portmanteau of ‘Frontier Next’ which was trademarked by Suzuki way back in 2014.
They are a bit slow off the mark but apparently the idea was to create an SUV that is widely accepted by the market with existing resources, which could explain some things.
Suzuki describes Fronx as the most comprehensively equipped Suzuki model ever offered in Australia, pairing premium styling with the advanced features you’d normally expect in higher-end cars.
Let’s see.
There’s just the one model priced from $29,990 driveaway. Premium paint adds $745 to the price; two-tone paint which combines a black roof with a second colour is $1345.
Our test vehicle was finished in the two-tone combination of Bluish Black Pearl over Splendid Silver Pearl Metallic.
Standard kit includes single-zone climate air, combination cloth and leather accented trim, leather transmission shift and steering wheel, heated manual-adjust front seats and keyless entry and start.
There are also 16-inch alloys with 195/60 profile rubber, LED head and daytime running lights, adaptive cruise control, auto high beam, traffic sign recognition and rear parking sensors.
Fronx is covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and five years of roadside assistance.
Service is due every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first. No mention of fixed price servicing.
STYLING
Fronx is an attractive little vehicle.
One of those in-betweeners, not quite a hatch but certainly not an SUV.
It’s just under four metres in length with a 2520mm wheelbase and weighs 1064kg.
INFOTAINMENT
Infotainment comes in the form of a smallish 9.0-inch touchscreen. It features
Bluetooth, steering wheel controls, AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and generic six-speaker sound.
Separate controls are provided for the air, but no physical volume control is provided for the audio.
Navigation is not included and while we have objected strongly to manufacturers dropping this feature in the past, the advent of wireless CarPlay and Android Auto largely fills this role – EXCEPT that is when you leave civilisation behind and phone reception becomes patchy.
Alas, then you’re on your own.
There’s also wireless phone charging, USB-A and 12-volt sockets in the front, plus two USB-C sockets in the back.
SAFETY
Fronx has not been tested for safety yet.
In fact, the only Suzuki to currently carry a rating from ANCAP is the Swift hatch and it mustered only three stars.
However, it comes with a comprehensive suite of driver assist features including six airbags, head-up display, a 360-degree reverse camera and auto emergency braking.
Dual Sensor Brake Support II employs radar and a camera to detect vehicles,
bicycles, and pedestrians directly or diagonally ahead of the vehicle.
If a collision is likely, audio and visual warnings alert the driver. If the driver doesn’t brake hard enough, brake assist steps in to automatically help slow the vehicle.
And, if the probability of a collision increases, the system automatically applies brake force to help reduce impact force and mitigate damage.
There’s also Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitor and Weaving Alert.
Two ISOFix child seat anchors and three top tethers are provided in the rear.
ENGINES/TRANSMISSIONS
The 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine develops 76kW at 6000 rpm and 137Nm of torque at 4400 rpm, with the assistance of a 12-volt mild-hybrid system.
It’s paired with a six-speed automatic, with drive to the front wheels.
INTERIOR
Rear legroom is generous for a vehicle this size, but at the expense of luggage capacity.
The elevated rear seat limits headroom and rear seat passengers unfortunately miss out on their own air outlets.
Cargo capacity is 304 litres with the rear seats upright, or 605 litres with them folded, with a multi-level floor that hides a space saver spare.
It’s a tight little chassis with a low centre of gravity and Fronx handles surprisingly well, given the limitations of the simple torsion bar rear suspension.
There are paddle shifters for changing gear manually as well as a Sport button on the centre console.
In other markets Fronx is available with all-wheel drive, but that would impact the price.
DRIVING
Suzuki is slow to respond to feedback, or is just not listening, because the car comes with the same old transmission shift that has attracted criticism in the past.
The problem is that dragging the shift backwards to put the car into Drive is likely to engage manual mode if you pull too hard, and there’s no lock out to stop this from occurring.
The result is a car that revs loudly, demanding a gear change that is not going to happen until you realise what is going on.
Putting anything in the two cupholders ahead of the transmission shift makes it difficult to move the shift into park. Seriously, guys?
The instrument cluster is basic, with old school analogue gauges for the tacho and speedometer, separated by a small informational panel.
It offers a surprising array of choices, some such as G-force are perhaps irrelevant to the average driver.
Using Android Auto to navigate locks the information panel to map directions and in the process locks out the digital speedo, just when you are probably going to need it.
The head-up display is of the cheaper, flip-up variety, but at least it works.
Better still, you can actually see it wearing polarised sunglasses.
Light steering and a compact 9.6-metre turning circle make it an okay car for getting around town, as long as you’re an undemanding driver.
But a lack of power and especially torque sees it struggle outside of town where you are more likely to encounter hilly terrain and have the need to overtake.
Engaging Sport mode is a bit frenetic for prolonged use, but you can get the car really moving quite well if you elect to change gears manually.
The majority of drivers are unlikely to persist with this option, but letting the transmission do its thing sees it slip back into a torque hole.
The car doesn’t really get going without at least 2300 revs on the dial.
As we mentioned, it’s a good chassis and could easily accommodate a more powerful drivetrain. It deserves it.
Although the driver assist features aren’t too intrusive, there was one incident where auto braking activated for no apparent reason as we rounded a descending hairpin bend – not once but three times.
With a 37-litre tank it takes standard 91 unleaded and with auto engine stop-start, fuel consumption is a claimed 4.9L/100km.
We were getting 5.7L/100km after 533km – not bad but not as good as a Toyota.
SUMMING UP
There’s a great car inside the Fronx waiting to get out. It could be so much more and is crying out for further investment.
On our wish list is a more powerful engine, a digital instrument cluster and a reorganisation of the infotainment system.
The original four quadrant system nailed simplicity, this one is just confusing. Just saying.
RATINGS
Looks: 8
Performance: 6
Safety: 6
Thirst: 7
Practicality: 7.5
Comfort: 7.5
Tech: 7
Value: 8
Overall: 7.1
