- Maruti Suzuki Fronx unveiled at the Auto Expo 2023
- Top 2 trims offered with 1.0-litre turbo petrol only
- Venue N-line is the Turbo variant of the Hyundai Venue
Maruti Suzuki with the Auto Expo 2023, went full throttle with 2 products introduced that were being touted for a long time. The Jimny 5-door and Maruti Suzuki Fronx. While the Jimny lands in the Off-road SUV category, Fronx will battle it out in the sub-4-meter urban compact SUV space.
Urban compact SUV has its name synonymous with the Hyundai Venue. It is doing pretty well for Hyundai at the moment but is the Fronx here to dethrone its rival? Let us compare these two on multiple fronts to find out.
Design: Speaks Different Languages
The design or the exterior styling is altogether different on these two. The Fronx follows a more fluid coupe-styled design, whereas the Hyundai Venue N-line is more of a boxy-style typical SUV presence. The visual disconnect is very evident and would appeal differently to people depending upon their liking. Although considering the design statement they follow, both do justice to their appearance.
The Fronx is more inspired by its big brother, the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, and you will feel a little resemblance there. It has LED headlamps and DRLs in the front. The same is the case with the Venue. The placement is similar to the DRLs on the bonnet creasing and the headlamps are placed a little lower than usual and above the placing of the fog lamps. The commonality is the absence of foglamps from both vehicles. The Venue N-line being offered as a separate turbo sibling of the Venue gets red accents running on its side skirtings for a sportier appearance.
Also, Read- Maruti Suzuki Fronx Variants Explained. Read Here
Dimensions
There is a difference in the dimensions of the vehicles as they are based on different platforms. The Venue is wider and taller with the length being numerically identical. The Fronx, however, has a longer wheelbase. The number for reference are tabled below.
| Dimensions (in mm) | ||
| Fronx | Venue | |
| Length | 3995 | 3995 |
| Breadth | 1765 | 1770 |
| Height | 1550 | 1617 |
| Wheelbase | 2520 | 2500 |
Fronx Vs Venue Engine: What Keeps Them Rolling
The heart and soul of a car is its engine. The Fronx is propelled by a turbo engine on its top 2 trims. Interestingly, there is no NA petrol unit offering on the top 2 variants. Only the turbo is what it gets. The 1.0-litre Boosterjet 3-cylinder turbo petrol 48V Mild hybrid system unit gets a power of 100PS and a peak torque of 147.6 Nm.
The Venue N-Line packs a punch. It gets a 3-cylinder 998 cc turbo petrol engine that delivers a max power of 118 PS with a peak torque of 172 Nm. The sportier N-line outperforms the Fronx on this parameter.
| Engine Specifications | ||
| Fronx | Venue N-line | |
| Engine | 1.0 litre Boosterjet Petrol Turbo with 48V Mild Hybrid System | 1.0 litre TGDi petrol |
| Cylinder | 3 | 3 |
| Power | 100 PS | 118 PS |
| Torque | 147.6 Nm | 172 Nm |
| Fuel Tank | 37 litre | 45 litre |
Features: Pretty Loaded
Both of the vehicles are features rich, there is no denying the fact. One feature that is much sought after, the sunroof, has been skipped on the Fronx. Most of the modern features are included in both the competitors keeping the tech-savvy population in mind. Some of the key features are compared in the table below.
| Features | ||
| Fronx | Venue N-Line | |
| Airbags | 6 | 6 |
| Infotainment screen | 9-inch | 8-inch |
| Adnroid Auto/ Apple CarPlay | Wireless | Wired |
| TPMS | No | Yes |
| Sunroof | No | Yes |
| Heads-up Display | Yes | No |
| 360 Degree Camera | Yes | No |
| Connected Tech | Yes (Suzuki Connect) | Yes (Bluelink) |
Safety:
The safety has very well been taken care of on both vehicles. They are very well equipped with ample safety features. ABS with EBD, 6 airbags, Hill hold control, Traction control and ESP as well. The safety ratings of the fronx are not out yet. The Venue scores a 4-star rating on the ASEAN NCAP crash test. Global NCAP figures are not yet available for any vehicle.
Fronx Vs Venue Pricing
The official pricing of the fronx is not out yet, but it is expected to start around the Rs. 8.00 lakh mark with the top trim of these turbos to max out at around 12-13 lakh. Venue N-line pricing starts at 12.30 lakh and goes up to Rs. 13.44 lakh ex-showroom.
VERDICT - The sub-compact SUV is heating up with more launches lining up one after the other. The buzzing Fronx unveiling has stirred the interest of potential buyers. While both the vehicles are turbo petrol, the Venue N-Line delivers more power and torque figures with an included sunroof. The Fronx, on the other hand, is equipped with more tech loadings like a 360-degree camera, heads-up display and more. The dimensions differ as well. Deciding a winner will be tough. What would you choose considering all the parameters? Do tell us in the comments below
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