2026 Maruti Baleno Alpha Optional Variant Explained In Detail: Fully Loaded With ADAS Level-2!
Looking for a premium hatchback with ADAS tech? The Baleno Alpha Optional has got you covered!
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Maruti recently launched the updated Baleno facelift, and everyone is already excited about this update as it adds more features, safety equipment, and updates the front fascia as well.
But if you are wondering what the top variant of the new Baleno exclusively offers, that’s exactly what we are going to explore today:
Design
Looking at the front, the first thing your eyes point at is the new three-slat grille upfront, which appears huge on the Baleno Alpha Optional variant. The Maruti logo is now shifted above to make place for the ADAS sensors and 360-degree camera. It does retain the same LED headlamp with LED DRLs just like the pre-facelift model, but features a new rectangular-shaped LED foglamp down to the redesigned bumper.
In profile, it has a similar shape as before, but adds a few key things by which you can note the difference, such as a shark-fin antenna on top and the chrome element over the front fender. It also has the stylish-looking 16-inch alloy wheels, chrome door handles, a chrome window line with rises at the back, and ORVMs with LED turn indicators.
At the rear, the Alpha Optional trim is very similar to the one below variant, such as LED taillamps with extension onto the boot, rear wiper with washer, reverse parking sensors, a chrome strip joining both the taillamps, and a Maruti logo over the centre of the boot.
Colour Options
The updated Baleno offers seven shades, including Arctic White, Splendid Silver, Bluish Black, Grandeur Grey, Opulent Red, Nexa Blue, and the newly introduced Enigmatic Teal Green, which looks stylish on the Baleno.
Interior
Sitting inside the Baleno facelift, it continues to get a layered dashboard setup with soft-touch door panels, a semi-digital MID, which honestly looks nice, a floating-style large infotainment display setup, below which you have a satin chrome finish panel that adds to the style of the Baleno.
It also features a new dual-tone black and Blue leatherette seat upholstery and a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel, which has silver inserts in it to add more premium appeal to it. Being a spacious and practical cabin, it has cup holders at the front and a Type-C charging port for front and back seat passengers.
Features
The Alpha Optional trim packs in all the features you can expect in the Baleno, which includes a 9-inch infotainment touchscreen display with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and connected car technology.
It also features automatic climate control, a wireless phone charger, a USB Type-C charge port, first-in-segment ventilated front seats, a 6-speaker Clarion sound system, and keyless entry as well. Overall, this variant has everything you can ask for in the new Baleno. To know what features and equipment other variants get, check out this story.
Safety
Coming to the safety aspect, here is where Maruti has taken a big step ahead by providing Level-2 ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System), which includes adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, and automatic headlamps with high beam assist. All the ADAS features are exclusive to the Alpha Optional trim.
It also offers 6 airbags, a 360-degree camera with blind view monitor, a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), shark-fin antenna, reverse parking sensors, ISOFIX child seat mounts, and electronic stability control (ESC), just like the Alpha variant.
Powertrain Options
Maruti has grabbed this opportunity to give the Baleno facelift a new powertrain as well, which is the new Z12E 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and is available with manual and automatic transmission in this Alpha Optional trim.
Here are its detailed specifications:
| Engine |
1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol |
| Power |
83 PS |
| Torque |
112 Nm |
| Transmission |
5-speed MT /5-speed AMT |
*MT- Manual Transmission, AMT- Automated Manual Transmission
Price & Rivals
While the full prices of the Baleno facelift are yet to come, we know that the base variant starts at Rs 6.10 lakh (ex-showroom), which is a fair price to ask for this update. It currently stands as a rival to the Hyundai i20, Tata Altroz, and the Toyota Glanza.
CarDekho Says..
The Baleno was always praised for having a very spacious cabin as a hatchback, plenty of needful features, and even creature comforts like automatic climate control, 360-degree camera, and heads-up display. With this update, it has got more features than before and even some segment firsts like ADAS and ventilated seats.
This top-spec Alpha trim packs in all the equipment that it has to offer, along with its new 1.2-litre petrol engine. If you are looking out to have a hatchback that has all the safety net required to minimise any chances of mishaps, thus want to keep your occupants safe as well, the Alpha Optional variant will be best suited for this job.
