Maruti Baleno Review 2021: What Could The Best-selling Hatchback Offer?

1. Maruti Baleno Introduction

Maruti Baleno is the largest hatchback on Maruti’s long line-up of small cars which mostly comprises of hatchbacks. The Baleno is positioned as a premium hatchback offering and is now retailed via Maruti’s Nexa outlets. After being first introduced in 2015, the hatchback has easily become the most popular choice in the premium segment space thanks to its high quality, great comfort and refined performance.

Besides the success in the Indian market, the premium hatchback from Suzuki also found itself a huge following in other countries as well. It is worth noticing that the Indian-made Baleno are also exported to other markets across the globe.

In 2019, the Maruti Baleno was given a major facelift. In the following year, it continued to receive some notable updates in response to the adoption of the BSVI emission norms. The BSVI upgrade resulted in the discontinuation of the diesel range. However, the drop of the diesel engine could not prevent the Baleno from thriving. In fact, in October 2020, five years after launch, Maruti Baleno reached the 8 lakh sales milestone, making it the fastest model to accomplish this milestone in the Indian market.

2. Maruti Baleno Dimensions:

Being a sub-four-meter vehicle, the Maruti Baleno measures 3995 mm. The width and the height of this hatchback stand at 1745mm and 1510mm, respectively. Maruti Baleno gets a 2520mm-long wheelbase. With a 339-litre boot space, the Maruti Baleno can provide sufficient room to load even large suitcases and luggage.

3. Maruti Baleno Exterior

It is undeniable that the Maruti Baleno has a smart-looking design. Based on the Liquid Flow design philosophy which is defined by curvy and dynamic design, the Baleno looks matured and at the same time, very attractive and modern. Since its debut in 2015, the Maruti Baleno has undergone a mid-life facelift in 2019.

Front view

On the facelift version, the Maruti Baleno features a sportier look. It gets a revised front grille with different graphics, a larger air dam, and a more sculptured bumper with revised foglights. The headlight design remains unchanged, however, Maruti replaced the old bi-xenon projector headlights with LED headlights. Moreover, the top-spec trims even get LED projectors with DRLs.

Side profile

The side profile of the Maruti Baleno looks clean and simple. The pre-facelift version was fitted with a quite dull-looking alloy wheel. Fortunately, on the facelifted version, Maruti brought in new dual-tone 16-inch alloy wheels. This update alone can make the side profile appear more attractive and jazzy. However, this new design feature is only limited to the Zeta and Alpha variants only. Moreover, chrome inserts are applied around the glass area, door handles, and ORVMs.

Rearview

To the rear end, the Baleno looks identical to the pre-facelift version. The rear rake windshield complements the overall roundish and elegant styling of the premium hatchback. A large chrome bar running across the boot lid adds some shine to the rear end. That being said, compared to the current design trend with very sharp and fancy details, the Baleno does not offer many exciting bits.

4. Maruti Baleno Interior

Design

The interior of the Baleno is also influenced by the Liquid Flow design language. We can easily notice how the “flow” is represented through the V-shaped dashboard. Similar to the exterior styling, the interior also looks clean and clutter-free. Instead of the all-black interior theme of the previous model, it now comes with the black-blue combination. The blue colour is applied on the seat fabric, around the door pads and armrest. The interior also integrates some silver highlights across the cabin. About the interior quality, Maruti Baleno has seen a noticeable upgrade. That being said, the interior of Maruti’s hatchback is not comparable to its main rival, Hyundai i20.

Comfort and convenience 

Another noticeable change over the pre-facelift version is the new interface for the infotainment system and instrument display. Overall, the new interface is more user-friendly, convenient and contemporary. However, the touchscreen, as well as Apple Carplay and Android Auto, is only provided on the Zeta and Alpha trims. Not only the touchscreen but the instrument cluster also received a fresh design that shows readouts and charts. Other highlight features of Maruti Baleno’s interior include rain sensing rain wipers, auto headlights, reach and rake adjustable steering wheel. However, the rear passengers will have to do without rear air vents. It is a disadvantage for the Maruti Baleno since its rival, the Hyundai i20 offers this feature. Even the models from the lower segment like Hyundai i10 and Hyundai Santro are equipped with rear air vents. On the bright side, you do get a power outlet on the back of the centre armrest.

Seating

Maruti Baleno has always gained recognition for offering generous interior space. This praise-worthy attribute remains on the facelifted model. The seat offers great comfort, especially on the front row. The driver seat comes with height-adjustable function allowing the driver to find the best seating position. Getting into the car is also easy.

As for the second row, Maruti Baleno will not let you down since it provides a generous space for the rear passengers. Owing to the huge wheelbase, the Baleno offers a very comfortable room for the passenger. What’s more, the rear occupants also get large adjustable headrests.

Safety

Alongside the BSVI updates, Maruti also gave the Baleno comprehensive changes with regards to safety. In accordance with the BNSVAP safety norms, the hatchback is now equipped with ABS with EBD, dual airbags, front seat belt reminder, ISOFIX child seat mounts, rear parking sensor, speed alert system, brake assist, pre-tensioner, and force limiter seat belts. Moreover, the facelift version is built on the HEARTECT platform which is a strengthened version of the previous version's underpinning. The same platform is also employed on Ertiga, Swift, and others.

5. Maruti Baleno Engines

Despite receiving substantial updates for the design, the Maruti Baleno facelift remained unchanged when it comes to the powertrain setting. At launch, similar to the pre-facelift model, facelift Maruti Baleno sourced power from the 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel engine. However, later on, as Maruti decided to pull the plug off its entire diesel range, the 1.3-litre diesel engine on the Baleno was also discontinued.

Maruti has replaced the old diesel engine with a new 1.2-litre four-cylinder 1.2-litre DualJet Smart Hybrid engine which complies with new BSVI emission norms. So, Maruti Baleno is now exclusively offered with petrol engines.

The regular 1.2-litre petrol engine is capable of putting out a maximum power of 82 BHP and a top torque of 113 Nm. There are two transmission options, a 5-speed manual and a CVT automatic gearbox. On the other hand, the Smart Hybrid petrol engine has 90 BHP and 113 Nm at its disposal. Paired to a 5-speed MT, this new engine delivers a refined and linear performance. Under the 1000 rpm mark, it might be a bit strained from the get-go. However, pass this point, the power delivery is linear and effortless. At the third and fourth gear, this engine illustrates absolute confidence and requires less work on the gear stick. On top of that, drivers will find some fun note when the car reaches the top rev range.

With regards to the fuel economy, Baleno’s 1.2 petrol engine registers a fuel mileage of 21.4 kmpl for the manual version and 19.56 kmpl for the CVT version. The DualJet petrol hybrid engine, supported by the mild hybrid system, is claimed to have a fuel mileage of 23.87 kmpl.

6. Maruti Baleno Prices

Recently, Maruti Suzuki has given small price hikes across its product line-up and the Baleno is no exception. Maruti Baleno is now on sale from Rs 5.90 lakh to Rs 9.10 lakh. Prior to the price increments, the premium hatchback was available from Rs 5.64 lakh to Rs 8.96 lakh.

7. Verdict

If you are looking for a premium hatchback, Maruti Baleno is clearly a worth-considering option. Being a premium offering, the Baleno gets the upmarket quality, fully-loaded feature list, along with what Maruti Suzuki’s best known for – its extensive showroom and service centre network.