Spec Check: Suzuki Fronx vs Nissan Magnite vs Toyota Raize vs Kia Sonet
How does the Toyota Raize and Kia Sonet fare against the upcoming Nissan Magnite and Suzuki Fronx
The Philippine automotive industry may be pivoting towards electrified vehicles, but that doesn’t mean affordable ICE crossover SUVs are out of the picture. In fact, the A-SUV market is starting to get crowded as the Toyota Raize and Kia Sonet will soon face two new adversaries, the Suzuki Fronx and the Nissan Magnite.
Suzuki has already confirmed the Fronx and will hold a preview of the upcoming crossover this coming weekend. Meanwhile, Nissan previewed the Magnite during last year’s Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) and has already received regulatory approval to bring it here very soon. With that, it’s time for another round of spec-check as we roll out the measuring tape, compare what’s under the hood, and see which of these pint-sized crossovers comes with the most toys for the money.
Sizing Them Up
First is the Toyota Raize, which has been a popular choice in the local market for a long time. It measures 4030mm long, 1710mm wide, and 1605mm tall. It also features a 2525mm wheelbase and a ground clearance of 200mm, making it more than capable of navigating uneven terrain with ease or passing through deep floods.
Next up is the Kia Sonet, which is by far the largest A-segment crossover SUV. It beats the Raize through sheer dimensions as it measures 4110mm long, 1790mm wide, and 1642mm tall. The wheelbase is a little bit shorter at 2500mm, but the Sonet bounces back with its ground clearance, which is rated at 205mm.
Moving on, we have the Nissan Magnite, which is smaller than both the Raize and Sonet in terms of length but gets similar ground clearance to the Sonet. It’s 3994mm long, 1758mm wide, and 1572mm tall. Like the Sonet, it also has a 2500mm wheelbase and 205mm of ground clearance.
Last but not least is the Suzuki Fronx. Like the Magnite, the Suzuki measures 3995mm long but bounces back in girth thanks to its 1765mm width. It is, however, the shortest in terms of height as it only stands 1550mm tall. Its wheelbase comes in at 2520mm, and its ground clearance is only rated at 170mm.
Looking at the figures, the Raize comes with the longest wheelbase and is the tallest. On the other hand, the Sonet is the longest and widest in the segment. Its 205mm of ground clearance is also the same as the one on the Nissan Magnite. As for the Fronx, it’s slightly longer and wider than the Nissan Magnite but is beaten by the Raize and Sonet through sheer size and ground clearance.
Engine of Choice
These A-SUVs may only have tiny engines, but they still deliver quite the punch despite their small size. The Toyota Raize is available with either a naturally aspirated 1.2L three-cylinder or a turbocharged 1.0L inline-three. The former puts out a humble 88 PS at 6000 rpm with 113 Nm of torque at 4500 rpm and can be paired to either a 5-speed manual gearbox or a CVT. The latter, meanwhile, makes 98 PS at 6000 rpm along with 140 Nm of torque between 2400 - 4000 rpm. The turbocharged Raize is only available with a CVT that drives the front wheels.
As for the Kia Sonet, it’s only offered with one engine, a 1.5L naturally aspirated four-cylinder that has 115 PS at 6300 rpm and 144 Nm of torque at 4500 rpm. Transmission choices for the Sonet include a six-speed manual transmission and an Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT), which is the brand’s version of a CVT.
Up next is the Nissan Magnite, which will also likely come with one engine option for the Philippine market. But unlike the Sonet, the Magnite gets a 1.0L turbocharged three-cylinder that’s shared with the Almera. It puts out 100 PS at 5000 rpm and 152 Nm of torque between 2800 - 3600 rpm when paired with a CVT. Opt for the 5-speed manual, and the engine makes more torque with 160 Nm.
