2026 Suzuki Fronx Hybrid review: Long-term introduction

Fronx is an unusual name for a slightly unusual-looking compact SUV, and Suzuki says it’s shorthand for ‘Frontier Crossover’ – a new era of light SUV for the Japanese auto brand.

With its bluff front-end and wispy lines disguising a pretty spacious vehicle, it’s one of the best value-for-money models in Australian showrooms right now, based on price and equipment alone.

Launched in Australia in August 2025, the Fronx is one of Suzuki’s Indian-sourced models – like the five-door Jimny XL off-roader – and it effectively replaces the discontinued Baleno, which was a more conventional-looking hatch and, in fact, donates its platform to this model.

The Fronx has previously topped monthly sales charts in India, where it is sold by the company’s Maruti brand – but ultimately finished 2025 in seventh place on the sales ladder.

Four other Maruti Suzuki models were ahead of it, including the best-selling Dzire, which beat the Hyundai Creta to claim the top spot ahead of the Tata Nexon.

It’s also sold as the Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor (also not a real word) in India, which should instill confidence if you’re not convinced by the Fronx’s credentials so far. Good enough for a Toyota badge, eh?

Back in Australia, the Fronx was outsold in the light SUV segment in December 2025 by the Mazda CX-3, Toyota Yaris Cross, Hyundai Venue, Kia Stonic and Suzuki’s own Jimny, but not the Volkswagen T-Cross, Suzuki Ignis, Hyundai Inster, Nissan Juke, Jeep Avenger or Alfa Romeo Junior.

Suzuki’s newest SUV has a weird, puffed-cheeked face – somewhat of a more muscular evolution of the final Baleno – with slim, high-mounted LED headlights and chunky fog lights in a one-spec-fits-all approach.

Its maker says the distinctive look lends a “sporty, urban edge” to the car, but our Splendid Silver long-termer is less contentious from the back.

The cabin is well appointed, too, with a lot of space even for taller drivers, and the high level of standard gear is impressive – including keyless entry and push-button start, wireless phone charging, a head-up display, and faux-leather ‘Black and Bordeaux’ themed trim.

On first impressions, all that gives the Fronx a fighting chance against the models listed above, as well as affordable small SUVs like the hybrid version of the Chery Tiggo 4, while it comes across as more complete than the petrol-only Mahindra XUV 3XO.

Yet recent ANCAP testing raises the question: is the Suzuki Fronx a safe bet in the long term, or has it had its (not even) 15 minutes of fame?

To see how the Suzuki Fronx lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Suzuki Fronx cost?

The Fronx brings a lot of standard equipment, but minimal choice – there’s only a single model grade available for $28,990 before on-road costs, with any paint colour other than Arctic White Pearl costing an extra $745.

Our Splendid Silver steed is only available with the Black Roof combo, which adds $1345 to the list price, and is also offered with Opulent Red Pearl or Lucent Orange Pearl exterior colours for the same ask.

That sees our long-term Fronx priced at $30,335 plus on-roads, or $33,135 drive-away using Suzuki Australia’s ‘Build & Price’ configurator tool. A limited offer of $29,990 drive-away nationally is no longer available, and nor are there any other Fronx deals currently advertised by Suzuki.

That makes it similar in price to the Chery Tiggo 4 Hybrid, which costs $29,990 drive-away but – among other differences – has a higher 5.4L/100km fuel consumption claim than the Fronx’s 4.9L/100km.

To see how the Suzuki Fronx lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

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What’s under the bonnet?

The Fronx’s 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol engine is from the Suzuki K-Series family and the 1462cc twin-cam 16-valve four-cylinder has also been used in the Swift, Vitara and SX4, among other Suzukis globally.

Paired with a six-speed torque-converter automatic transmission, it produces just 76kW of power and 137Nm of torque at 4400rpm. The engine has a relatively high 12:1 compression ratio in the name of efficiency, much like Mazda’s Skyactiv engines, for example.

