So, the 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx. What is the big deal about this car? I kept seeing them on the road and honestly, I did not get the hype at first. It looks like a small SUV. It looks like a big hatchback. It is somewhere in the middle. But after spending some time with one, yeah, I get it now. The 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx is not trying to be everything to everyone. And that is actually a good thing.
Let me rewind a bit. Maruti Suzuki launched the Fronx last year, but the 2024 model is basically the same car with a few tweaks. Nothing major changed. But the car has found its audience. You see them everywhere now. Outside schools, in office parking lots, even on highway road trips. The 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx has become a common sight, which means Maruti did something right.
First, the looks. Man, this car looks sharp. That front grille is huge. I mean really huge. It has this chrome pattern that catches the sunlight. The headlights are split into two parts. The DRLs are up top, thin and angry looking. The main headlight is down low on the bumper. It gives the 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx a kind of mean face. Not in a bad way. More like a sporty way. From the side, you see the plastic cladding on the wheel arches. That is the SUV touch. Without that, it would just look like a lowered Baleno. The roof slopes down at the back. Some people call it a coupe style. I call it stylish. The rear has a light bar that goes all the way across. It looks expensive at night. You would not guess this is a budget friendly car.
Inside, well, it is a different story. The 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx has an interior that is almost exactly the same as the Baleno. Same dashboard. Same steering wheel. Same instrument cluster. If you have sat in a Baleno, you will feel right at home. That is good and bad. Good because the Baleno layout works. Everything is easy to reach. The seats are comfortable. The steering feels nice in your hands. Bad because there is nothing special here. You pay more for the Fronx, but the inside does not feel more premium. The plastic quality is okay. Not great. Not terrible. Some panels feel a bit hollow if you tap them. But for the price, it is acceptable.
Now, the engines. This is where the 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx gets interesting. There are two petrol engines. One is the old reliable 1.2 litre K-series. This engine has been around forever. It makes 89 bhp. It is not fast. But it is smooth. It is quiet. And it saves fuel. If you only drive in the city, this is enough. You get a 5 speed manual or a 5 speed AMT. The AMT is fine for traffic but it can feel jerky. You learn to drive around it. You lift off the accelerator slightly when it is about to shift. Then it feels smoother.
The second engine is the one everyone talks about. The 1.0 litre BoosterJet turbo. Three cylinders. 99 bhp. But here is the thing. Do not look at the horsepower number. The torque is what matters. 147.6 Nm of torque, and it comes in early at around 2000 rpm. So the 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx feels much faster than the numbers suggest. You press the accelerator and the car just goes. No waiting. No hesitation. Overtaking on the highway is easy. The turbo engine comes with a 6 speed torque converter automatic. This is important. The AMT on the 1.2 litre is not great. But the torque converter on the turbo model is smooth. Really smooth. No jerks. No weird behavior. Just clean, linear acceleration. There are paddle shifters too if you want to pretend you are in a race car. But honestly, the automatic does such a good job that you will forget the paddles exist.
Fuel efficiency? You want numbers. Okay. The 1.2 litre manual claims 21.79 kmpl. The 1.2 litre AMT claims 22.89 kmpl. The turbo manual claims 21.5 kmpl. These are ARAI numbers. Real world is different. In city traffic, the 1.2 litre gives 14 to 16 kmpl. The turbo gives 11 to 14 kmpl. On the highway, if you drive calmly, the 1.2 litre can touch 20 kmpl. The turbo will give 16 to 19 kmpl. So yes, the turbo drinks more. But it is more fun. You have to decide what matters more to you. Saving money at the pump or having a smile on your face.
There is also a CNG version. Same 1.2 litre engine but with a factory fitted CNG kit. The mileage is great. But the boot space disappears. The CNG tank takes up all the room in the back. You can barely fit a backpack. So unless you never need to carry luggage, avoid the CNG.
How does the 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx drive on bad roads? I took it on some really broken roads near my cousin's house. The ground clearance is 190 mm. That is higher than most hatchbacks. You do not have to worry about scraping the bottom on speed breakers. The suspension is on the softer side. It absorbs bumps well. But if you hit a really big pothole, you will hear a loud thud inside. It is not uncomfortable, but it is noticeable. On the highway, the car feels stable. I took it up to 130 kmph and it did not feel floaty. The steering weighs up nicely at high speeds. You feel confident changing lanes. There is some wind noise around the A pillars at high speeds. Not terrible. You can still talk normally. But it is there.
