We take a closer look at the specs of the popular Suzuki Fronx… How does it stack up against the best-selling models in the booming compact SUV segment – is it worth making a trip to your nearest Suzuki dealer for a test drive? Read on…
Small crossovers such as the Suzuki Fronx are in high demand, but while the segment is broad, the buying frenzy for these high-riding urban commuter cars is mostly taking place at the budget end of the market (R250 000 to R350 000).
Chinese brand Chery dominates its rivals with the Chery Tiggo Pro 4 cracking big sales numbers while the budget-friendly Nissan Magnite is proving to be a hugely popular choice for budget compact SUV buyers.
As for the new Suzuki Fronx, it arrived in the middle of August 2023 and it has since become a sales hit for the Japanese carmaker.
The main aim of this article is to help you, the consumer, make an informed buying decision. To help you do this, we will provide you with the need-to-know information and insight based on available vehicle information and our experience with the cars in question.
This article will cover key aspects including Exterior Styling, Performance & Efficiency, Interior Features & Safety, Dimensions & Practicality, as well as Pricing & Warranty details.
If, at the end of this article, you are still undecided as to what to buy, you are more than welcome to reach out to us for advice via X, Facebook or Instagram. Our experienced test team will gladly assist you.
How does the Suzuki Fronx stack up against its rivals?
Exterior Styling
Suzuki Fronx
Think of the new Fronx as a high-riding Baleno hatchback replete with additional (and useful) ground clearance, crossover-inspired cladding and obligatory rugged bumpers. Up front, you’ll notice the large grille with stylish chrome wings, flanked by slimly proportioned headlights and prominent fog lights. The Fronx’s styling is pleasant and somewhat reserved – as in not shouty, which some buyers might prefer.
Chery Tiggo 4 Pro
As for the Chery Tiggo Pro 4, its exterior styling can be described as “quite attention-grabbing”, courtesy of its large and boldly studded grille, which makes a strong style statement.
Unlike the Fronx, the Tiggo 4 Pro has chunkier headlamps; it also features plastic cladding around the wheel arches, while lower sills with red detailing (Elite SE) add a bit of contrast to the package. With its attractive styling execution, it’s easy to understand why so many buyers are opting for the Tiggo 4 Pro.
Watch our video review of the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro:
Nissan Magnite
Not to be outdone in the style stakes, the updated Nissan Magnite brings its own kind of verve to the party, thanks to sharply contoured headlights and a contoured grille reminiscent of the discontinued Datsun Go. Angular body contours give the Magnite a chiselled appearance and it also features rugged plastic wheel-arch cladding, while its dual-tone colour scheme (on higher-grade derivatives) injects additional design flair.
Performance & Efficiency
This article will compare similarly-priced, high-specification derivatives from each model range.
| Suzuki Fronx 1.5 GLX | Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T Elite | Nissan Magnite 1.0 Turbo Acenta Plus | |
| Powertrain | 1.5-litre, naturally aspirated, petrol | 1.5-litre, turbocharged, petrol | 1.0-litre, turbocharged, petrol |
| Power Output | 77 kW | 108 kW | 74 kW |
| Torque Output | 138 Nm | 210 Nm | 152 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual / 4-speed automatic | 6-speed manual / CVT | 5-speed (manual) / CVT |
| Fuel Consumption | 5.5 L/100 km (manual) / 5.7 L/100km (automatic) | 7.0 L/100 km (manual) / 6.8 L/100 km (CVT) | 5.3 L/100 km (manual) / 6.0 L/100 km |
Suzuki Fronx
The Fronx is powered by a 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated engine and while its outputs of 77 kW and 138 Nm might not look particularly impressive on paper, real-world performance is better than what the numbers suggest. With a relatively light kerb weight of around 1 015 kg, the Fronx’s acceleration and overtaking abilities are adequate, but bear in mind that the Fronx’s performance will drop off by 15 to 20% due to the thinner air at altitude, so buyers in Gauteng will have to factor this into their buying decision.
Ride quality and overall refinement are very good and, in terms of efficiency, the Fronx exhibits excellent fuel efficiency, which is one of the major reasons to put it on your shortlist. It returned around 6.1 L/100 km during testing, but we suspect figures below 6.0 L/100 km could be achieved without much effort.
