Made-in-India Suzuki Fronx recalled in New Zealand due to a rear seatbelt failure during ANCAP crash testing

The Made-in-India Suzuki Fronx has been recalled in New Zealand following the recent failure of a rear safety belt mechanism in a laboratory crash test carried out by the Australian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP).

The Fronx model that was sold in Australia and New Zealand was manufactured in India, and after this failure in the crash testing, Suzuki halted the sales of this model and initiated a recall in the New Zealand market.

It is revealed that the Fronx has received a one-star safety rating from ANCAP based on the poor performance of the rear safety belt in the recent crash test. The 1-star rating reflects poor performance across multiple crash tests and low levels of adult and child occupant protection. This failure is critical as a similar incident in an on-road crash could potentially result in serious injury or death for rear-seat passengers.

There are currently 1,115 Fronx vehicles registered for use on New Zealand roads, and Suzuki New Zealand is now reaching out to the vehicle owners to provide them with further information, including advice that passengers do not travel in the rear seats at this time. Fronx owner who have not been contacted yet are suggested to contact the company or their local dealer urgently.

Reportedly, the automaker is investigating the cause of the seatbelt failure and will work with safety authorities to develop and validate a corrective solution before resuming sales.