Maruti suzuki baleno

About Baleno

The Baleno is Maruti’s premium hatchback that competes against the Hyundai Elite i20, Honda Jazz and Volkswagen Polo. It is priced from Rs. 4.99 - 8.11 lakh ex-showroom Delhi, is offered in four petrol and diesel variants each and also comes with a single automatic variant mated to the petrol engine. The engines in question are tried and tested 1.2-litre (petrol) and 1.3-litre (diesel) units already employed in cars across the Maruti Suzuki range. The Baleno comes with class leading mileage figures of 21.4 kmpl and 27.4 kmpl for the petrol and diesel engines respectively.

Maruti Suzuki Baleno Price

 4.99 - 8.11 Lakh

 

7 key facts 

1. Space

It’s always been a grouse with Maruti loyalists that the Swift isn’t spacious enough to get that premium hatchback tag. The Baleno is here to address these issues. It comes with a larger cabin, better rear seat space, both in terms of knee and shoulder room, and a 339 litre boot.

2. Tried and trusted mechanicals

This could be a good or a bad thing. The 1.2-litre VVT petrol and the 1.3-litre Multijet diesel have been around for donkey’s years. Both are not very expensive to manufacture and have lasted long enough due to their reliability. The gearboxes are borrowed as well. So you can’t go wrong with the Baleno on the reliability front. But the competition has moved ahead and offers higher levels of performance now. The Jazz and the Elite i20 have reliable blocks up front as well so the Baleno isn’t going to win buyers due to its mechanicals.

3. Efficiency

Now pushing the envelope on the ARAI claimed efficiency front has become a matter of bragging rights for manufacturers. Maruti has got that headline figure for the Baleno as well. It is one of the most efficient in the segment, with petrol claiming a mileage of 21.4kmpl and the diesel boasting of being the best in the segment with a claimed 27.39kmpl. In the real world, you know these figures will be far off the mark, but they most likely will be a notch above competition. That’s always a good thing.

 

4. Features

All premium hatchbacks these days come with the works! The Polo lags behind on this front but if Maruti has to compete with the Jazz and the Elite i20, lots of features is key. The Baleno gets climate control, a Touchscreen infotainment system with satellite navigation. It doubles up as display for the rear parking camera. Then there’s the usual steering mounted controls, keyless entry, push button start/stop, ABS, EBD and airbags. The steering adjusts for rake and reach and the driver’s seat is height adjustable.

Handling

Most Marutis are known to handle corners with a good measure of finesse and the Baleno is no different. That it is 100kg lighter than the Swift and the chassis is stiffer makes it a joy around the twisties. Body roll in check, a good ride and strong brakes add to the cause. It could well give the Polo a run for its money in the handling depart

6. Price

If Maruti wants to be aggressive in this fast growing segment, it’s got to beat the Elite i20 on the pricing front. Since the Baleno shares a lot of its parts from the common parts bin (Swift/Ciaz/S-Cross/Ertiga), this shouldn’t be a tough ask for India’s largest carmaker. Factor in economies of scale and you could well see the Baleno being priced tens of thousands cheaper than its fiercest rivals.

 

7. Nexa Experience

Maruti’s premium dealership chain Nexa will sell the Baleno. It’s always been a lingering thought while buying a Maruti, that the brand isn’t premium enough and the Nexa network of showrooms plans to change that.