Engine specifications for the Suzuki Fronx are not yet available, although we won’t be surprised if Suzuki Philippines gets the crossover from Indonesia. That means we can likely expect the Fronx to be available with one or two engine options. First up is the 1.5L K15B naturally aspirated inline-four that makes 105 PS at 6000 rpm with 138 Nm of torque at 4400 rpm and can be mated to either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual gearbox. The other possible engine is the 1.5L K15C that benefits from a 48V mild-hybrid system, which gives it 103 PS at 6000 rpm and 137 Nm of torque at 4400 rpm. Transmission options for this vehicle include a six-speed automatic and a five-speed manual.
For a quick comparison, the Kia Sonet makes the most horsepower despite not having a turbo, but the Nissan Magnite makes the most torque with up to 160 Nm available. Meanwhile, the Toyota Raize is the only vehicle in this spec check to be available with naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines. Last but not least is the Suzuki Fronx, which can come with a mild-hybrid 1.5L engine under the hood. But whereas most come with a CVT, the Fronx is the only competitor to come with a traditional torque converter automatic transmission, which some buyers might prefer.
Features & Amenities
This is the part of the spec check where automakers get creative. Yes, these vehicles are built to meet a price point, but they also have to be jam-packed with features without breaking the bank.
The Raize is available with either an 8- or 9-inch touchscreen media display that supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It’s also available with smart keyless entry, leather-fabric upholstery on high-grade variants, a digital instrument panel, LED or halogen headlights, automatic climate control, a reverse camera, blind-spot monitoring, and rear-cross traffic alert.
The Sonet can come with a fully digital instrument panel on the top-of-the-line SX, while lesser variants get analog gauges with a 4.2-inch multi-info display. All variants are equipped with a touchscreen media system, but unlike other A-segment SUVs, the Sonet is the only one to come with wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay. Other key features available in the Sonet include a wireless charging pad, leather or fabric upholstery, a power sunroof, LED or halogen headlights, automatic climate control, and smart keyless entry. Providing extra peace of mind is the brand’s DriveWise ADAS features, which give the Sonet intelligent driver aids such as lane-keeping assist, lane-following assist, forward collision warning, high-beam assist, and more.
The exact specifications for the Magnite are not yet available, but we can expect Nissan’s upcoming offering to be packed with features. Based on what other markets get, the Magnite is available with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, full leather upholstery, automatic climate control with rear vents, a 360-degree camera system, automatic LED headlights, remote engine start, a tire pressure monitoring system, and hill-start assist.
As for the Fronx, Suzuki’s latest offering also comes with plenty of in-car features to keep passengers entertained. In Indonesia, it has a 9-inch touchscreen head unit that supports Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, a wireless charging pad to recharge mobile devices, automatic climate control with rear vents, rear USB charging ports, full leather upholstery on high-grade variants, LED headlights, and cruise control. Like the Sonet, the Fronx can be equipped with ADAS, which gives the crossover smart driving aids like forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, rear-cross traffic alert, hill-start assist, and high-beam assist.
Overall, it appears all four crossovers are evenly matched when it comes to in-car features. However, the Sonet and Fronx dial things up a notch as both vehicles are the only ones to be available with intelligent driver aids. For those who are looking at a small yet feature-packed crossover with smart driving capabilities, the Kia Sonet and the upcoming Suzuki Fronx offer more peace of mind. We'll be keeping our fingers crossed that Nissan and Suzuki pack their A-SUVs with plenty of amenities.
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The Toyota Raize and Kia Sonet have already carved themselves a nice piece of the A-SUV market, with the former being the more dominant in the segment. But with the likes of the Suzuki Fronx and Nissan Magnite looking to get a slice of the pie, it looks like the mini SUV market will get highly competitive in the coming months.
The Kia Sonet is available in four variants and has a price range that spans from PHP 778,000 to PHP 1,178,000. Meanwhile, the Toyota Raize comes in five distinct variants and starts at PHP 757,000 and tops out at PHP 1,069,000. We’ll be curious to know just how Nissan and Suzuki will price their upcoming mini SUVs once they officially launch them in the Philippines.
