Maruti Suzuki Fronx Alpha

The Maruti Suzuki Baleno is like the most common sense car today. Maruti Suzuki Fronx, which basically is the same car, had some big shoes to fill. From the outside, the Maruti Suzuki Fronx definitely does look great. A lot of people confuse it with the bigger Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, which also feels good. However, the moment you sit inside, you realise it is the same familiar yet reliable Maruti. It's simple, plasticky and cheap, but you know it will last. Since a 360 camera was a requirement for me, I went straight for the top-end turbo automatic. It's been 8 months and already done 15000+ kms. This includes a lot of drives around Bangalore and a few drives from Bangalore to Goa and Kolhapur. The suspension has been slightly stiffened, and the car is slightly raised compared to the Baleno. This gives the car good driving behaviour, and I can definitely vouch for it. You sit a bit lower than in a comparable SUV, and the seat cushions are a bit soft, but the driver gets all the adjustments, so you can sit comfortably. When you start the car, there is a weird vibration in the 3-cylinder engine. It's a little noisy and the car shakes in a start. This can sometimes catch you off guard, especially if you have only driven 4-cylinder engines. However, once you start moving, the car just comes alive. On regular drives in the city, you will probably feel a bit of the suspension, but it is definitely a lot of fun to drive. On one such day, I was travelling from Hubli to Goa via the Anmod ghat and non-existent roads. In front of me was a Skoda Slavia, carefully manoeuvring through the potholes. As I was going through the broken roads, I started getting more and more confident in the ability of my car. At the end of it, I could gun the car passed the Skoda and I didn't feel a thing. Fronx is truly an amazing car. Maybe just the Kia Sonet is better for a little more money since it feels a lot more premium inside. If you love to drive, the punchy turbo engine and the ability to confidently drive on any road make it a truly great car.