The Suzuki Fronx small SUV has received a 1-star ANCAP safety rating, following a serious seatbelt failure identified during crash testing. The rating applies to all variants of the Fronx sold in Australia and New Zealand, following its launch in New Zealand in June 2025 and in Australia in August 2025.
While the Fronx is equipped with a competitive suite of standard active safety technology, ANCAP’s assessment was overshadowed by a rare and concerning failure of the rear passenger seatbelt during a full-width frontal crash test. As a result, ANCAP has issued a strong warning advising that adult and child passengers should not travel in the rear seats until the issue has been fully investigated and rectified by Suzuki.
During testing, the rear passenger seatbelt retractor failed, resulting in an uncontrolled release that left the rear crash test dummy unrestrained. The dummy subsequently struck the rear of the front seat, significantly increasing the risk of serious injury. ANCAP described seatbelt failures as both rare and serious, and confirmed it has notified vehicle safety regulators in both Australia and New Zealand.
ANCAP has also urged prospective buyers to be aware of the component failure if considering purchasing a Suzuki Fronx before Suzuki demonstrates that the issue has been addressed.
Breaking down the scores
Adult Occupant Protection – 48%
The Fronx’s adult occupant protection score was heavily impacted by the rear seatbelt failure. While the passenger compartment remained stable in the frontal offset test, chest protection for the driver was rated as weak, and protection for the rear passenger was poor.
In the full-width frontal test, the seatbelt failure resulted in excessive forward movement of the rear dummy, with head and chest protection rated as poor. This caused the score for the test to be capped at zero points. The absence of a centre airbag also meant far-side impact protection was not assessed, further limiting the overall score of 19.30 out of 40.
Child Occupant Protection – 40%
Child occupant protection was another weak area for the Suzuki Fronx. ANCAP noted that the vehicle is not fitted with seatbelt pre-tensioners for any rear seats, resulting in poor restraint of child dummies in both frontal offset and side-impact tests.
Protection of the head and neck for both six- and 10-year-old dummies was rated as poor in frontal testing, with scores capped at zero points. While ISOFix anchorages and top tether points are fitted, the absence of key restraint technologies and a child presence detection system limited the overall result of 20.06 out of 40.
Vulnerable Road User Protection – 65%
The Fronx performed better with a 41.39 score out of 63 in vulnerable road user protection. Pedestrian head protection across much of the bonnet and windscreen was rated as good or adequate, though stiff windscreen pillars and the bonnet’s front edge recorded poor results.
The autonomous emergency braking system demonstrated good performance in pedestrian and cyclist detection tests and adequate performance for motorcyclist scenarios, helping lift this category’s score despite weaker passive protection for the pelvis and femurs.
Safety Assist – 55%
The Suzuki Fronx comes standard with autonomous emergency braking (Car-to-Car, Vulnerable Road User and Junction Assist), lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, emergency lane keeping, and a speed assistance system with traffic sign recognition.
Standard safety equipment
Despite its low overall rating, the Suzuki Fronx is fitted with a broad range of safety features as standard across all variants:
- Airbags: Dual frontal, side chest-protecting, and side head-protecting curtain airbags.
- Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB): Car-to-Car, Vulnerable Road USer and Junction Assist.
- Lane support systems: Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), and Emergency Lane Keeping (ELK).
- Speed Assistance System: Speed sign recognition and speed limit warning.
- Seatbelt reminders: Fitted for all seating positions.
What does ANCAP say about this result?
ANCAP has taken the unusual step of issuing a direct warning to consumers, stating that adult and child passengers should not travel in the rear seats of the Suzuki Fronx until the cause of the seatbelt failure is identified and rectified.
The organisation has confirmed it has notified government safety regulators in both Australia and New Zealand and is awaiting further action from Suzuki.
What does Suzuki say about this result?
Suzuki Australia issued a statement shortly after ANCAP published the results, saying it is treating the matter as an urgent priority.
Suzuki said: “Suzuki Australia has elevated the review of this assessment to a matter of immediate focus and is working directly with Suzuki Motor Corporation in Hamamatsu, Japan, and Suzuki New Zealand to fully understand the ANCAP testing outcomes.”
“This review is being progressed with urgency and at 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 customers place in our brand.”
Final Thoughts
The Suzuki Fronx’s 1-star ANCAP safety rating highlights how a single component failure can have serious consequences for overall vehicle safety. While the SUV offers a solid list of standard active safety features, the rear seatbelt failure and poor rear occupant protection have prompted strong warnings from ANCAP.
Until Suzuki demonstrates that the issue has been fully investigated and rectified, the Fronx’s safety credentials remain a major concern for Australian and New Zealand buyers.
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