Suzuki has suspended sales of the Fronx in New Zealand following a critical safety failure that resulted in a one-star rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP). The decision comes after a rear seatbelt retractor failed during laboratory crash testing, prompting immediate safety concerns from regulators.

Safety Rating and Test Results

The ANCAP testing revealed significant safety deficiencies in the Fronx, with the model receiving the lowest possible one-star rating. The critical failure occurred during a full-width frontal crash test when the rear seatbelt retractor released excessive belt length, leaving the rear crash test dummy completely unrestrained and causing it to strike the front seat.

ANCAP officials noted that the one-star rating reflects poor performance across multiple crash tests and inadequate levels of adult and child occupant protection. Such seatbelt failures are considered rare but extremely serious safety defects.

Regulatory Response and Recall

New Zealand's vehicle safety regulator, the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), has taken immediate action following the test results. Officials met with Suzuki New Zealand to demand urgent remedial measures, emphasizing that such failures could lead to serious injury or death in real-world crashes.

Suzuki New Zealand has issued a recall for 1,115 vehicles, acknowledging that the rear seatbelt retractor "may not perform as designed." The company has begun contacting all Fronx owners with explicit instructions to immediately cease using the rear seats while investigations continue.

Market Impact and Timeline

The Fronx was introduced in New Zealand in June 2025 and launched in Australia in August 2025. The ANCAP safety rating applies to all variants of the model across both markets. ANCAP has advised consumers to carefully consider the unresolved component failure before making any purchase decisions.

Both Australian and New Zealand vehicle safety regulators have been formally notified of the seatbelt failure, with ANCAP confirming that adult and child passengers should avoid rear seat travel until the cause is identified and proper rectifications are completed.

Indian Market Performance

In India, the model is marketed as the Maruti Suzuki Fronx, manufactured in Gujarat and sold through Maruti's premium Nexa dealership network. The compact SUV has achieved strong sales performance in the Indian market, establishing itself as one of Maruti Suzuki's key volume models in 2025.

Notably, the India-specification Fronx has not undergone safety testing by either India's Global NCAP or the domestic Bharat NCAP programmes, leaving questions about the safety performance of the Indian variant.

Maruti Suzuki India Limited has informed stock exchanges about receiving an adjudication order from the West Bengal GST Authority on December 22, 2025. The regulatory disclosure was made under Regulation 30 of the SEBI Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements Regulations, 2015.

GST Adjudication Order Details

The adjudication order covers the period from April 2018 to March 2023 and relates to GST credit availment issues. The West Bengal GST department has imposed both tax demand and penalty on the automotive manufacturer.

Company's Response and Impact Assessment

Maruti Suzuki has assessed that there is no major impact on the company's financial, operational, or other activities due to this GST adjudication order. The company has indicated its intention to challenge the order through the appropriate legal channels.

The automotive manufacturer plans to file an appeal against the adjudication order to the first appellate authority, exercising its right to contest the GST department's decision.

Regulatory Compliance

The disclosure was made by Sanjeev Grover, Executive Officer and Company Secretary of Maruti Suzuki India Limited, in compliance with stock exchange listing requirements. The company has fulfilled its obligation to inform investors about material developments that could potentially affect its operations.