The 2023 Auto Expo in India is proving to be an excellent showcase for Suzuki, especially with the unveiling of the Suzuki Jimny 5-door and the new Suzuki Fronx.

The Suzuki Fronx is a subcompact crossover that seeks to challenge the likes of the Toyota Raize and Kia Stonic as it will be positioned below the Suzuki Vitara.

A Suzuki Vitara-lite?

The Fronx looks much like the Vitara as it has a trapezoidal mesh grille with a chrome strip that flanks the Suzuki badge. It also carries some SUV-like styling thanks to the addition of body cladding.

While both vehicles may look similar from the front, the rear is where they are different. The back of the car is sleeker with squared-off wheel arches; it carries vertical LED taillights with a horizontal lightbar that connects the tail lamps. 

It also has a muscular bumper and a large gray plastic skid plate. All these accents and more indicate that Suzuki is pushing to give the Fronx an SUV-like aesthetic. 

Spacious interior and excellent safety

The cabin of the Suzuki Fronx is based on the Suzuki Baleno, giving it a stylish two-tone interior and a multi-layer dashboard design. 

The Suzuki crossover gets a floating 7-inch infotainment system Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity, a flat bottom steering wheel, automatic climate control, and much more, thanks to its cabin layout.

For its safety features, the Suzuki Fronx gets a 360-degree camera; hill hold assist, an electronic stability program, rear parking sensors, six airbags, and ISOFIX seat mounts as standard.

Compact power

Powering the Suzuki Fronx are two engine options that put it on similar ground to its rival, the Toyota Raize.

The first engine option is a naturally aspirated 1.2-liter 16-valve 4-cylinder gasoline K-Series motor that produces about 90 PS at 6,000 rpm and 113 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm. Its transmission options are a five-speed manual or a five-speed Auto Gear Shift (AGS) gearbox.

The second option is a 1.0-liter 12-valve 3-cylinder turbocharged Booster Jet gasoline engine. It produces 100 PS at 5,500 rpm and 147 Nm of torque at 2,000 to 4,500 rpm. Like the 1.2-liter motor, it too can be had with either a five-speed manual or a five-speed AGS. 

The Suzuki Fronx is set to officially go on sale in India sometime in April of 2023. 

Suzuki Philippines has yet to announce if it will bring in the new Fronx; however, since the local arm of the brand sources its models from India, it will likely enter our local market.

Do you think this is a viable alternative in the Philippines to challenge the Toyota Raize?