The Suzuki Fronx city SUV has been handed a one-star ANCAP safety rating following “low levels” of occupant protection and a “rare and serious” rear seatbelt failure, which has been reported to government regulators.
During crash testing, the rear seatbelt malfunction allowed the rear crash test dummy to strike the front passenger seat. However, this failure did not affect the vehicle’s rating, as the test had already scored zero points in that category.
The Fronx narrowly avoided a zero-star rating, earning just 40 per cent for Child Occupant Protection—the minimum required for a one-star overall score and the lowest in this assessment category since 2017.
In response, Suzuki has halted sales of the Fronx while it investigates the safety results. In a statement, the company said it has “elevated the review of this assessment to a matter of immediate focus.”
The Suzuki Fronx complies with government safety standards in Australia and New Zealand—aside from the rear seatbelt issue—which are less rigorous than ANCAP’s testing protocols.
This is the second Suzuki model in 18 months to receive a one-star ANCAP rating. Previously, the Swift hatch sold in Australia was found to lack structural components included in the three-star European version. Those elements were later added to local models, and the vehicle’s safety rating was subsequently upgraded to three stars.
“During the full-width frontal test, the rear passenger seatbelt retractor of the Suzuki Fronx failed, resulting in an uncontrolled release that left the rear dummy unrestrained, allowing it to strike the rear of the front seat,” ANCAP stated in a media release.
ANCAP has confirmed it has “reported” the rear seatbelt failure to vehicle safety regulators in Australia and New Zealand, who oversee recalls for new vehicles.
However, the safety body noted that the Fronx had “already received zero points in the full-width frontal test before the failure occurred, due to the high chest load recorded.”
“Importantly, the one-star rating reflects the Fronx’s overall crash performance—particularly the performance of its structure and restraint systems—and is not a consequence of the separate seatbelt component failure,” ANCAP added.
Under ANCAP’s 2025 protocols, the Fronx’s zero score in the full-width frontal test meant the body could not deduct additional points for the seatbelt failure. A similar limitation prevented ANCAP from penalising the MG 3 hatch earlier this year, despite a seat rail failure that caused the driver’s seat to twist during testing.
New test protocols, set to take effect in 2026, will address this. Vehicles that experience a seat restraint failure—including seatbelts and seat rails—will have their Crash Protection score halved, in addition to any impact on dummy forces.
Since its Australian launch earlier this year, approximately 1,300 Suzuki Fronx city SUVs have been sold in the country.
“What concerns us is that this vehicle could have been purchased by an ordinary consumer, and in a real-world crash, this failure could have had serious consequences for the person sitting in the back seat,” ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg said in a statement.
“ANCAP’s position is that adult and child passengers should not travel in the rear seats of the Suzuki Fronx until the cause of the failure is determined and appropriate repairs are carried out.
“Consumers expect—and deserve—vehicles that meet fundamental occupant protection standards. We are urging Suzuki to act swiftly and decisively to ensure all affected vehicles are identified and rectified without delay.”
Suzuki has halted sales of the Fronx, effective Saturday, December 20, while it investigates the issue, General Manager Michael Pachota told HARJA.
In a media statement, Suzuki Australia said it “acknowledges the recent ANCAP assessment of the 2025 Fronx Hybrid and is taking decisive action, including a thorough investigation, as customer safety is non-negotiable and remains Suzuki’s highest priority across Australia and New Zealand.
“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,” the company said.
“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.”
The company added that the Fronx 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,” noting that these government standards are less stringent than ANCAP’s testing protocols.
In addition to the rear seatbelt failure, the Suzuki Fronx exhibited “low levels of occupant protection for both adults and children,” ANCAP reported.
Its 40 per cent score in the Child Occupant Protection category is among the lowest recorded since ANCAP introduced the four ‘pillars’ of assessment seven years ago.
The safety body noted “excessive chest loads… for the rear passenger” that exceeded its performance thresholds, which capped the vehicle’s score in that test.
“Key body regions of both the 10-year-old and 6-year-old child occupants were also capped at zero points, due to high head acceleration and excessive neck tension,” ANCAP said.
The Fronx scored 48 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection, keeping it in one-star territory, as 50 per cent is the minimum required for a two-star rating. The vehicle offered “weak” protection of the driver’s chest in a frontal offset crash.
The SUV performed better in other areas: its 55 per cent Safety Assist score would have been enough for a three-star rating overall, while its 65 per cent Vulnerable Road User Protection score fell in the four-star band.
