BMW M240I vs Suzuki Fronx

What's the difference?

When BMW is on a roll, the world needs to watch out.

And, as our Thundernight metallic-hued M240i so literally demonstrates, its purple patch continues after a string of modern marvels like the latest 4 Series and iX, distilling the essence of compact sports coupe and luxury cruiser with dizzying confidence.

Joining the pantheon of back-catalogue greats like the 2002ti and 330Ci, we're missing it already now that the keys have been returned. Isn't that the true sign of the quintessential BMW experience?

If you’re considering a small car, particularly if an SUV is the goal, a Suzuki should in most cases be on the shopping list. Back-to-basics motoring is key to the brand’s identity. Its most popular model is a tiny ladder-frame 4X4, for example. Hi Jimny.

The Fronx doesn’t break new ground in any practical sense, but it does come in with a decent price and list of features that should sway plenty of small-car fans in the showroom.

It’s decent to look at, comfortable for the segment, and easy to get used to and drive. The numerical rating on this review betrays just how likeable the car is.

It’s not extremely refined and it starts to lose its dynamic shine on rough roads, but in an urban setting the Fronx should excel.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

What is happening with BMW design? It's as if the Germans have run out of ideas.

Though we're eternally grateful it exists, the G42 is the least pretty of the three 1 and 2 Series coupe generations, as well as the most aggressively styled. All the usual macho tropes are present – cab-backward long-bonnet/short boot silhouette with an exaggerated dash-to-axle ratio, huge front air intakes, bulging bonnet and diffuser-heavy rear end.

There's also a beady eyed look to this M240i, with its squinty headlights and angry tail-light shapes further piling on the attitude. It's a far cry from the simple elegance of the E82 original, let alone the classic E30 of the Eighties. We wonder how much extra the M2 version will be when it surfaces later on.

That said, the G42's design is in keeping with something wearing an M-something-something prefix. In the optional purple of our press car, it certainly turns heads. That said, in the Bangle era, BMWs didn't have to rely on paint to do that.

Bangle, by the way, refers to BMW's late '90s/early '00s head designer Chris Bangle, an American with a bold aesthetic, scant regard for tradition and a taste for the controversial. His effect on vehicle styling, starting with the 2001 7 Series, is still felt today.

Dimensionally speaking, comparing the length/width/height/wheelbase measurements of the M240i (4548mm/1838mm/1404mm/2741mm) with a 2000 E46 330Ci (4488mm/1757mm/1369mm/2725mm) shows how today's coupe is palpably larger.

Over the previous (F22) 2 Series, the newcomer is 105mm longer, 64mm wider and 28mm lower; the wheelbase has been stretched by 51mm, while the front and rear tracks are 63mm and 35mm further out, respectively. Result? More space inside for today's lucky occupants.

‘Fronx’ as a name doesn’t exactly scream ‘cute’, but the little SUV has a pretty classically Suzuki design. This is not a complaint at all.

The Fronx is 3995mm long, 1765mm wide and 1550mm tall, but despite its diminutive dimensions the brand has opted to lean into a ‘coupe’ style with a sloping roofline that creates a relatively sporty look, especially for something with a two-digit power figure.

So while some of Suzuki’s designs have been divisive in Australia (Ignis, anyone?) the Fronx takes a slightly more conservative approach by leaning into more design trends than just the coupe-back SUV shape. 

For example, its tail-lights span the width of the tailgate rather than simply flanking the boot as was standard for decades.

The LED daytime running lights at the front are also arranged in a slim, high-up position with a set of headlights below.

Inside is arguably more conservative than out, as the Fronx goes with a fairly standard formula in terms of its layout, with few premium materials (the synthetic leather on the seats feels cheap for example) or adventurous design elements to be found.

But that’s not such a bad thing.

Interior dimensions may not be paramount to most coupe purchasers, but a stylish one with quality fittings and generous equipment levels certainly is, and here the M240i is bang-on brand.

For a compact two door, the M240i is pleasingly accessible. Long doors and a tallish roof help entry/egress, into a 2+2 cabin that obviously prioritises front-seat occupants. And it does that exceedingly well.

There's space to stretch – even if you're two metres tall – up front, as long as the rear seats aren't occupied, as a result of generous leg and shoulder room, while headroom should also be sufficient, even with the sunroof fitted. We're talking about a small coupe, remember, so that's impressive.

Vision out isn't as bad as you might imagine, either, due to the airiness that the elongated side windows provide. There are blind spots, though, with the B-pillar being the worst, but at least the extensive camera and sensor network surrounding the car provide reassuring back-up.