The mild-hybrid system comes courtesy of the integrated starter generator (ISG), which essentially replaces the alternator and feeds recouped braking energy to a 12V lithium-ion battery – so despite the name it’s not a full hybrid system, and it lacks a 48V battery like many MHEV systems.

To see how the Suzuki Fronx lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

There is only one model grade of Fronx, so add your colour choice to this list of standard features.

2026 Suzuki Fronx equipment highlights:

• Multi-reflector automatic LED headlights
• 16-inch alloy wheels
• Tyre repair kit
• Power-folding exterior mirrors
• Proximity entry with push-button start
• Electric parking brake
• Auto hold
• Head-up display
• 4.2-inch instrument cluster screen
• 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – wireless, wired
• Wireless phone charger
• 6-speaker sound system
• Fabric and leatherette upholstery
• Heated front seats
• Height-adjustable front seat
• Power windows
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Tilt and telescopic adjustment
• Automatic air-conditioning
• Illuminated vanity mirrors
• Centre console bin with armrest
• Removable luggage board

To see how the Suzuki Fronx lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Options

Other than accessories – such as a carbon-look interior styling kit, luggage tray, scuff plates and floor mats – there are no factory options for the Fronx aside from exterior paint.

The Fronx comes with a two-tone burgundy and red interior.

The following exterior paint finishes are available:

• Arctic White Pearl
• Bluish Black Pearl
• Grandeur Grey Pearl Metallic
• Celestial Blue Pearl Metallic

There are also three two-tone exterior options with a Black Pearl roof: available:

• Splendid Silver Pearl Metallic
• Opulent Red Pearl Metallic
• Lucent Orange Pearl Metallic

To see how the Suzuki Fronx lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the Suzuki Fronx safe?

The Fronx posted a sub-standard one-star rating following crash testing by ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) in December 2025.

The result prompted a recall the following day by Suzuki Australia (and Suzuki Queensland, which distributes vehicles vehicle in the Sunshine State and northern NSW). The main area of concern was a rear seatbelt failure in one of ANCAP’s frontal tests, meaning the rear passenger dummy was unrestrained.

ANCAP advises consumers to “be aware of this component failure if considering purchasing a Suzuki Fronx prior to Suzuki demonstrating that the component failure has been investigated and addressed”.

At the time, Suzuki said: “A thorough and disciplined investigation is underway, and Suzuki will take any actions required to uphold our safety standards and the trust our customers place in our brand.”

Standard safety equipment includes:

• Autonomous emergency braking
  • Pedestrian detection
  • Cyclist detection
  • Motorcycle detection
• Adaptive cruise control
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Lane-keep assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Traffic sign recognition
• Surround-view camera
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Front, front-side and curtain airbags

To see how the Suzuki Fronx lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Suzuki Fronx cost to run?

The Fronx comes with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty as well as five years/75,000km of capped-price servicing (whichever comes first), with service intervals every 12 months or 15,000km.

These services are capped at $319, $349, $579, $349 and $319 respectively in Queensland. Suzuki Australia has published slightly different service prices – $329, $399, $549, $399 and $329 respectively.

To see how the Suzuki Fronx lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Suzuki Fronx

The Fronx isn’t without its vices, but its early liveability is abundantly clear: this car is no-fuss yet far from basic, with its user-friendliness and equipment levels leaving us wanting very little more – especially given the meagre price.

It has an odd blend of old-school textured dash plastics straight from 1992 mixed with smooth, matte and shiny surfaces, alongside newer tech such as a head-up display and wireless connectivity, which works well.

Let’s ignore the odd combination of front seats that have heating but are not power-adjustable. And we’ll pause on ANCAP’s judgement too, as the Fronx is now subject to a recall, which we’ll report back on.

Subjectively, the Fronx is no catwalk model to look at, but it is a cheap date that says all the right things so far. Let’s see if it can make it past first base in the next few long-term test reports.

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MORE: Explore the Suzuki Fronx showroom