NZTA issues warning to Suzuki Fronx owners, advises against carrying rear passengers

New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has issued a warning to all Suzuki Fronx owners following the findings of ANCAP’s safety tests. 

During the testing procedure, a rear seatbelt retractor failed, leading to the rear dummy colliding with the back of the front seat. 

Alongside the failure, ANCAP also claimed Suzuki the Fronx only just managed to claim its one-star safety rating it was hit with. 

Following the release of these findings, NZTA released the following statement:

“NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is urging the owners of Suzuki Fronx vehicles in New Zealand not to carry passengers in the rear seats of the vehicles following the recent failure of a rear safety belt mechanism in a laboratory crash test carried out by the Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP).

“The failure of this safety-critical component in an ANCAP crash test is a significant concern to NZTA as New Zealand’s vehicle safety regulator, as a similar failure in an on-road crash could potentially result in serious injury or death for rear seat passengers.”

The release states there are currently 1,115 Fronx vehicles registered for use on New Zealand roads.

NZTA also says it has met with Suzuki New Zealand, and has advised the brand’s local arm to act with urgency on the situation. This includes potentially issuing a manufacturer’s recall. 

“Whether further regulatory action is required will depend on what steps Suzuki takes to address the issue,” NZTA adds.

Suzuki New Zealand has reportedly stopped sales of the Fronx in New Zealand, and the website reflects this, stating the “vehicle is currently unavailable.”

NZTA also encourages all Suzuki Fronx owners in New Zealand to contact the brand urgently if they haven’t been contacted already. 

Customers can contact Suzuki NZ by email at enquiry@suzuki.co.nz, or by phone on 0800 929 394.