We recommend opting for the manual gearbox over Suzuki’s lethargic 4-speed automatic transmission.
Read our Suzuki Fronx (2023) Launch Review for more information.
Chery Tiggo 4 Pro
The Tiggo Pro 4 is offered with either a naturally aspirated or turbocharged 1.5-litre engine but the latter (with 108 kW and 210 Nm) is the one to have. It offers punchier performance in conjunction with either a manual ‘box or continuously variable transmission (CVT). Some buyers might find the driving experience of the auto a bit humdrum/uninvolving, but it’s better suited to dealing with city traffic than the manual.
The Tiggo 4 Pro’s ride quality is generally good with a forgiving disposition, but damping could be better over poorer surfaces. Importantly, in terms of fuel efficiency, the more willing turbocharged engine isn’t particularly frugal; we’ve seen returns of around 8.8 L/100 km, which is the Tiggo 4 Pro’s drawback.
Read our review of the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro
Nissan Magnite
The Magnite strikes a good balance between performance and efficiency and we found its 1.0-litre turbopetrol engine to offer fair-to-good performance within the city environment. However, engine noise does increase under harder acceleration, but that trait is rather typical of models in this segment of the market. Ride quality is good too; it favours comfort but body roll is pronounced under brisk cornering.
Meanwhile, the Nissan’s fuel consumption is reasonable. During our test, the Magnite returned figures in the region of 6.5 L/100 km – by turbocharged small crossover standards, that is quite admirable.
Note that the Magnite is also offered with an entry-level, naturally-aspirated 3-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol engine offering 53 kW and 96 Nm and paired with both an AMT and manual transmission. Nissan recently added additional derivatives to the Magnite range.
Read our review of the Nissan Magnite
Interior Features & Safety
See a spec comparison between these versions of Suzuki Fronx, Chery Tiggo 4 Pro and Nissan Magnite.
Alternatively, you can use our handy Compare Tool to compare any car models you like!
| Suzuki Fronx 1.5 GLX | Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T Elite | Nissan Magnite 1.0 Turbo Acenta Plus | |
| Infotainment system | 9-inch touchscreen | 10.25-inch touchscreen | 8-inch touchscreen |
| Digital Instrument Cluster | 4.2-inch information display, analogue dials, head-up display | 7-inch digital cluster | Central digital display |
| Android Auto / Apple CarPlay | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth, Voice Control, USB, Wireless Charging | Yes to all, 1 front USB, 2 rear USB | Yes, 2 front USB, 1 rear USB, no wireless charging | Yes to all, 1 front USB |
| Rear View Camera | Yes, 360-degree | Yes | Rear, 360-degree |
| Steering Adjustment: Rake / Reach | Rake and Reach | Rake and Reach | No |
| Cruise Control | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Air Conditioning | Climate control | Climate control | Climate control |
| Panoramic Sunroof | No | Sunroof | No |
| Upholstery / electric seats | Cloth, manual adjustment | Leather, electrically adjusted driver’s seat | Partial artificial leather and cloth |
| Front / Rear Park Distance Control | Rear only | Rear only | Rear only |
| Safety Features | 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, Electronic Stability Control, Brake Assist, Hill-Hold Control | 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, Electronic Stability Control with traction control, Brake Assist, hill descent control, tyre pressure monitoring | 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, Electronic Stability Control with traction control, hill start assist, tyre pressure monitoring |
In typical Suzuki fashion, the Fronx 1.5 GLX comes well-specified with standard equipment and its rudimentary interior design is neither flashy nor offensive. Harder plastic surfaces dominate and perceived interior build quality is reasonably good.
The Chery Tiggo 4 Pro, in contrast, adopts a more upmarket, tech-forward interior design approach, with a variety of hard and soft materials, including stitched leather, brushed aluminium inserts, leather trim and larger digital interfaces. The standard specification for the Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T Elite is impressive.
The Nissan Magnite showcases a more youthful and playful interior design, which includes a colourful, partially digital instrument cluster. Angular air vents add some visual flair and so does the combined cloth/leather upholstery. Harder materials dominate the cabin and the material quality could be better.
