What is the story about?
The Made-in-India Suzuki Fronx has received a 1-star safety rating in the latest ANCAP crash tests. This has raised concerns around occupant protection.
The assessment applies to Fronx models sold in Australia and New Zealand, which are exported from India. According to ANCAP, the low rating is primarily due to a serious component failure observed during testing, despite the vehicle being equipped with multiple active safety features as standard. The results underline the importance of structural integrity and restraint performance, especially for rear-seat occupants. Also Read: New Audi Q3 India Launch Likely In 2026 — What To Expect
ANCAP stated that the Suzuki Fronx suffered a rear seatbelt retractor failure during the full-width frontal crash test. This resulted in an uncontrolled release of the rear seatbelt, causing the rear passenger dummy to become unrestrained and strike the front seat. Due to this failure, the Fronx scored zero points in the full-width frontal test, significantly impacting its overall Adult Occupant Protection score. ANCAP described seatbelt failures as rare and serious, prompting immediate notification to Australian and New Zealand safety regulators.
India-Made Suzuki Fronx: Detailed Crash Test Performance
In Adult Occupant Protection, the Suzuki Fronx scored 48% with 19.30 points out of 40. While the passenger compartment remained stable in certain tests, chest protection for the driver and rear passenger was rated weak to poor in key scenarios. Child Occupant Protection was rated at 40% (20.06/49 points), affected by the absence of rear seatbelt pre-tensioners and poor dummy restraint performance in frontal and side impact tests. Vulnerable Road User Protection stood at 65% (41.39/63 points), supported by bonnet and AEB performance. Lastly, in the Safety Assist category, the SUV scored 55% (10.03/18 points) .
India-Made Suzuki Fronx: Safety Equipment Versus Structural Outcome
Despite the poor overall rating, ANCAP confirmed that the Fronx comes with a comprehensive list of standard safety features. These include six airbags, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and motorcycle detection, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, and speed assistance systems. However, ANCAP emphasised that active safety systems cannot compensate for failures in critical restraint components during a crash.
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What This Means For Buyers
ANCAP has advised that adult and child passengers should avoid using the rear seats of the Suzuki Fronx until the cause of the seatbelt failure is identified and rectified. Suzuki has been asked to investigate and demonstrate corrective action before the issue can be resolved. The rating applies to Fronx models built from March 2025 and sold in overseas markets.
