Lexus LX450D vs Suzuki Fronx

What's the difference?

If you're in the market for the best-of-the-best SUV wagon, then you could do a lot of worse than get in a LX 450d. It looks good, is packed with standard features and is supremely comfortable. The 450d also has an suite of safety tech worthy of the hefty price-tag and it works well as a daily driver and has plenty of touring potential, even though we doubt it'll ever get anywhere near achieving those claimed fuel-consumption figures with real-world usage. Sure, you could instead climb in a second-hand, well-looked-after, never-been-off-road LandCruiser 200 Series and spend the money you save, by not buying this new Lexus, on aftermarket and camping gear, camping fees and also hiring a team of four people to follow you on mopeds everywhere and constantly tell you what a great driver you are – but that's not the point with vehicles of this ilk. They may not be aimed at hard-core off-roading buyers, but they are cushy, classy, and cityified – and, in that respect, they're incredibly well-built for purpose.

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.

It has that signature Lexus jagged space-age grille, chunky shoulders and beefy back end that suit a luxury SUV dreamed up by folks craving a significant presence and plenty of attention for their product.

Bulky side-steps, an upswept raked profile, scalloped side panels and moon roof all top what is a cool combination of eye-friendly design factors. It's a slick mix of low-level cool and high-end style.

Take a look for yourself and make up your own mind whether you like it or not.

‘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.

It certainly feels like Lexus designers and engineers have maximised every last millimetre of interior space; there is stacks of room inside with plenty of real-world usable storage spaces, including cup-holders, door pockets and spots for keys, phones and other stuff.

The heated steering wheel, stylish analogue clock, wireless charger, Lexus climate concierge (coordinating all four-zone temperature controls), cavernous centre-console cooler box, and rear-seat entertainment system are all nice touches but pretty much assumed at price-points lower than this one.

The 12.3-inch high-definition media touchscreen is clear and bright and easy to operate, but the Remote Touch Interface, the control near the shifter, is very annoying to use. The toggle/selector is too sensitive, skipping past your actual choice over and over again, while you try to manipulate it just so, so it lands on the option you wanted.

The second-row seating is plush and the seat sections are easily slid forward and tilted.

Lexus claims the 450d offers 909 litres of cargo space if there are five occupants; and 1431 litres if there are only two occupants. If you have some casual weekend touring in mind, with a spot of camping, then this Lexus should cope with your gear, no worries.

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.

The Lexus LX 450d has the LandCruiser's 4.5-litre twin-turbo direct-injection V8 engine, producing 200kW@3600rpm and 650Nm@1600-2800rpm. All of that power and torque arrives evenly and smoothly, helped no end by a slick six-speed sequential-shift transmission.

It has a full-time 4WD system, dual-range transfer case and off-road tech that includes multi-terrain anti-skid brakes, crawl control and a four-camera multi-terrain monitoring system with back guide and panoramic view. 

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.

Lexus claims the LX 450d will achieve a 9.5L/100km figure from combined-cycle driving (that's 4.9L/100km more frugal than the LX 570 is capable of). Lexus reckons, based on that figure, that the diesel LX has a potential range of almost 1000km on a full tank (93 litres) of fuel.

We recorded 12.7L/100km during daily driving (city and suburbs) and 13.5L/100km with some light off-roading thrown into the drive mix.

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.

It’s supremely comfortable and very quiet, wth that customary cocoon-like enclosed sensation that you only ever truly get in a vehicle this far away from cheap.

The 450d is 5080mm long, 1980mm wide and 1865mm high. It has a 11.8m turning circle. It has an official kerb weight listed as between 2510kg and 2740kg.

For something with so many kegs onboard, it’s capable of punching off the mark with a respectable bit of pace; handy for city-street bursts to slip through traffic gaps.

It never feels cumbersome; it actually feels quite light on its toes. In fact this Lexus tends to be more than a little bit floaty at times. You can select different suspension settings – comfort, normal or sport – to suit your preference.

Visibility is generous all-round with clear sightlines in all directions; besides, the reversing monitor with 360-degree view helps if your views are hindered.

Steering is generally active but it does exhibit quite a lot of under-steer on twisting country roads. It has paddle-shifters if you’re that inclined.

The LX 450d rides on 20-inch alloys and 20-inch Dunlop Grandtrak PT2As (285/50F20 112V) – a combination which is fine for bitumen-based outings, but we’d ditch it for rubber with more sidewall to allow for greater freedom to adjust tyre pressures to suit rough terrain.

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.

Warranty is 4 yrs/100,000km. Service intervals with indicative pricing (exc GST) are: six months/10,000km: complimentary; 12 months/20,000km: $535.56; 18 months/30,000km: $598.11; 24 months/40,000km: $800.32; 30 months/50,000km: $502.44; 36 months/60,000km: $676.23.

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.