Baleno Review

 

The name Maruti Suzuki Baleno is not an unfamiliar name, it was prominent in Europe and the Asia Pacific from 1995 to 2002(also known as Suzuki Cultus Crescent). After the introduction of Suzuki Aerio in 2001, the name Baleno was never heard.

And then, almost after a decade, the name was reprized to launch the present Baleno and BOOM!

Car enthusiasts and business media were in for a surprise.

It was meant to be a premium car under NEXA, which was launched a few years ago by Maruti Suzuki. The NEXA introduced by Maruti Suzuki which says; “To build something endurable, one has to invest a considerable amount of time, thought and money.”

Yes, it took time and effort to design and craft beautiful cars like Ciaz, S-Cross, Baleno, Ignis etc.

But even though enough time has passed after the launch of Baleno under the NEXA, there are still many doubts and prejudice in people’s mind about this car like, ‘can Maruti; known for manufacturing budget cars launch a premium segment car, is Baleno worth the price and hype the it created during the launch and many more.

There are many reviews and information on the internet about Baleno, but none of them specifically clears the doubts and confusion in our mind.

These issues made us choose Baleno to review on our blog first.

Baleno hatchback model was launched in October 2015 under NEXA division which was developed to bring out premium cars for Suzuki.

They already had swift in hatchback segment but they wanted to launch a premium hatchback.

Baleno did perform well in the market. But was it up to the expectations or not; we will see.

On Jan 26, 2017, that is post demonetization Maruti’s business was exceptionally well compared to others.

Sales of Maruti’s premium brands were on the rise during the 4th quarter of 2016 and was steady during Q1 of 2017.

Courtesy The Economic times : https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/maruti-suzuki-q3-profit-jumps-47-per-cent-yoy-5-key-takeaways/articleshow/56777448.cms

Let’s talk about its style and aesthetics first.

Apart from its sexy premium urban blue color, it comes with autumn orange, fire red, pearl arctic white, premium silver, and ray blue.

It has LED DRL with projector headlamps

Elegant chrome grill

Stylish alloy wheel

Aerodynamic OVRM

LED rear combination lamp

If we look Inside it’s packed with Premium black interior design, which gives a rich look. But some feels like it reminds them of Suzuki Swift and Dzire, which is a downside to a premium car.

The chassis feels strong and powerful from the inside, and the dashboard looks stunning with vibrant speedometer and rev converter.

It is said that Baleno was crafted for expressing flowing liquid or waves. The sleek design also show off the flawless curves!

When we look at the Engine and Transmission of petrol, diesel and Sports variant; a difference is hardly seen.

1.2 L petrol variant

Engine & Transmission
Engine Type	VVT
Valve/Cylinder (Configuration)	4, DOHC
Displacement	1197 cc
Mileage (ARAI)	21.4 kmpl
Turbocharger/Supercharger	No
Drivetrain	Front Wheel Drive
Dual Clutch	No
Sport Mode	No
Alternate Fuel	Not Applicable
Cylinders	4, Inline
Fuel Type	Petrol
Max Power (bhp@rpm)	83 bhp @ 6000 RPM
Max Torque (Nm@rpm)	115 Nm @ 4000 RPM
Turbocharger Type	No
No of gears	5 Gears
Transmission Type	Manual
Manual Shifting for Automatic	No
Driving Modes	No
Engine Start-Stop Function	No

                          

1.3 L Diesel variant

Engine & Transmission
Engine Type	DDiS 200
Valve/Cylinder (Configuration)	4, DOHC
Displacement	1248 cc
Mileage (ARAI)	27.39 kmpl
Turbocharger/Supercharger	Turbocharged
Drivetrain	Front Wheel Drive
Dual Clutch	No
Sport Mode	No
Alternate Fuel	Not Applicable
Cylinders	4, Inline
Fuel Type	Diesel
Max Power (bhp@rpm)	74 bhp @ 4000 RPM
Max Torque (Nm@rpm)	190 Nm @ 2000 RPM
Turbocharger Type	Fixed Geometry
No of gears	5 Gears
Transmission Type	Manual
Manual Shifting for Automatic	No
Driving Modes	No
Engine Start-Stop Function	No

