My New Automotive Crush, The Suzuki Fronte: Cold Start

I definitely have a favorite automotive layout/packaging setup – perhaps even a fetish – and I don’t care who knows it. The layout/packaging setup that is most exciting to me is a rear-engined car that has luggage areas at both ends. Sure, many modern EVs pull this off, but that’s the easy way. Making this layout work with an internal combustion engine is a bigger, more thrilling challenge, so I tend to be drawn to those cars. And, recently, a car with such a layout has come to my attention, and I want to share it with you, because I’m quite smitten. It’s the Suzuki Fronte.

The Fronte, despite what its name suggests, was a rear-engine/rear drive machine, at least through its second to fourth generations, and the packaging of this Kei class car was really stellar. Mostly I’m going to be showing you examples of the fourth generation here, which had one major redesign, but I like both versions.

This is the earlier version, which was a pleasingly rounded design:

It feels a bit like a Honda Civic of the era, doesn’t it, just more curvy and egg-like. I love the jaunty side window graphic and the chubby, friendly face. The four-door version was appealing as well:

The Fronte of this era was powered by a liquid-cooled two-stroke 360cc engine, fitting with the Kei class rules, and that engine was stuffed under the floor at the rear; you can see the large vent panels above the rear wheels used to draw air into the engine compartment for the intake system, as the radiator was mounted in front.

The rear window opens like a hatch, and there’s a trunk up front, fulfilling my dreams.

You can get a better idea of the scale of the thing from this commercial:

As tiny as it is, it really is a packaging triumph.

Kei-class rules were updated in 1976, allowing for slightly larger body dimensions and, in 1977, increased displacement that came along with new four-stroke engines, which could now be up to 550cc. The two-stroke was still available as a 450cc engine, and even included a catalytic converter, something many didn’t think would work with a two-stroke at all.

The new look was a little more serious than the earlier more rounded version, and came with a new name: Fronte 7-S. The “7-s” name was said to actually refer to seven S-words, which were Space, Safety, Sense, Save (money), Silent, Stamina, and Suzuki TC, though I think Suzuki was kind of cheating on that last one.

Even with the more squared-off front end, the overall design still had a pleasing ovoid shape, and the new dimensions and shape did allow for a bit more luggage room.

Look at that! Sure, that spare tire commands a lot of room in the front trunk, but there’s still a decent amount of room in there, and the rear cargo area is pretty decent, too. I’m impressed! Remember, this is a tiny, Kei-class car.

I’m really taken by these things. I would happily, gleefully putter around in one of these as my daily driver, even if that meant my highway jaunts would be butt-clenching exercises in terror at speeds of maybe 55 or 60.

These aren’t well-known in America, and I’m not even sure any exist here, at all. They did seem to get sold in South American markets, especially Chile, but I suspect that’s the closest these came to America in any quantity. I’m also not sure why just one headlight is on in that little picture up there, either.

(thanks to Addict Car for the scan!)

I’d love to see one of these in person one day, as they feel like the sort of car that’s best appreciated up close and in detail; its benefits are humble and clever and not the sort of thing that shouts its presence. It’s something I suspect that is gradually discovered and respected, bit by bit.

Also, pretty good color selection, too!