Maruti Fronx vs Baleno: Fuel Efficiency Compared

The Maruti Fronx, which was revealed at the 2023 Auto Expo, is finally nearing its launch. And before its prices are out, we’ve got our hands on its fuel efficiency figures. The sub-compact SUV, which is based on the Baleno hatchback, shares one of its powertrains with it, while the other 1-litre Boosterjet powertrain is exclusive to the Fronx. Let’s see how the two compare against each other:

Fuel Efficiency

Let’s compare the 1.2-litre petrol powertrains of the two first. In the Fronx, the powertrain paired to a manual transmission returns 21.79kmpl, while the same boasts a fuel efficiency of 22.35kmpl in the Baleno. The margin between the two for the AMT gearbox with the Fronx and Baleno closes down, returning 22.89kmpl and 22.94kmpl, respectively.

Now the Baleno is offered with the single 1.2-litre DualJet petrol engine, while the Fronx gets the option of a 1-litre Boosterjet engine. The carmaker claims 21.5kmpl for the manual and 20.10 for the automatic transmission, which is less than the Baleno’s. Not just that, those figures are even lower than the Fronx’s numbers for the 1.2-litre powertrain.

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While the lower efficiency numbers might come as a shock initially, given the fact the 1-litre turbo-petrol powertrain is paired to a mild-hybrid system, you have to factor in the extra weight that the hybridisation adds to the vehicle. The extra weight that this powertrain has to chug around everywhere directly affects its fuel economy.

But if you can overlook the small disparity between the fuel economies, the 1-litre turbo-petrol engine is actually the more powerful of the two, with an output of 100PS and 148Nm compared to the 1.2-litre’s 90PS and 113Nm.

The Maruti Fronx has already reached dealerships ahead of its launch in the coming days.  Just recently, a CNG-equipped mule was spotted testing, however, it won’t be made available with CNG power at launch, as it will likely be introduced a few months later. 

We reckon Maruti will price the Fronx from Rs 8 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards. Maruti’s sub-four metre SUV will rival the Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger, Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV300 and Tata Nexon.