With a wide array of strong suits, the new Suzuki Fronx is set to turn the small crossover market upside down.

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According to Suzuki,, the name “Fronx” is meant to combine “Frontier” and “Crossover”, because the new car crosses the boundaries between an SUV and coupé for the brand. Marketing-speak aside, its name is but one of the many elements which set this newcomer apart from its opponents, and should be enough to generate a lot of curiosity about the Fronx on its own.

But there’s much more to the Fronx than a funky name, because this may just be Suzuki’s strongest product in its current range. No matter which questions you ask, this well-considered small car has all the right answers, and may just set a new benchmark in its size- and price category.

What is it?

Conceived to replace the Suzuki Vitara Brezza and built in India, the Fronx is sized to fit into the “4-metre car” tax bracket in its home market. This places it in the same segment as the Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Nissan Magnite, and Renault Kiger. Unline these opponents, however, the Fronx puts in a real effort to look better than a mere box on wheels.

Suzuki claims a coupé-like roofline, but that is mainly an optical illusion created by tapering side windows and pronounced rear fender flares. With that said, there are some hints of the Lamborghini Urus in its truncated tail and sloping tailgate, and the standard 16-inch alloy wheels fit neatly into their cladding-enhanced wheel arches. These elements turn the Fronx into a stand-out design in a sea of same-same crossovers.

Mechanical details

Only one engine is available in the SA-specification Suzuki Fronx, and that’s the venerable 1.5-litre petrol four-cylinder as used in everything from the Baleno to the new Grand Vitara. There are no plans to import the 1.0-litre turbo three-cylinder found in other markets, because doing so would make it car significantly more expensive without bringing any real performance benefit over the larger, naturally-aspirated engine.

Outputs of 77 kW and 138 Nm don’t sound like much these days, but the Fronx is a featherweight for its size. In base trim with a manual gearbox, it weighs in at only 1,005 kg, while even the high-spec automatic derivative only adds 10 kg to that figure. Thanks to this light weight and well-chosen gear ratios, the manual Fronx is lively on the road, while even the high-trim automatic is spritely enough after some prodding from the accelerator pedal.

Both trim levels can be had with either a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed torque-converter automatic, and the manual is particularly nicely geared to offer a great blend of efficiency and performance. The auto suffers a bit on the open road, though, because its wide ratio spread leads to some performance loss at intermediate speeds.

What’s it like to drive?

Cars in this category are usually not much fun to drive, but the Fronx delivers plenty of smiles per mile. The suspension is tuned with a bias towards ride comfort, but its damping means that body roll is well-contained.

Combine this nicely-tuned suspension with plenty of road grip and direct, accurate steering, and the Fronx manages to impersonate a warm-ish hatchback with some conviction when the road gets twisty. There’s a fluidity and inherent balance in its dynamic behaviour that none of its opponents can match, and enthusiastic drivers will enjoy stringing together a series of tight bends.

The gearshift and clutch are likewise light but positive, and the major controls are all consistent in weighting and action. Noise levels are generally muted, while rough roads are soaked-up without creak or shudder. These elements combine to give the Fronx a level of overall polish that suddenly makes its price- and size competitors feel shamefully under-developed.

What do you get for your money?

Even the entry-level GL trim is well-equipped, with a 7-inch color touchscreen infotainment system, rear-view camera, automatic climate control, parking sensors, and cruise control among the standard highlights. Stability control is also standard across the range, although the Fronx GL has to make do with only two airbags. This can be justified in view of the bargain pricing, however, because you’re unlikely to get more airbags in anything else that costs less than R 280 000.

Stepping up to the GLX brings the airbag count up to six, and adds a head-up display, 9-inch infotainment screen with a surround-view camera system, keyless entry, height-adjustable driver’s seat and telescoping steering wheel, an upgraded instrument cluster with a colour info display, and a wireless charging pad.The GLX costs 315 900 with a manual gearbox, while opting for the automatic transmission adds R 20 000 to either trim level.

With very high specification levels, excellent road manners, plenty of space, and a great value proposition, the Fronx can become Suzuki’s latest local sales success. It should really force a re-think from its competitors as well, because there simply isn’t a better car for the money out there at the moment.

Suzuki Fronx Range and Prices

1.5 GL 5MT:     R 279 900

1.5 GL 4AT:      R 299 900

1.5 GLX 5MT:  R 315 900

1.5 GLX 4AT:    R 335 900

Purchase prices include a warranty for 5 years or 200 000 km, as well as a service plan for 4 years or 60 000 km.

*All prices include VAT and are current at the time of publication.