The Magnite 1.0 Turbo Acenta Plus, does, however, come very well-specced with standard features.
Dimensions & Practicality
| Suzuki Fronx | Chery Tiggo 4 Pro | Nissan Magnite | |
| Length | 3 995 mm | 4 318 mm | 3 995 mm |
| Width | 1765 mm | 1 831 mm | 1 758 mm |
| Height | 1 550 mm | 1 662 mm | 1 572 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2 520 mm | 2 610 mm | 2 500 mm |
| Kerb Weight | 1 010 kg | 1 364 kg | 1 014 kg |
| Ground Clearance | 170 mm | 180 mm | 205 mm |
| Load Capacity | 304 – 605 – 1 009 L | 340 – 1 100 L | 336 L |
In terms of dimensions, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro has a larger footprint than its rivals; its longer wheelbase, in particular, translates into a more spacious cabin for passengers and luggage. However, the Tiggo 4 Pro is also the heaviest of the 3, which is a contributing factor to its higher fuel consumption (see above).
The Suzuki Fronx and Nissan Magnite, by comparison, are similar in size overall but the latter is claimed to have a more capacious load bay that the former, while also boasting superior ground clearance.
Pricing & Warranty
*Pricing is accurate as of June 2025.
| Suzuki Fronx | Price | Chery Tiggo 4 Pro | Price | Nissan Magnite | Price | |
| Entry | Fronx 1.5 GL Manual | R298 900 | Tiggo 1.5 4 Pro 1.5 LiT Manual | R269 900 | Magnite 1.0 Visia Manual | R246 200 |
| Magnite 1.0 Visia Auto | R263 200 | |||||
| Fronx 1.5 GL Auto | R319 900 | Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 LiT Auto | R299 900 | Magnite 1.0 Acenta Manual | R277 300 | |
| Magnite 1.0 Acenta Auto | R294 400 | |||||
| Chery Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T LiT Auto | R344 900 | Magnite 1.0 Acenta Plus Auto | R323 900 | |||
| Mid | – | – | – | – | Magnite 1.0 Turbo Visia Manual | R295 900 |
| – | – | Magnite 1.0 Turbo Acenta Manual | R329 900 | |||
| Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5 Comfort Auto | R355 900 | Magnite 1.0 Turbo Acenta Auto | R344 900 | |||
| Top | Fronx 1.5 GLX Manual | R324 900 | Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T Elite DCT | R384 900 | Magnite 1.0 Turbo Acenta Plus Auto | R369 900 |
| Fronx 1.5 GLX Auto | R362 900 | Tiggo 4 Pro 1.5T Elite CVT | R386 900 | – | – | |
| Warranty | 5-year / 200 000km | 5-year / 150 000 km 10 year / 1 million km engine warranty for first owner | 6-year / 150 000 km | |||
| Service Plan | 4-year / 60 000 km | 5-year / 60 000 km | 3-year / 30 000km |
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What to Buy: Is the Suzuki Fronx worth a closer look?
Based on our experience (and the information at our disposal), it’s easy to see why the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro is a top-selling entry-level crossover. Not only is it larger (and more spacious) than many of its rivals; it arguably offers more style and luxury along with a comprehensive standard feature set. If you opt for a turbopetrol derivative, you’d have to be willing to live with the higher-than-average fuel consumption, but even so, the Tiggo 4 Pro is definitely worth considering.
The Suzuki Fronx, however, makes a very strong buying proposition, particularly for buyers with a budget under R365k. In 1.5 GLX guise, the Fronx, in our opinion, is a superior product to the equivalent Magnite, particularly in terms of perceived build quality. While the Fronx’s performance/economy balance is a big drawcard, the turbocharged Magnite hits back with punchier performance but still returns reasonable fuel consumption. The Magnite is also better equipped to attract buyers in the sub-R300k-segment, where it dominates. The Suzuki Fronx does offer a better warranty and service plan though…
So yes, the Fronx is worth a closer look if you are shopping for a capable, reliable and affordable compact SUV.
If you’re still undecided, visit your nearest Suzuki, Chery and Nissan dealership for a test drive!
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