Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Exterior

Finding the right combination of a youthful persona and subtle design cues is quite a challenge. A challenge that Maruti Suzuki Baleno has completed with the utmost ease. Smooth lines all around give the Baleno a pleasant personality and bright colour options further add to its youthful appeal. The Baleno's 170mm ground clearance is good enough to tackle the broken roads in India without having to worry about scraping the underside of the car. Top trims come with 16-inch alloy wheels that are fitted with 195/55 section tyres, while lower models get 15-inch rims with 185/65 section tyres. With the 2019 update, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno new model gets a revised front bumper, new grille, and dual-tone alloy wheels.

Interior

The quality of plastics on the inside of the Maruti Suzuki Baleno is good. Given its pricing, Maruti Suzuki Baleno could have sported better-quality of plastics inside, as it falls behind the Hyundai Elite i20 in this regard. Nevertheless, it still feels built to last and panel gaps are well-hidden. The 2019 update adds the company's Smartplay Studio infotainment system to the mix, which made its debut with the WagonR. The infotainment system is well within reach and easy to operate. The Baleno's front seats are wide enough for comfort while the rear can seat three abreast with ease. The legroom and knee room for the passengers at the back is, perhaps, the best-in-class. 

Features

The Maruti Suzuki Baleno new model is in line with all the latest features offered in this segment of cars. It comes with projector headlights, Daytime Running Lamps, 16-inch alloy wheels and a reverse camera with parking sensors. In terms of comfort, it gets height-adjustable driver seat, tilt and telescopic adjustment for the steering wheel, auto-dimming IRVM, automatic climate control and more. The Baleno gets a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, AUX, USB, Navigation. It also features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In terms of safety, the Baleno gets 2 airbags, ABS and EBD as standard across all variants.

Engine Specifications & Performance

Maruti Suzuki's decision to axe all the diesel-powered cars come BS-VI era has also affected the Baleno. Earlier available with the tried-and-tested 1.3-litre Fiat-sourced diesel, now the Maruti Suzuki Baleno is just available with petrol engines. Therefore, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno on-road price for the top-spec variants is now considerably lower than that of its rivals.

The entry-level engine is the company's 1.2-litre K12 four-cylinder motor, good for 83bhp and 115Nm of torque. It comes mated to either a 5-speed manual or a CVT automatic gearbox. Then there's a new Dualjet engine, which, is also 1.2-litre in capacity, but it churns out more power at 89bhp. The torque output for the Dualjet engine is almost identical, at 113Nm. The Dualjet 1.2-litre engine also comes paired to the company's SHVS technology. It only comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.  As for the variants, Maruti Suzuki Baleno, with the Dualjet engine is only available in the mid-spec Delta and Zeta trims.

Competitors

The Maruti Suzuki Baleno takes on the likes of the Toyota Glanza, Hyundai Elite i20, Honda Jazz, and the recently launched Tata Altroz.