One thing I really like about the 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx is the seating position. You sit higher than a hatchback. You can see over traffic. But it is not as high as a full size SUV. It is a nice middle ground. The front seats are very comfortable. I drove for three hours straight and my back did not hurt. The rear seats are okay. Knee room is fine. But headroom is tight because of that sloping roof. If you are over six feet tall, your head will touch the roof. That is a problem. Also, there are no rear AC vents. On a hot day, the back seat passengers will feel warm. The front AC is strong enough to cool the whole car eventually, but it takes time.
Features. The top end Alpha variant of the 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx has a lot of them. You get a 9 inch touchscreen. It supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The screen is bright and responsive. No lag. The sound system is decent. Nothing amazing, but it gets the job done. There is a head up display that shows your speed on the windshield. It sounds cool. In reality, you barely notice it. And in bright sunlight, it is hard to see. The 360 degree camera is actually useful. Parking in tight spaces becomes easy. You can see exactly where the corners of the car are. Wireless charging is there, but it is slow. And it makes your phone hot. I stopped using it after two days.
Safety. This is important. The 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx comes with six airbags as standard on all variants. That is a big improvement from older Maruti cars. Electronic stability control is standard. Hill hold assist is standard. Rear parking sensors are standard. The build quality feels better than before. The doors close with a solid sound. But if you compare it to a Tata Nexon or a Volkswagen, you can still feel a difference. The metal feels thinner. The plastics feel cheaper. But for the price, it is acceptable. Maruti has improved, but they are not the best yet.
Now, let me talk about the competition. The 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx goes against the Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Nissan Magnite, and Renault Kiger. The Nexon has better build quality and a sunroof. The Venue has more features and a diesel option. The Sonet looks sportier. The Magnite and Kiger are cheaper. So why buy the Fronx? Two reasons. First, the BoosterJet engine is genuinely fun. None of the competitors have a turbo petrol that feels this good with an automatic gearbox. Second, Maruti's service network is unbeatable. If you live in a small town, you will find a Maruti service center within 30 minutes. That peace of mind matters to a lot of people.
Prices. The 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx starts at around Rs 7.5 lakh ex showroom for the base Sigma petrol. The top end Alpha Turbo Dual Tone Automatic goes up to about Rs 13 lakh. That is a wide range. The base models are affordable. The top models get close to the Grand Vitara. So you have to think. Do you want the smaller, sportier car? Or do you spend a little more and get the bigger Grand Vitara? That is a tough choice.
Who should buy the 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx? Young couples. Small families with one child. People who want SUV looks without the bulk of a full size SUV. People who enjoy driving and want the turbo engine. If you have two tall teenagers and you go on long trips with a lot of luggage, look elsewhere. The boot is only 308 litres. That is smaller than the Nexon and Venue. You will struggle to fit four suitcases.
What about the Toyota Taisor? It is the same car. Toyota rebadged the Fronx and added a few different color options. The warranty is different. The service experience is different. But mechanically, they are identical. Test drive both and see which dealer gives you a better deal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx a good first car?
Yes, especially if you get the 1.2 litre engine. It is easy to drive, has good visibility, and parking is easy because of the compact size.
Does the 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx have a sunroof?
No. None of the variants have a sunroof. This is a strange omission because almost every competitor offers one.
What is the waiting period right now?
It depends on your city and the variant. For the 1.2 litre manual, waiting is 2 to 4 weeks. For the turbo automatic, it can be 6 to 8 weeks because demand is high.
Can I get the 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx in a dual tone color?
Yes. The top end Alpha variant offers dual tone options with a black roof. It looks really good.
How is the rear seat space for three adults?
Tight. Two adults are comfortable. Three adults will be cramped. The car is best for four people.
Does the 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx have a diesel engine?
No. Maruti stopped selling diesel cars. Only petrol and CNG.
What is the service interval?
Every 10,000 kilometers or one year. First service is free.
Should I get the manual or automatic?
If you drive in traffic daily, get the automatic. But only get the torque converter automatic on the turbo engine. The AMT on the 1.2 litre is not as good.
Final verdict. The 2024 Maruti Suzuki Fronx is not perfect. The boot is small. Rear headroom is tight. No sunroof. Interior feels borrowed. But the design is great. The turbo engine is fantastic. The automatic gearbox is smooth. And it is a Maruti, so resale value will be high. If you can live with the compromises, go for it. Just make sure you get the turbo automatic. That is the sweet spot.
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