Suzuki Fronx scores one ANCAP star

ANCAP has slammed the crash test performance of the Suzuki Fronx, issuing the budget-friendly SUV with a weak one-star safety score.

Poor crash test performance and rear seatbelt failure prompted the Australasian safety body to recommend passengers avoid travelling in the rear seat of the Fronx, with the issue reported to vehicle safety regulators in both Australia and New Zealand.

The assessment showed the Suzuki Fronx delivered poor levels of occupant protection for both adults (with an Adult Occupant Protection score of just 48 per cent) and children (with a Child Occupant Protection score of just 40 per cent), with ANCAP noting excessive chest loads upon the rear passenger during the full-width frontal test.

ANCAP said these results were extreme enough to exceed its performance thresholds for the test, while further noting key body regions of both the 10-year-old and six-year-old child occupants faced “excessive head acceleration and neck tension” resulting in a zero score.

Quite literally adding insult to injury, the rear passenger seatbelt retractor of the Suzuki Fronx failed during the full-width frontal test, resulting in an uncontrolled seatbelt release where the rear dummy became unrestrained, allowing it to strike the rear of the front seat.

ANCAP chief executive officer Carla Hoorweg said that while the component failure is serious, the vehicle had already received zero points in the full-width frontal test before the failure occurred, due to the high chest load recorded.

“The seatbelt component failure is rare and serious,” she explained.

“ANCAP exists to give consumers confidence, and when our test reveals results of this nature, we will act in their best interest by communicating our findings promptly and transparently.

“What concerns us is that this particular vehicle could have been purchased by an ordinary consumer, and in an on-road crash, this failure could have had serious consequences for the person sitting in the back seat.

To date, approximately 1300 examples of the Suzuki Fronx have been sold in Australia with a further 1000 sold in New Zealand.

“ANCAP’s view is that adult and child passengers should not travel in the rear seats of the Suzuki Fronx until the reason for the failure has been determined and relevant rectifications have been carried out,” cautioned Ms Hoorweg.

“We are calling on Suzuki to act quickly and decisively to ensure that all affected vehicles are identified and rectified without delay.”

In response to the ANCAP result, Suzuki Australia says it acknowledges the one-star score and is conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the component failure.

The Japanese importer says it has elevated the review of this assessment as a matter of “immediate focus” to Suzuki Motor Corporation in Hamamatsu, and says the matter is being processed with urgency within the highest levels of the organisation.

“A thorough and disciplined investigation is underway, and Suzuki will take any actions required to uphold our safety standards and the trust our consumers place in our brand,” said Suzuki Australia in a statement.

“Suzuki firmly believes in learning from local testing and regulatory feedback as part of our continuous improvement philosophy.

“These assessments are treated seriously and play an important role in strengthening vehicle safety, performance, and reliability across our markets.

Suzuki says the Fronx Hybrid was developed with the aim of being a vehicle that meets the safety standards of Australia and New Zealand, and has been certified as such, providing safety and peace of mind for its customers.

It said that it aims to meet the necessary safety standards in those markets in which its vehicles are sold and consistently strives to prioritise safety and safety technologies “from multiple perspectives”.

Suzuki Australia said that it will continue to prioritise this matter and will provide further updates as soon as appropriate.