Maruti Suzuki Brezza Or Maruti Suzuki Fronx: Friendly Fight

No other segment in our country is as loaded as the subcompact SUV segment. The Maruti Suzuki Brezza has been a best-seller here while another car from the brand, albeit from Nexa has just made its way to the market. The Fronx is a crossover based on the Baleno and looks the part too. Both cars are quite similarly priced which makes things even more interesting. There’s a lot that unites them but there's a lot that separates them too. So, which of these two fits in your requirements in a much better way we’re trying to help you decode and decide. 

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The length of both cars is exactly the same.

The length of both cars is the same but unsurprisingly the Brezza is taller and wider. However, what is surprising is that the Fronx gets a slightly longer wheelbase. 

Design

The Brezza has a completely different identity of its own.

Even in terms of design and looks there’s a clear distinction between these cars from Arena and Nexa. The Fronx pretty much looks like a part of a larger family that has products like the Grand Vitara and even the Invicto which came recently. The tri-led pattern, chrome slat on the grille and use of piano black on face all point to that. The Brezza meanwhile has a completely different identity of its own, looks quite different from all other cars from Arena as well and importantly it has much better SUV stance. 

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Maruti Suzuki has managed to make the Fronx look sporty enough. 

Both cars get 16-inch alloy wheels on top trims, and both have square wheel arches with cladding which give a robust SUV feel. Both also have roof rails but there are some key differences too, like cladding on Fronx looks more appealing with more colours. As a car that has come only this year, the look on the crossover is fresher on the rear. It’s a car that appeals to you and Maruti has managed to make it look sporty enough if not more. The connecting tail lamps are clearly a highlight here. Importantly the Brezza gets a slightly higher ground clearance of 200 mm.

Tech & Interior

The feature list is long and its mostly common to both these cars. 

If you love a lot of features in your car you will like both the Fronx as well as the Brezza. The feature list is long and its mostly common to both these cars. The highlight is the 9-inch Smartly pro plus infotainment system, it comes with wireless apple carplay & android auto, however the look is slightly different on the Brezza as you get a bit more colour. You also get a whole lot of connectivity features as well as a 360-view camera that is a great practical feature. 

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In the Brezza, better width and height clearly shows in the cabin.

The instrument cluster is the same on both the cars with two analog dials and one MID right in the centre. Apart from that you get a head up display, a flat bottom steering wheel, climate control as well as a wireless charger on both cars. However, the placement of the wireless charger is better on the Fronx, but it misses out on a sunroof, which is there on the Brezza. A lot of features though are available only in the higher turbo version of the Fronx as the 1.2 litre model is being offered only in lower Sigma and Delta trims.

Adjustable headrests & 3-point seatbelts are standard in the Fronx. 

In the Brezza, better width and height clearly shows in the cabin and tall people will like that. However, Maruti Suzuki can think about giving some more features in both cars like seat ventilation. Talking about the second row, space is quite decent on the Brezza looking at its sub-4-meter length. You get rear AC vents as well as Type A and Type C charging points. There’s also a centre armrest with cupholders and with the latest update on the car also gets seatbelt reminders even for the back row. Adjustable headrests and 3-point seatbelts are provided for two passengers while in the Fronx all three passengers get them. The Brezza gets a slightly higher boot space of 328 litres while for its dimensions, 308 litres is quite impressive on the Fronx. 

Dynamics 

Fronx gets a wide range of engine and gearbox options. 

There is a spread of three different engines on these two cars and as is now the case with all products from the brand, all are Petrol. But no strong hybrids here. What really works for the Fronx is the wide range of engine and gearbox options this car comes with; it starts with the 1.2 litre naturally aspirated engine at the lower end which gets both 5-speed manual and 5-speed AMT we have seen on the Baleno. 

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Response from the setup is quite good, the pickup is fast as well. 

But what I drove is the 1.0 litre turbo engine which makes a 100 bhp & 147 Nm. A higher torque figure when compared to the Brezza makes your drive much more exciting. Here you get either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed auto with paddle shifts just like the Brezza. Response from the setup is quite good, the pickup is fast as well but what you really like specially if you love to drive is the notchy feeling you get from the manual gearshift on the car. 

No matter which variant you’re driving, manual or automatic, you’re guaranteed at least 20 kmpl on the Fronx. Specially with respect to this turbo engine that is an impressive figure. So, you’re getting the best of both worlds - a spirited, enthusiastic drive with great fuel economy. And the good thing is that the idle start system which aids in slightly better fuel efficiency is standard on all the variants. 

The 1.5 Petrol engine on the Brezza makes 102 bhp along with 136 Nm. 

The K15C Petrol engine has made things better on the Brezza specially if you like more fuel efficiency. It makes 102 bhp along with 136 Nm. The gearshifts are nice and smooth, both on the automatic as well as the manual, specially while reducing gears, you don’t really feel the need to downshift a lot owing to the good torque figure on the vehicle. 

Smart Hybrid is now available only on automatic Brezza.

A recent update on the Brezza though has meant that the smart hybrid system with idle start stop is available only on the automatics and not on the manual which means that now it is one of those few cars in the market where there’s a significant difference between the fuel efficiency of manual (17.38 kmpl) & automatic (19.80 kmpl). The addition of the 6-speed automatic on this new generation has also really enhanced the character of the car. 

Brezza is taller than Fronx and you can see the difference in handling. 

When it comes to ride quality nothing really to complain about and the suspension works well. Roads may be good or bad, it doesn’t really matter and the car takes them on nicely. With respect to handling yes this is a tall car with a proper SUV stance so you can expect a bit of body roll specially while turning at high speeds. Its taller than the Fronx and you can see the difference when it comes to handling. 

Taking corners at high speeds you get great confidence in the Fronx.

The character of the 1.0 turbo mill on the Fronx is matched well with the suspension setup as you get a ride that’s a bit on the stiffer side. You may love that as a driver but there’s a chance the family members sitting behind may not be entirely happy. But one thing that is fantastic on this crossover SUV is the way it handles; it just gives you so much confidence. The compact dimensions really come into play here, so it doesn’t matter if you’re driving on a straight road at high speeds you have great stability, while taking corners at high speeds you get great confidence as well.

Safety

Both cars come with six airbags at least in top trims. 

When it comes to cars from Maruti Suzuki safety always comes up for discussion and both these cars come with six airbags at least in the top trims. Other common safety features include Hill hold Assist, ESP and Isofix child seat mounts. We are still awaiting the crash test results of both these cars. 

Prices & Verdict

All Prices Ex-showroom

This is clear case where one car feels bigger than the other. The Brezza is a splendid example of how a sub-4-meter SUV should be specially when it comes to design and practicality. On the other hand, it gets difficult to match the driving feel you get out of the 1.0 Turbo engine on the new Fronx. Well, the new kid on the block has certainly lived up to expectations and the character of these two cars is so different from each other that as a buyer you won’t really have a tough time in choosing which one suits you more.