Suzuki New Zealand has halted sales of the Fronx following its poor performance in ANCAP crash tests. Owners have been warned not to carry passengers in the rear seats after the seatbelt mechanism failed during a recent crash test. The NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has also issued an advisory to owners of 1,115 Fronx vehicles registered in the country, warning them about the critical safety issue with the car. ANCAP awarded the Suzuki Fronx a 1-star rating after it failed to meet the strict criteria for occupant protection. During the full-width frontal test, the rear seatbelt retractor failed, allowing excessive forward movement of the rear dummy, which resulted in the poor rating. According to ANCAP, the Fronx narrowly reached the threshold required for the 1-star rating. The rear seatbelt retractor failure was a rare but serious safety concern. Carla Hoorveg, CEO of ANCAP, said, “ANCAP’s view is that adult and child passengers should not travel in the rear seats of the Suzuki Fronx until the reason for the failure has been determined and relevant rectifications have been carried out.” Source:Autotalk
