Suzuki Australia has confirmed that the recently-unveiled compact SUV, the Fronx, will indeed be making its way to Australia to compete in the hyper-competitive light SUV segment. It essentially replaces the Baleno.
While the company has stopped short of giving us Australian pricing and specification for its Baleno replacement, there are a handful of details we can gain from its reveal event in India that took place last week.
It measures in at 3995mm long by 1765mm wide and stands 1550mm tall, and has a wheelbase spanning 2520mm, which makes it smaller than rivals like the Mazda CX-3 and Toyota Yaris Cross, and just 155mm longer and 55mm taller than the Suzuki Swift.
The Fronx was unveiled with a pair of powertrains, including a 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder mild-hybrid producing 74kW/148Nm, set to the front wheels, and a 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder kicking out 66kW/113Nm.
The flagship powertrain is paired with a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic, while the entry-level four-cylinder receives a five-speed manual or automated-manual transmission. Suzuki is yet to confirm which choice of powertrain Australian Fronx buyers can expect to see under the bonnet when it arrives here potentially late this year, or early in 2024.
Suzuki says that high-spec variants will gain LED head and taillights, 17-inch alloy wheels and a two-tone paint finish, while features like a surround-view camera, head-up display, a wireless smartphone charger and a 9.0-inch infotainment system will be available. Suzuki Australia’s GM, Michael Machota, said:
“With the launch of the all-new Fronx, we’re combining unique sporty styling with SUV heritage, to deliver an exciting new product to our line-up. Not only solidifying our presence in the light SUV segment, but this vehicle will also open the doors to younger buyers looking to upgrade from a smaller hatchback to an SUV.”
