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Compact crossover makes light work of our outing to scenic mountainside in Limpopo.
Our long term Suzuki Fronx out and about in the picturesque Magoebaskloof. Picture: Michel Bega
The mountains were calling. Specifically, the mountains of Magoebaskloof.
A few months ago, in a moment of what I now realise was madness, I entered the Magoebaskloof Ultra 28km trail race.
Being about 400km away from Johannesburg, at the northeastern tip of the Drakensberg in Limpopo, between Haenertsburg and Tzaneen, I questioned whether my high-mileage 22-year-old sedan would get me there reliably.
Fortunately The Citizen Motoring‘s Editor, also a running enthusiast (maybe realising a 28km trail race would be enough suffering for me to endure), loaned me a Suzuki Fronx GLX manual. Today, I appreciate that he did.
The car’s stylish design struck me immediately. It’s billed as a compact crossover SUV, but to the untrained eye the car presents as quite a large and spacious vehicle.
It sits very high, with a good ground clearance of 170mm, giving the driver an almost true SUV-feel. The top of the car features silver roof rails, with bold wheel arches and 16-inch silver alloy wheels. So I was surprised when at my local car wash I was charged for a sedan wash, rather than the R30 more expensive SUV option, which I feel is one of multiple economic wins for the Suzuki Fronx.
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Packing for such a “grand traverse” I was impressed by the 304 litres of boot space. Preparing for a trail run does come with all sorts of paraphernalia from trail shoes, hydration vest, multiple wind and rain jackets, and at least two cooler boxes with race nutrition and post race recovery snacks, plus general weekend luggage and self catering-type food. Space was ample.
The Suzuki Fronx GLX also features some nice tech, such as keyless entry with push-button start, wireless charging in the centre console and a head-up display.
One of the features I enjoyed on this vehicle is the 360-degree camera which provides a very clear bird’s eye view in tracking the vehicle’s movement while parking, reversing and exiting tight spaces.
In leaving Johannesburg and making my way north the car drove incredibly well on the highway. The Fronx’s 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine sends 77kW of power and 132Nm of torque to the front wheels via five-speed manual gearbox. It provides another economic win as I managed to achieve 6.4 litres/100km.
The tank is rather small at 37-litres, but it ensures a healthy range of 566km. These numbers give a feeling of not breaking the bank when filling up.
Before I knew it, Gauteng was a distant memory in my rear-view mirror and I was navigating the picturesque curves of the Magoebaskloof meander, as if in some sort of TV commercial. The car handled the steep ascents, descents and sharp mountain turns beautifully, while allowing ample views of the forested canopy surrounds.
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My accommodation was off the beaten track at a working Arabian stud farm. Therefore the Suzuki Fronx had to navigate some testing, muddy farm roads, but it performed exceptionally, matching the capabilities of the 4×4-type farming vehicles in these conditions.
Running through the forests of Magoebas on race-day, I couldn’t help but think and compare my modes of transport on this escapade. Unlike my legs, the Fronx handled this entire excursion very comfortably.
It took me five hours 50 minutes to finish 28km – far longer and exceedingly more painful than my entire 400km drive from Joburg.
And after my gruelling trail test, I sat in the vehicle with the aircon on full, at peace in the knowledge that my journey back to Joburg, nursing blisters and tired legs, would be in the comfort of the R335 900 Suzuki Fronx GLX manual.
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