Maruti Fronx: buy the 1.2 petrol or 1.0 turbo-petrol?

I plan to buy the Maruti Suzuki Fronx, but I’m confused about which engine to opt for. My monthly running is around 900km in the city. I read that the 1.0 has an additional lithium-ion battery that needs to be charged for 30 minutes every 15 days if the car isn’t used for long periods. Is that true, and if so, can we start the car? Also, what would happen if the secondary battery gets fully discharged?

Krishna Prasad C, Hyderabad

Autocar India says: The Maruti Suzuki Fronx with the 1.0-litre Boosterjet engine comes with Suzuki’s 48V Smart Hybrid Vehicle System (SHVS), which deploys an integrated starter generator (ISG) instead of a conventional starter motor. It also gets an auxiliary 12V lithium-ion battery placed under the front passenger seat. The SHVS performs three key functions: assist the engine in power and torque, recharge the main and auxiliary batteries during deceleration, and offer automatic engine start-stop functionalities when idle.

The system is primarily designed to enhance fuel efficiency by mildly reducing the engine load during acceleration or shutting off the engine completely when the car is idle, like at a traffic signal. It is a fully optimised system and does not require the 12V lithium-ion battery to be charged for a minimum duration.

The SHVS charges and discharges the auxiliary battery based on when the vehicle is being driven, and even if the car remains stationary for an extended period, there will be no impact on the vehicle. In case the lithium-ion battery is fully discharged, the car will still start normally, but it could limit functionalities such as power assist under acceleration and idle start-stop for a few kilometres until the battery regains sufficient charge. Hope this explains how the technology works.

Also See:

Maruti Suzuki Fronx video review

Maruti Suzuki Fronx review: Return of the Boosterjet

Maruti Suzuki Fronx 1.2 petrol review: People’s choice

Maruti Suzuki Fronx long term review; 7,000km report