The Latest Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Maruti Suzuki Baleno, a Hatchback has 10 versions available in India. Baleno has 6 Petrol cars and 4 Diesel cars. Maruti Suzuki Baleno comes in 7 colours, namely, Autumn Orange, Fire Red, Granite Gray, Pear Arctic White, Premium Silver, Premium Urban Blue, Ray Blue.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno is a new premium hatchback that sits above the Swift. This is the first product that is based on Maruti Suzuki’s new fifth-generation platform. This is a revolutionary platform for the company as it is lighter and even stronger than the existing Maruti Suzuki platforms. The Baleno is offered with two engine variants and is the most expensive hatchback Maruti has ever made for the Indian car market. The Baleno is placed above the Swift and will be Maruti’s product for the premium hatchback segment.

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Exterior

Maruti’s new Baleno is the premium hatchback that is priced above the Swift. This is more larger in dimensions and even more premium. The Baleno is 3995mm, just shy of four metres in length. It has a long wheelbase that indicates more interior space. The snout of the Baleno is inspired from the Swift and the similar honeycomb grille with headlamp design can be easily noticed. There are LEDs for daytime running lamps. The Baleno comes with 16-inch alloy wheels on the top variant and the other variants come with steel wheels. The Baleno seems to look longer than competition because of its lower height. This is sold through Maruti’s NExa Experience dealerships.

Interior

The interiors of the Baleno are designed from scratch and we could see a similar design on new upcoming Maruti products too. There is the signature Suzuki steering wheel with controls for music and even telephone connectivity. The centre console has an in-dash infotainment system. The top variant gets a touchscreen with Apple CaPlay. This seven-inch music has GPS and even reverse parking camera. The Baleno has automatic headlamps, rain sensing wipers and even a large enough boot of 339 litres. It can easily fit five large adults with comfort.

Engine and Transmission

The Baleno is offered with two engines. One is the 1.2-litre petrol that churns about 84bhp of power at an engine speed of 6000rpm, while the second one is the 13-litre DDiS (diesel) that has a power output of 75bhp and a maximum torque of 190Nm. Both are mated to a five-speed manual transmission, while the petrol even has an option of a CVT as well.

Performance and Handling

The Maruti Baleno is about 100 kilograms lighter than the Swift and comes with the same set of engines. This improves its performance and even makes it more fuel-efficient too. The better power to weight ratio adds on to the advantage of the Baleno despite the same engines on offer. The Baleno’s 100 kilogram diet makes it better in handling and this enhances its driving dynamics.

Braking System

The brakes on the Baleno are very good. This premium hatchback comes with disc brakes at the front, while the rear has brakes. There is ABS with eBD that is offered as a standard feature across all the variants of the Baleno.

Mileage

The 1248 cc Diesel - powered variant delivers a fuel economy of 25 kmpl in city and 27 kmpl on highways, while the Petrol variant offers a mileage of 19 kmpl on urban roads and 21 kmpl and freeways, respectively.

Safety Features

The Baleno has dual airbags and even ABS as a standard feature that is available across all the variants.  This is the first premium hatchback to get these features on all the variants. The other safety features on the Baleno are immobiliser, seat belt reminder and of course a stronger chassis than the previous gen Suzuki platforms.

Verdict

The Baleno is a good value for money proposition. This premium hatchback is at par with the competition, but it has an advantage when it comes to the peppiness of the petrol engine. Being a Maruti Suzuki it has a wider reach when it comes to dealership network.

Competition

The Maruti Suzuki Baleno competes with the Honda Jazz and the Hyundai Elite i20. The Volkswagen Polo and the Fiat Punto Evo could also be considered as competition to the Baleno.