The handsome M Sport front seat option ($2000 extra) look like they mean business, providing all the comfort, support and adjustment most occupants will ever need. They're firm enough when you need them yet restfully supple all the time. Backed up by a multitude of electronics, both buckets will brace people of pretty much all sizes, while the driver has the luxury of two memory settings that also take in mirror positions.

Remember how the new 2 Series comes via Mexico? You'd never know it wasn't built in Germany, from the solid build quality and expensive materials to the extremely welcome absence of squeaks and rattles. No area exposed to the occupants looks or feels cheap.

Also meeting expectations is the dashboard itself, which is essentially a scaled-down replica of every recently released BMW – futuristic and fabulous iX aside – since the current (G20) 3 Series in 2018 broke the Bangle-era curse of disappointing new-millennial models.

If you're hoping for a return to classic analogue instrument dials, forget it. The M240i's instruments are modish electronic items, providing plenty of vehicle and driving data, and supported by an excellent head-up display. Like the switches and buttons, they're easy to fathom, with little familiarisation required.

As we've said repeatedly in other BMW reviews, the iDrive multimedia controller is amongst the best in the business, responding instantly to inputs. The other basics – ventilation, storage, driving position – are also first class. Nothing to complain about here. The company is on a good thing and it's sticking with it.

Accessing the rear seats is aided by electrified front seats that slowly whir forward, to provide a big-enough aperture for your medium-build 178cm tall tester to squeeze in.

Once sat, with legs splayed apart, there's just enough space for another person of similar height and proportions, as well as surprisingly decent levels of vision thanks to the narrow front bucket seats and extended rear glass area, to offset any feelings of claustrophobia.

BMW has also provided several welcome amenities, including face-pointed rear vents with full single-zone temperature control to serve two occupants back there, armrests (with the centre fold-down item also packing in a pair of cupholders), reading lights and coat hooks.

Sadly, however, the rear windows do not retract, and the thick door pillars are fixed, so you cannot enjoy a pillarless hardtop experience. That's what the M4 coupe (and convertible too) is for.

While rear-seat space is adequate, with enough room for shoulders, thighs and feet if the front-seat occupants don't mind raising the cushion a little, the backrest is too upright to be considered comfortable on longer journeys. At least the low cushion is scalloped enough to provide some support, though, again, not over extended periods.

That rear backrest folds, by the way, to a 40/20/40 split, providing access into the 390-litre boot while still able to accommodate a single passenger. The lid opens up and wide, offering up a long, flat and wide space for storage. Along with a 12V outlet and tie-down hooks, you'll find a tyre-repair kit, since no spare wheel is carried.

Because for all the conservative, even outdated, styling in the cabin, the fact is it’ll be refreshingly familiar to someone who’s getting out of a car from perhaps even before the year 2000.

Suzuki’s place at the budget end of the new-car market means its customers are likely either quite young and buying their first new car, or relatively old and looking for a cheap, rarely used runabout as the ‘last car’.

For the former, a lack of techy distractions is paramount. For the latter, ease of use wins over cutting-edge tech in most cases. Which is why it’s probably okay that the Fronx’s multimedia touchscreen and software wouldn’t feel out of place almost a decade ago.

It can be a tad fiddly to use at speed, but it’s still more straightforward than the ‘iPad-like’ systems Tesla has made popular, and there are physical controls for important functions like climate control.

There’s also a row of ever-present haptic buttons for volume controls and navigation shortcuts.

The ergonomics of the interior are quite basic, but there are no red flags in terms of visibility, reach, or placement. 

The head-up display is a bonus, but the physical dials on the dash rather than a digital driver display are clear enough, despite again feeling nabbed from a time before head-up displays even existed. 

Space for the front passengers is decent, it’s not cavernous but it’s far from cramped. Elbow rests and seating positions allow for a relaxed ride.

The back seat is a slightly less comfortable place, but at 178cm I can sit behind my own seating position without my knees touching the seat in front, and my head has just enough space above to accommodate the top of a mullet.

Behind that, luggage capacity in the boot is 304 litres, or 605 litres with the rear 60/40 split seats folded.

There’s also no space-saver spare tyre, just a repair kit as standard.

There’s only one variant of the Fronx, and it lands at $28,990 before on-road costs. It’s also relatively stacked when it comes to features, and Suzuki is even working on a sub-$30K drive-away offer for its on-sale date in September this year. We’d expect that means about $29,990 DA, though that’s to be confirmed down the track.

For something at that price point, features aren’t lacking. While things like wireless phone charging and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay have become almost expected for even entry-level cars in Australia, the Fronx also features heated synthetic leather seats and a leather steering wheel.

It’s the first Suzuki in Australia to feature a head-up display, and there’s also a standard surround-view parking display thanks to a set of cameras.

