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2023 Suzuki Fronx Debuts in India, Looks Like a Baleno on Stilts

First and foremost, what exactly does Fronx mean? The name used by Suzuki for their Baleno-based crossover utility vehicle doesn’t ring a bell on Google either, so take it as it is: a word that doesn’t mean anything.
2023 Suzuki Fronx (Baleno crossover) for India 11 photos
Photo: Maruti Suzuki
2023 Suzuki Fronx (Baleno crossover) for India2023 Suzuki Fronx (Baleno crossover) for India2023 Suzuki Fronx (Baleno crossover) for India2023 Suzuki Fronx (Baleno crossover) for India2023 Suzuki Fronx (Baleno crossover) for India2023 Suzuki Fronx (Baleno crossover) for India2023 Suzuki Fronx (Baleno crossover) for India2023 Suzuki Fronx (Baleno crossover) for India2023 Suzuki Fronx (Baleno crossover) for India2023 Suzuki Fronx (Baleno crossover) for India
The weirdly named crossover is described as being the “Shape of New” by Maruti Suzuki, the joint venture that dominates the Indian automotive industry. Revealed today alongside the 5-door Jimny we’ve been waiting for quite a while now, the Fronx has nothing on the Jimny’s off-road capability, for it features unibody construction and front-wheel drive.

Built on the HEARTECT platform, the B-segment crossover is exclusively offered through the Nexa dealership network reserved for high-end vehicles from Maruti Suzuki. High end comes with very different expectations in the Indian subcontinent compared to western markets, which is only natural given that Indian car buyers are extremely cost sensitive. Indian automobiles produced for the Indian market feature less standard content than European and U.S. automobiles to boot, and that would be that.

Presented with much pomp and circumstance at the Auto Expo 2023 in the suburbs of Delhi, the Fronx is considered a compact in this part of the world. The upright fascias give it a tough look, although the garnishing up front and out back take away some of the vehicle’s apparent toughness.

Maruti Suzuki waxes lyrical about the “Crafted Futurism” design language of the Fronx. On that note, pigs do fly, right? Joking aside, it’s nothing to write home about in terms of exterior styling. The cabin is pretty similar to the outside, in the sense that it’s a sea of cheapness with premium aspirations brought by some interesting design choices. The passenger side of the dashboard, for example, combines no fewer than four colors: black for the upper dash, a silvery metallic-like insert, another metallic-like trim piece in a warmer color, some red, as well as black for the glove box lid.

Gifted with buttons on the steering wheel, a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, folding head-up display, wireless charging, connected car features, a 360-degree camera system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus Arkamys audio, this fellow measures 3,995 millimeters (157.3 inches) fore to aft. It stands 1,550 millimeters (61 inches) tall, and it’s 1,765 millimeters (approximately 69.5 inches) wide.

The wheelbase is listed as 2,520 millimeters (99.2 inches), which is 70 millimeters (2.7 inches) less than the 5-door Jimny. Also described as a coupe-styled SUV although it’s hard to see the coupe in it, the Fronx can be had with a choice of six color options and three bi-tone finishes. As for the oily bits, prospective customers are presented with a 1.0-liter mild hybrid or a 1.2-liter gasser. Both of them come with five-speed manuals as standard, and two-pedal transmissions are available at an additional cost.

The 1.0 can be had with a 6-speed automatic, whereas the 1.2 is available with a 5-speed AGS. The Auto Gear Shift isn’t a continuously variable transmission with preset ratios, though. It’s not a manual per se, an auto, or a CVT either, but it's closest in design to an automated manual. The AGS requires the driver to engage the parking brake due to the lack of a parking gear. In order to eliminate lag between shifts, the right way to operate the Auto Gear Shift is to lift your right foot off the throttle between shifts.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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