During the festive season, typically from mid-December to mid-January, South African automotive brands offer motoring journalists, content creators, and reviewers the opportunity to test drive a car for an extended period. This provides a chance for a more thorough evaluation of the vehicle, as a week-long test drive often falls short.
This time, I was fortunate enough to receive the Suzuki Fronx as my ride for a month. I drove it around the city for daily commutes to work and back, we even took it on a short road trip outside the city to fully explore its capabilities.
Quick Facts
- Model: Suzuki Fronx 1.5 GL
- Engine: 1.5 Litre 4-cylinder N/A petrol
- Power & Torque: 77 kW & 138 Nm
- Transmission: 5-speed Manual
- Fuel consumption: 5.7 Litre / 100 km (Claimed)
- Luggage Capacity: 308 Litres
- Price: R279,900 (Launch price)
After officially closing off the working week of the year, we decided to take a short break out of town with my trusty steed, the Suzuki Fronx 1.5 GL Manual, which is the entry-level trim for the Fronx model.
Our road trip journey consisted of a mix of open roads, highways, and some urban/country roads, leading us to the beautiful town of Montagu, two hours outside Cape Town.
Exterior and Style
The Suzuki Fronx boasts an eye-catching look with modern features that make it stand out from the crowd.
Suzuki has nailed it with the Fronx. starting with its refined and modern appearance. During my time with the Fronx, I noticed that it caught quite a lot of attention from people of my age, mostly those under 30, and some have even requested for me to find some deals for them…
The front end looks bold but not too rugged like the Jimny; it has nice curves that make it appear very stylish, partly due to Suzuki fitting it with LED lights as standard. The rear end is beautifully sculpted, with an LED taillight bar that keeps it up to date with other compact SUVs in the market. The raised ride height, now at 170mm, also contributes to its overall appearance.
The two-tone (blue and black) specification is definitely my favorite. This GL trim comes fitted with a set of 16-inch black-painted alloy wheels, which blend well with the blue paint color. The two-tone polished diamond-cut alloys are available on the latter GLX trim.
Color name: Nexa Blue (Celestial)
Interior, Comfort Features, and Practicality
Let’s start with how surprisingly comfortable the seats of the Fronx are. Before we left town, I calculated how long we would be on the road, and the GPS estimated about 2 hours and 15 minutes to our destination. In my mind, I made plans to stop every now and then to stretch my back and legs.
Well, to my biggest surprise, I drove the whole trip without needing to stop at all. At first, I thought since the seats don’t have any lumbar support adjustment, I’d probably need to make a stop to avoid serious back pain, but to my biggest surprise, the entire drive felt pretty comfortable.
Mind you, the longest drive I had done around the city was probably a 25-minute drive, so no need for breaks in between.
The rear passenger space is adequate for three adults, with decent knee room and headroom. The overall NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) was quite minimal compared to other small Suzukis I have driven in the past. It was significantly quieter than the Baleno, so cruising at 120 km/h with the revs up at around 3000 rpm was not too bad.
Practicality
Cabin entertainment was decent, courtesy of the wireless phone connection which is nicely projected to the 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display via either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. There is not much to say there, it worked pretty fine even on the hottest days.
The GL trim comes kitted with two decent quality speakers placed at the front, keeping us entertained throughout the whole trip, drowning out the road noise and masking out the sound of the high-revving engine at cruising speed.
Luggage Space
Despite its compact size, our 5-day road trip proved highly practical as we managed to fit three backpacks, two large duffle bags, one cooler box, and a couple of gift bags, leaving ample space. However, during packing, I discovered a drawback: the Fronx lacks a 12V power socket in the boot. This meant placing the cooler box behind the front passenger seat and powering it inside the cabin using the plug beneath the air-conditioning controls. Fortunately, we had no rear passengers; otherwise, it could have been uncomfortable.
Performance
Our test unit, the 1.5L GL Fronx, like any other Fronx, is powered by a punchy 1.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces a modest 77 kW & 138 Nm. This engine is paired with two transmission choices.
An engaging 5-speed manual transmission, that works very well but could use a 6th gear to reduce the revs at higher cruising speeds. The 4-speed automatic transmission, from my personal experience, I found it to be a little bit sluggish and hesitant at selecting the right gears, especially when driving around town at slow speeds.
With one passenger and a boot full of luggage, the Fronx hauled us through the whole road trip without any hiccups. Overtaking was effortless, and going uphill wasn’t too bad. Every now and then, I had to work my hands and feet up and down the gears, but most of the time, second gear pretty much handled it all with a breeze.
77 kW & 138 Nm of torque aren’t magical numbers; it’s just enough for this particular use. Knowing that the Fronx weighs slightly over a ton (1015 kg). And if you wish to extract more out of this 1.5L engine, I’d recommend that you opt for the manual transmission.
Fuel Economy
Is it really budget-friendly?
Absolutely! When it comes to budget-friendliness, the Fronx has got it going on.
During our road trip, we started with a fuel consumption of 6.3L/100 km. As we left the city chaos behind and hit the R62, which was surprisingly quite empty. With the cruise control set at 110 km/h after about 60 km, the fuel consumption dropped to 5.9L. After arriving at our destination, the engine settled down, and we averaged 5.7L for 4 days straight while driving around the small town of Montagu.
However, throw in some busy traffic, and the story shifts. Fuel sips a bit more, lingering above 6L/100 km—a gentle reminder that city bustle takes a toll.
After a month of driving, with an average of around 30 km per day, the Fronx consumed approximately R1700 worth of fuel. Upon return, it still had 200 km of range left in the tank.
Verdict
In conclusion, the Fronx has been an amazing companion during the festive season. It has proven to be very economical and practical for both in-town and out-of-town use, offering great value for money.
I would happily recommend it to anyone starting or trying to downsize with a budget in mind. The Fronx would comfortably suit a family of 4, preferably with kids younger than 13.
Pricing and AfterSales
As it currently sits on Suzuki’s website, the Suzuki Fronx GL is priced at R288,900. Prices have slightly increased since the initial launch of the Suzuki Fronx.
This price includes a 5-year / 200,000 km warranty, as well as a 4-year / 60,000 km service plan.
To find out even more about the Fronx; check out this linked video below.
