autoX Awards 2023: Maruti Suzuki Fronx Performance, Quality and Value for Money Ranked

autoX Awards 2023: The Maruti Suzuki Fronx represents a rather bold stride by Maruti Suzuki in the Indian market. When you look at the car, the first thing that you’ll notice is its design. With a coupe-like roofline and an elevated stance, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx aims to bring the sporty-coupe SUV charm to the masses, and I think that it has done it successfully. The Fronx is a handsome car with a design that will grow on you – if you don’t find it pleasing already, that is. Its bold front-end design is reminiscent of the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, and its muscular rear end is well complemented by connected LED taillamps. Overall, the design works well and makes it stand out in the crowd.

Inside, the Fronx impresses with its wide array of features, including a Head-Up display, a wireless charger, a 360-degree video camera, and a brilliant 9-inch SmartPlay Pro+ infotainment system with Arkamys sound system, supporting both wireless Android Auto and Wireless Apple CarPlay, in addition to the usual wired and Bluetooth-enabled connectivity features. However, it misses out on the sunroof. Its interior design, which is identical to that of the Baleno, leaves you wanting for more. I think Maruti Suzuki missed the opportunity to give the Fronx an updated, more jazzy interior to be in line with its fresh exterior design. Plus, it would have really made the Fronx unique.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Fronx Review: Is it just a Baleno in Grand Vitara's Clothing?
 
During our test, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx really surprised us with its ride quality, striking a great balance between being soft enough to tackle bad road conditions and stiff enough to inspire confidence. Owing to its relatively lower height compared to other sub-4 metre SUVs, the Fronx exhibits noteworthy handling capabilities. The Fronx’s drivetrain has been tuned for better fuel efficiency. Our test car was equipped with a 1.0-litre turbocharged engine, which produces 98.5bhp of power, and a mild hybrid system for better efficiency. This engine can be had with a 6-speed automatic gearbox, which is what our test car had. While the engine was refined and exhibited the typical turbocharged engine behaviour we expect in this segment – it is relatively flat under 2000rpm – the gearbox performance wasn’t adequate when pushed hard. But, then, the Fronx was never meant to be exceptional – it was meant to embody the typical Maruti Suzuki ethos. And that it does rather stylishly!

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