Maruti looking at higher variants for Fronx 1.2-litre engine models

1 lakh is just the start

Maruti is looking to build strong on the 1 lakh sales milestone of the Fronx by a possible variant expansion. The crossover recently clocked the 1 lakh sales mark and Maruti may look to take this forward by offering more variants with the 1.2-litre petrol.

Four-cylinder legend

This engine is a four-cylinder unit producing 88bhp/113Nm and can be had with either a five-speed manual or a five-speed AMT. This is Maruti’s ‘national’ engine and over the last 10-12 years has powered over six different models. In fact, it’s been the popular choice for Fronx buyers with it accounting for much more than half the demand as compared to the 1.0-litre turbo engine models.

New top-spec variant

Currently, the 1.2-litre petrol tops out at the Delta variant with the top-spec Zeta and Alpha trims being reserved for the 1.0-litre turbo petrol. This three-pot turbo engine came back last year with the Fronx but so far has not made its way to any of Maruti’s other models.

The numbers game

There is a difference of Rs 45000 between the Delta Plus AGS/Delta CNG as compared to the Zeta 1.0 MT and Rs 2.78 lakh if you look at Delta AGS versus Zeta 1.0 AT. The third variable is that there’s a difference of Rs 98000/1.14 lakh (for dual-tone paint) if you look at the Zeta 1.0 AT versus the fully loaded Alpha 1.0 AT. Taking these into consideration, we could look at a premium of up to Rs 70,000 for the 1.2 Zeta and 1.2 Alpha as and when they come along.

What do you get in the jump?

The Zeta variant over the Delta Plus gets the following

Side and curtain airbags

Rearview camera

Two tweeters

MID in the instrument cluster

Wireless charger

Paddle shifter (AT only)

Tilt and telescopic steering wheel

Engine push start/stop with a smart key

Height-adjustable driver seat

Front centre armrest

Rear AC vents

Rear Type-A and Type-C USB charging sockets

Front footwell illumination

Connected LED taillight with LED strip

Rear wiper and washer

Chrome-plated inside door handles

Suzuki Connect suite

The Alpha variant over the Zeta gets the following

Head-up display

360-degree camera

Auto IRVM

Nine-inch SmartPlay Pro+ touchscreen infotainment system

Arkamys Surround Sense

Cruise control

Auto electrically-foldable ORVMs

Precision-cut alloy wheels

UV cut glass

Dual-tone exterior colour option

Leather-wrapped steering wheel