Suzuki New Zealand is teasing the launch of the new Fronx on social media and its official website, ahead of the model's official launch in July.
What's a Fronx? The name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but apparently it's a portmanteau of "frontier" and "crossover". The car itself is a product of Maruti Suzuki in India, a coupe-style SUV based on the platform of the Baleno hatchback. Baleno was discontinued in NZ in 2022, but continues in updated form in India
Think of the Fronx as a crossover in a similar vein to the Toyota C-HR and you're not far off, although it's likely to sit at a much lower price point. At 3995mm the Fronx is smaller than the current Vitara, which starts at $39,990.
Indian market models have 1.0-litre and 1.2-litre engine options, but for export the Fronx features a 1.5-litre with the Suzuki hybrid vehicle system (SHVS), as used in the smaller Swift: it's a simple 12-volt setup that employs an integrated starter geneator (ISG) to handle engine-start and provide a mild power boost under certain circumstances. It's a mild hybrid, meaning that it can't drive under electric power alone.
The transmission is a 6-speed automatic and while an AWD model is available in some markets, it's likely the Kiwi version will be FWD. Adaptive cruise control is standard.
Suzuki claims the new model has a "conversation friendly: interior with high-metered dash inner silencer and sound-insulating walls. Phone projection and a wireless phone charger are also standard-fit.