RS 1.0 Petrol

Engine & Transmission
Engine Type	VVT
Valve/Cylinder (Configuration)	4, DOHC
Displacement	998 cc
Mileage (ARAI)	21.1 kmpl
Turbocharger/Supercharger	Turbocharged
Drivetrain	Front Wheel Drive
Dual Clutch	No
Sport Mode	No
Alternate Fuel	Not Applicable
Cylinders	3, Inline
Fuel Type	Petrol
Max Power (bhp@rpm)	101 bhp @ 5500 RPM
Max Torque (Nm@rpm)	150 Nm @ 1700 RPM
Turbocharger Type	Fixed Geometry
No of gears	5 Gears
Transmission Type	Manual
Manual Shifting for Automatic	No
Driving Modes	No
Engine Start-Stop Function	No

Now talking about the features of this beauty; it is ample with the ergonomics and comfort riding.

The best thing you will find is the 18cm SmartPlay Infotainment with Apple CarPlay.

Equipped with in-built navigation, driver side anti-pinch window, reverse parking camera, multi-information with color TFT, auto air conditioner, tilt and telescopic steering, steering mounted audio control and many more.

You can find all the specifications in the high-end models but if you don’t go for the high end one, in features, it may not provide you the best experience that company promises.

Baleno is a bit bigger compared to its rivals; Polo, Figo, i20, Jazz and Punto, but amazingly lighter than them.

It also has big boot space of 339l, so you can pack and fit all your bangs in there.

Some feel the driver seat a bit uncomfortable, and passenger seat is flatter than required; affecting the guy in the middle.

Tall guys will have no problem sitting anywhere in the car.

Dimensions & Weight
Length	3995 mm
Width	1745 mm
Height	1500 mm
Wheelbase	2520 mm
Ground Clearance	170 mm
Kerb Weight	890 kg

Capacity

Doors	5 Doors
Seating Capacity	5 Person
No of Seating Rows	2 Rows
Bootspace	339  litres
Fuel Tank Capacity	37 litres

Performance, mileage and the ride!

Suzuki’s car Baleno has good mileage. The car gives good ride quality and comfort, even on rough stretches of road. But for premium segments, Suzuki Nexa should have worked on its wind noise and soundproofing.

When it comes to dynamics it does a great job with standard tires. With its wider stands, it gives a smooth control at turnings. And it has a good engine but of low end, there is not much power and torque but once you rev it, it will fly. It’s not as punchy as Polo GT TSI but riding is smooth.

When it comes to steering it provides good and precise control, and you can feel the car going numb sometimes.

Baleno is a great car but not much indulging and sporty, even the RS sports version. The difference in Baleno and Baleno RS is only the engine which is more powerful. Even some features of variants alpha, sigma, delta & zeta are same.

Safety and built Quality

Lighter and stronger platform of the car gives confidence to the driver. Superior NVH performance is shown on the road.

TECT technology(Total effective control technology) is applied in a wonderful way giving the driver a sleek ride.

Anti-lock brake system, seat belt pre-tensioners and force limiters, dual airbags are the other safety features.

I would recommend Baleno only for those who want a premium and comfortable car with spacious interior and boot space and are not much into sporty car segments.

For those who are planning to modify after purchase, I would recommend them to buy the low-end Baleno as there is almost negligible difference in safety features than the high end alpha model.

Overall Baleno is a great all round car with great value for money and good performance. Good enough to satisfy basic drivers who like high speed, good safety features, and elegant design.

Pricing

Well, it’s a premium brand so the price ranges are:

5.35 L – 8.55 L

On road price up to 5.7 L – 9.8 L

It would be great to rate the car after the review, right!

We are going to rate Baleno on the following features:

Looks and design: 8/10

Specs & features: 9/10

Dynamics & performance: 8/10

Safety & quality: 7.5/10

After-sale service: 9/10

Price: 7.5/10

So, Baleno gets an overall of 8 out of 10.

And remember folks, this review is based on many sources and our personal experience. These opinions may be different for some.

Hope to deliver more in coming days, and support and share our post.

Comment below whatever your thoughts are and contact us for any inquiry and for more contents.

PEACE OUT =)