The Fronx’s 9.0-inch multimedia touchscreen is joined by a small 4.2-inch driver display nestled between physical dials for the speedometer and tachometer. Exterior lighting is LED front and rear, with auto headlights and manual levelling.

The only extra-cost option for the Fronx is a choice of ‘premium’ single- or two-tone paint - Arctic White Pearl is the standard no-cost colour. Single-tone paint is $745 extra, while two-tone options are $1345, which is a lot pricier than many premium paint options in the market.

The Fronx comes in at the same price as a mid-to-high spec Hyundai Venue, Kia Stonic or Chery Tiggo 4, but some rivals like the Mazda CX-3 or Toyota Yaris Cross (with its Hybrid drivetrain) are more expensive even in their lower variants.

As with all of our current favourite BMWs that aren't electric on full-fledged M cars, the M240i is fitted with a variation of the divine B58 engine – a 2998cc 3.0-litre double overhead cam direct-injection turbo I6. It delivers 285kW at a heady 6500rpm, and 500Nm of torque between a low 1900rpm and 5000rpm.

A kerb weight of 1690kg (200kg more than the 220i equivalent) means the M240i's power to weight ratio is about 169kW/tonne, which may explain why it can manage the 0-100km/h time in 4.3 seconds. V-max is 250km/h.

Power is channelled to all four wheels continuously via an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission, while the AWD system features a differential to help transmit torque to all four wheels more cleanly.

Controlling all those outputs, the M240i's suspension consists of a two-joint spring strut front and a five‑link rear axle arrangement, with M Sport suspension including variable sport steering, additional front axle struts, M Sport brakes, M Sport differential at the rear axle and adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled dampers.

The Fronx is powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid assistance, driving the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. 

Its outputs are quoted at 76kW and 137Nm, not exactly high-grade stuff and part of the reason the Fronx feels like it takes more than 10 seconds to hit 100km/h.

Over exactly 503km of city, suburban, freeway and performance testing, we managed a credible 9.6 litres per 100km – and that was with the air-con on  constantly and regular visits to the 7000rpm rev limiter. No horses were spared in our quest to properly assess this vehicle.

BMW's official combined-average claim for the Euro 6d-rated M240 is 8.0L/100km flat – and 6.6L and 10.3L in the Extra Urban and Urban runs – for a carbon dioxide emissions average of 185 grams/km.

The small fuel tank swallows just 52 litres of E10, 95 or 98 RON (as tested) premium unleaded petrol, meaning an average of 650km between refills is possible.

Suzuki claims fuel consumption at 4.9L/100km. With its 37-litre fuel tank, the Fronx should be able to manage more than 600km on a single tank, though theoretically its maximum range given its claimed fuel efficiency is 755km.

In a word, invigorating.

Stuffing a big old engine in a little-ish car is always an exciting recipe for thrills, and the M240i Coupe does not disappoint.

Press the start button, and the sublime B58 3.0-litre turbo I6 growls into life, setting a rich tone for the level of performance as well as sophistication that's coming.

Even in Eco mode, off-the-line acceleration is stirring, with a hefty shove if you're in a hurry, or a brisk pace if you just long to just take it easy, defined by smooth upshifts from what remains one of the world's greatest-ever automatic transmissions.

That said, Normal is the default operating setting, and here the M240i can take on a Jekyll and Hyde split-personality, that goes well beyond simply possessing a strong throttle response accompanied by a soaring exhaust note. The engine sings sweetly even right up to 7000rpm, while the gearbox is uncanny in its ability to always be in the correct gear, yet will simultaneously hold each ratio in manual mode (via the shifter or paddles) if the driver needs to go hell-for-leather.

Speaking of which, in Sport mode, the 3.0-litre turbo goes into red alert, taking on a louder and more muscular mood, as it roars along with frenetic yet effortless speed. What seems like 90km/h can, in fact, be very much more, and with plenty of extra oomph in reserve.

It's so typical BMW that purists affronted by some of the brand's other niche offerings of late will cry with joy that the art of making a sports coupe has not been lost in Bavaria after all.

And that's before the first turn of that fat little steering wheel. Here the 2 Series Coupe's 3 Series-derived CLAR architecture's DNA is immediately obvious, providing subtle balance and an immersive connection to go with all that bolshy brawn.

The M240i will glide along precisely where pointed, sticking steadfast to the tarmac while cornering at speed without breaking a sweat. That mechanical rear diff helps provide both alacrity and reassuring control. Yes, it remains weighty and planted when punted relentlessly through tight corners, but it's also not as heavy-feeling as before.

