Frugal Suzuki Fronx gets the job done without any fuss

Every time I get to drive a Suzuki, I am reminded why this brand is so successful in South Africa. They keep offering consumers well-priced cars that do exactly what you expect them to do at the price.

One such car is their line-up is the Suzuki Fronx, their second-best seller after the Suzuki Swift. I got to spend a few weeks driving around in our long-term compact crossover.

I am not going to try and explain all the styling details and rationale behind the Suzuki Fronx and rather leave this up to the professionals who had this to say when the car launched at the end of 2023.

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Suzuki Fronx ticks all the boxes

“With our new Fronx, we want to show South Africans that they do not have to compromise on style, performance and safety when buying in the compact SUV segment,” says Brendon Carpenter, Brand Marketing Manager of Suzuki Auto South Africa.

“The coupé SUV body style, with its bold front grille and sloping roofline, offers a fresh choice in this market segment. And the K15B 1.5 litre petrol engine promises great performance and low fuel consumption.

“And to sweeten the deal, we have added all the must-have styling options, such as roof rails, daytime running lights and alloy wheels to all models, regardless of their specification level or price.”

Creature comforts galore

Jump inside the Suzuki Fronx and you are a greeted by an interior that might be considered old school analogue in a world that is fast moving towards large LCD screens everywhere. But these screens come at a price and you are not buying a Chinese, Korean or German compact SUV for R335 900 that offers what our 1.5 GLX MT Fronx does.

But you will find just about every convenience that you could need and expect at the price from a leather-clad multi-function steering wheel with buttons for the Bluetooth phone connection, audio controls and cruise control. There are also electric windows front and rear, automatic climate control with rear-seat ventilation, to keyless entry with push-button start, wireless charging in the centre console and head-up display.

ALSO READ: Suzuki Fronx is anything but a run-of-the-mill compact SUV

Tried and trusted mill

Getting out on the road, the tried and tested, Suzuki family 1.5 litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine delivers 77kW of power at 6 000rpm and 138Nm of torque at 4 400rpm. This is not a bucket of power, but the since the Suzuki Fronx weighs in at only 1 010 kg, which is substantially lighter than most cars on the road today, progress feels rapid enough.

What also helps this sensation is the fact that our GLX was the model that comes with a five-speed manual gearbox. The other option on the GLX is a four-speed auto. The manual allows you to row this compact SUV along just the way you want to.

Suzuki Fronx a frugal choice

And even though everybody and his dog have used our Fronx to do something or the other in the months the car has been with us, overall fuel consumption remains at 6.6 litres per 100km. With some restraint and chilled everyday driving far away from the rev limiter from myself, I got the number down to 5.9-litres, which is good enough for over 600km from only a full tank of 37 litres.

There are no over-the-top-frills with the Suzuki Fronx 1.5 GLX MT that retails for a suggested price of R335 900. It does not have a complicated turbocharged engine, it is light on fuel and offers easy, every day, driving transport.

The car is offered with a five-year/200 000km mechanical warranty and a four-year/60 000km service plan. A comprehensive five-year roadside assistance plan and a six-year unlimited kilometre anti-corrosion warranty are also part of the purchase price.