since 1976
since 1976
By Lee Pang Seng
SUZUKI”S foray into the Malaysian SUV (sport utility vehicle) saw its best run during the days of the Vitara in both three- and five-door variants during the 1990s. Its popularity gradually faded as more rival options, including those from national brands, were introduced.
During the 2000s, the Suzuki distributor then tried to revive interest in its SUV range by introducing the SX4 Crossover. This was a slightly smaller model against the Vitara in dimensions but as an import model (the SX4 introduced here is made in Japan), its pricey note didn’t draw greater market share.
Under the Naza Group now, another attempt is made to draw buyer interest with yet another Crossover. It’s called the Suzuki Fronx and this model is built in Indonesia. While it might look somewhat similar in body dimensions to the SX4, it has a shorter wheelbase of 2520mm against the SX4’s 2600mm and is generally more compact.
Suzuki has always specialised in making compact vehicles and the five-door Grand Vitara is probably the biggest model in its range. The Fronx maintains this design approach with a rounded body profile that mirrors that of the SX4, reflecting the trend towards such styling for better aerodynamics.
Being an imported model (although the tax imposed is only five per cent for vehicles brought in from Asean countries), the Fronx carries a premium price of RM147,888 on the road without insurance. With so many rival alternatives in the market at more attractive prices, the Fronx’s appeal is somewhat limited to those who value the Suzuki brand or those who want a Crossover that stands out from the crowd, with an unusual name to match.
We certainly noted the interest shown by other vehicle owners as we moved along in the city traffic. For sure, the Fronx name should piqued their curiosity as to the type of motoring quality and performance that this Suzuki could offer.
The sleek panel of LED (light emitting diode) day time running lights is an eye-catching item and the roof rails, along with the wheel arch extensions and skid plates along the front, rear and side, project an outdoorsy image. The 16-inch black alloy wheels with 195/60 R16 Goodyear Assurance tyres added well to its urbane Crossover profile.
From the driver’s perspective, the Fronx comes with one of our favourite items, a head-up display (HUD). This is not the usual type where instrument panel details are projected onto the front windscreen but onto a separate panel located on top of the steering column boss.
We could select from five display options by pressing on a HUD button on the control panel on the dashboard to the right side of the steering column. We chose the one that gave us the road speed, engine speed, time, drive mode and lane keeping. The graphics definition is good and we could glean the information easily.
However, we found the HUD panel somewhat distracting at times being a standalone unit when making turns or manoeuvring in tight areas. This didn’t detract from its role as a safety measure by keeping our eyes at road level while driving and remains our favourite feature.
Getting comfortable in the driver’s seat is a manual affair with six-way adjustments, not quite what we had expected for a Crossover of its price. Its compact body dimensions were also noted in the narrow central console that tapers from the front to the storage compact with cover. The wider front is to accommodate the space for wireless handphone charging, while the storage compartment is best for small items.
The two-tone fabric design and dashboard treatment offered a premium touch and the nine-inch high-definition info display on the centre dashboard, which supports Apple Carplay and Android Auto, puts it in a good stead in equipment level.
The luggage area sees a deep well, despite the spare wheel under the floor board, that flows in with its compact body dimensions. We estimate that the area is probably good for 300 litres of space. That space could be more than doubled with the 60:40 split rear seat rests that could be folded almost flat to accommodate big items.
For its compact body, rear seat passengers have ample legroom although sitting for three adults would be a squeeze. Likewise, for long distance drives, the space available here would be best for two adults in travelling comfort. The Fronx would be ideal for a small family with children.
The Fronx is a mild hybrid being powered by a 1.5-litre engine with an ISG (Integrated Starter Generator). This ISG acts like an electric motor as it is powered by a 12-volt lithium-ion battery. No power output is mentioned for the ISG but it comes into play by providing electric power to supplement engine output for better acceleration.
That means less stress on the engine to accelerate quicker. There is also an engine auto stop feature to lower fuel consumption. The engine is automatically switched off when the Fronx comes to a stop at the traffic lights or for passengers to get off or on board. The engine is restarted once you step on the accelerator. It would enhance fuel mileage as no fuel is being used during those times.
As we felt that the fuel savings was somewhat minimal, we chose to deactivate the engine auto stop function during our stint with the Fronx. This, however, had to be done each time we started the engine as it was a default function that had to switched off via a button on the dashboard control panel.
The four-cylinder engine (K15C) is undersquare in configuration with a bore of 76mm and stroke of 85mm for an exact displacement of 1462cc. Its output appeared adequate at 77kW (104.7hp) at 6000tpm and 138mm at 4400rpm. Power goes to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.
The Fronx gross vehicle weight is 1480kg, not too far off from the SX4 Crossover. As such, we didn’t expect the Fronx to take our breath away in initial acceleration and we were not disappointed. Its engine output made city driving light and easy; likewise, it was right at home cruising on the highway at the stated speed limits.
Its smooth flowing aerodynamic body lines made highway drives pleasantly with air turbulence nicely curtailed for a quiet drive. The body insulation is also helped by noise dampers at the suspension mounting points to keep road noise low, especially the louder ones over some road surfaces.
The Fronx comes with MacPherson struts in front and a torsion beam rear, which came into its own when we drove it through our regular winding stretches. Being a Crossover that is slightly taller than a car, body roll was well controlled and we liked the way the Fronx held its lines through the corners.
It’s clear that Suzuki benefited from its involvement in world car rallies and could tune its vehicle suspension to deliver good handling performance while maintaining good ride comfort. For the latter, we found that the Fronx would bounce around a fair bit when driven hastily over the roads we cover daily, which has a mix of speedbumps, rumble strips, portholes and poorly patched road surfaces. Driven normally, good ride comfort was enjoyed.
The Fronx would be ideal for those who want a compact Crossover for city traffic, especially in negotiating tight and narrow ramps in shopping complexes. It is also easy to manoeuvre in city traffic and nippy enough for that quick getaway. You enjoy good fuel mileage too. If one could see beyond its price, the Fronx would appeal to many city folks and small family prospects.