Being AWD, there's grip galore to rely on for security, yet the M240i still seems deliberately rear-drive biased in its set-up, so the driver can hang the tail out if wanted with gradual ease in Normal, or with a little more of a sideways flick in Sport. The modes are configurable so the level of engine, steering and suspension responses can be tailored as desired, meaning that in the racy Sport Plus setting, with stability and traction controls on hold, the full oversteer experience is possible if you're game/brave/silly enough.

This car's brilliant performance is also down to incredibly dependable and nuanced braking, adding another layer of driver enjoyment, since it can pull up hard and fast if need be without drama or fuss.

So, it's no surprise to learn that an M-Sport-enhanced BMW can be a deliciously fast and limber along a mountain road.

But the real progress over the old F22 is just how suave and polished the G42 is if you're tired and stressed, isolating its occupants from the rigours of rubbish road surfaces. Kudos to the 'Adaptive M Suspension' and its adaptive dampers for this, for they're standard M240i fare. The resulting cushy ride completely broadens the dynamic bandwidth of this compact sports coupe, making it an everyday commuting proposition.

Ultimately, it's a bit of a struggle to find fault in the 2 Series' drivability and dynamic make-up. The usual Euro luxury car bugbear of too much coarse-chip tyre noise applies, but as this is a sports coupe, that's not such a big deal here. Even wind noise levels are subdued – all the better to drink in that glorious turbo engine wail.

BMW, you got the M240i delightfully right.

How you plan to use the Fronx will make a big difference in whether what you’re about to read is a good thing or not. 

The Fronx is a light SUV for a start, so expecting brilliant handling, effortless acceleration and a dead-quiet cabin is going to mean you’re disappointed.

But if you want something easy, engaging and fun, the Fronx might work for you.

Our brief test loop wasn’t entirely indicative of what the Fronx is likely to face day-to-day. With limited time and no preset drive program, the roads within a 20-or-so minute drive of Nagambie, Victoria had to suffice.

The Fronx fared well on the average road, it turned out, with the 1064kg Suzuki managing to feel planted enough to hurl along 100km/h back-roads without complaints. It rides on the same platform used recently by the Suzuki Baleno, something I’ll admit to not having driven.

The rougher roads didn’t faze the light SUV too much, though consistently uneven surfaces made it feel unsettled in some cornering.

Its steering and suspension give enough feedback to make the right inputs easily, though the nature of its light weight and minimal accoutrement in terms of driver assistance make the Fronx feel very rudimentary from the driver’s seat.

At low speeds around the centre of town, the Fronx manages the state’s terrible roads well, though taking off from intersections can be laborious. Much like overtaking, the drivetrain will complain.

And don’t expect its mild hybrid system to do a lot in the way of hard work - or any work at all, really. You could take the hybrid badge off the car, let someone have a drive, and they’d be none the wiser.

From the limited observations on the launch, the Fronx would feel best at home in suburbia or a metropolitan centre more so than on the Hume Highway or the towns dotted alongside it.

Essentially, this is not a refined road trip car for the highway, but its no-fuss approach to getting around means you shouldn’t be surprised if you start seeing them in the car parks at universities or bowls clubs.

A big part of many buyers’ decisions about a new car is safety, and the Fronx is pretty basic on this front.

Six airbags cover front and sides for the front passengers, and there are curtains down the sides of the car, but there’s no front centre airbag and no ANCAP rating has been applied to the Fronx as yet.

In terms of active safety, the Fronx has listed among its standard features auto emergency braking (AEB), ABS and brake assist, lane departure warning, hill hold control, weaving alert, blind spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, rear cross traffic alert and a surround-view parking camera with front and rear sensors.

There are also outboard ISOFIX seat fastenings in the second row.

The only safety system that activated during the test was a lane departure warning, but only when (under normal conditions) it would have been necessary as the car approached the road’s centre line.

Trailing all of its main luxury car rivals (except Porsche) by two years, BMW only offers a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, as well as three years of roadside assistance.

BMW says its vehicles' servicing is condition-based, depending on how they're driven and other factors, with a dash warning appearing to let the driver/owner know when it's time. We advise servicing your M4 annually or at every 10,000km

No capped-price servicing system is offered. However, as long as the first one is paid for before the first service on a new vehicle, the 'BMW Service Inclusive Basic packages' is available at extra cost, covering scheduled servicing for three years/40,000km or five years/80,000km. A 2 Series should cost from $1700 for the five-year/80.000km package.

Suzuki has a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty for its new cars, which is a little behind the curve compared to many budget-friendly brands these days. 

Suzuki does have a five-year servicing schedule, with intervals every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. Total cost is $2005 over the five years, with services averaging $401, which is not particularly cheap.