Maruti Suzuki Baleno

The Maruti Baleno is the carmaker’s premium hatchback, which has been one of the highest selling cars in the country, despite not getting any proper update in nearly four years. Its all-rounder package offers good comfort, practicality, and features for a small family have kept it relevant in modern times against newer rivals like the Tata Altroz and Hyundai i20.

But now there is a new one with design revisions, more features, and a big update in the powertrain department. I have driven it around Bangalore for a day, and here’s why I think this might just be the best option today if you’re looking for a premium hatchback around the Rs 10 lakh mark.

The statement above isn’t because of its design. The Baleno was one of the cars in its segment that had been aging gracefully and making minute changes to the design would’ve done the job. Instead, Maruti chose to focus on one side only, making it bolder than before, while keeping the rest of the design intact. Here’s how it is different from the older version.

The bolder side in question is clearly the nose which now sports a wider and bigger grille with chrome slats running across it. As a result, the Maruti logo has shifted to the bonnet, but the grille itself comes off a bit too aggressive for what the Baleno is otherwise. You’ll either like or not like it.

The headlights remain the same with three-piece DRLs. I do wish Maruti gave some LED turn indicators here as they are still halogens. The LED fog lights have a new shape and sit in the revised bumper.

Save for the addition of a shark fin antenna, the rest of the car remains the same. 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels are offered in the top variant, while the base variant gets 15-inch steel wheels with covers.

There's smattering of chrome inserts all around the design that adds some contrast, like on the door handles on and the panel between the tail lights.

The tail lights themselves remain the same with their C-shape and LED elements. The bumper design is sober with reflective lights at either edge. 

What is new is a singular colour option called the Enigmatic Teal Green. It joins the palette alongside six other shades: Nexa Blue, Opulent Red, Arctic White, Splendid Silver, Grandeur Grey, and Bluish Black. Click here to explore variant-wise colour options.

Overall, design wise, the new Maruti Baleno doesn’t give you any new reasons to buy it. If you wanted a simple, but modern looking hatchback that all the people in the family will most likely approve of, then it fits the bill. There’s more style to be found in its rivals, especially the Tata Altroz.

Here’s a detailed look at the new Maruti Baleno’s design using real-world images.

The sense of familiarity is strong on the inside. The same dashboard layout and style continues, with literally no visual change. The dual tone black and dark blue theme has been retained with the usual contrasts of grey and chrome. 

The seats, however, now get semi-leatherette upholstery where the fabric part gets a textured finish. It does add a dash of premiumness to the cabin but the change is not that significant. Cabin quality continues to be solid, but not premium. There’s heavy use of plastic all around, which doesn’t feel cheap, but neither does it feel super smooth. It has a bit of scratchyness to it.

Maruti could’ve done more here and made the experience richer without trying too hard. A new and lighter cabin theme would’ve changed things up and better plastic finishes would’ve been welcome too, but as it stands, the experience is acceptable.

Front Seats

Ingress egress in the Baleno is easy and won’t be a problem for anyone. Once inside, the seats feel comfortable and offer enough movement with height adjustable seat for everyone to find their ideal driving position. The steering also has tilt and telescopic adjustment, which makes things more comfortable.

The cushioning is balanced, but the side supports are too soft. While it wasn’t a problem for me (I’m 5’8 with a build on the heavier side), it can feel inadequate for wider people as they won’t really feel very supportive. But other than that, no complaints in the space and footroom on offer.

Rear Seats

The rear seat experience of the Baleno is unchanged, apart from the fact that there is now a middle headrest. I’m not sure how useful that will be, because seating three adults will be a squeeze. That squeeze isn’t just the result of limited width but also how the seats are shaped to provide support to the side passengers. 

As a four seater, you won’t have a problem. A 6ft adult can fit comfortably behind my driving position, and while they won’t have space to move around behind someone taller, it will still be manageable. I was expecting Maruti to offer a rear central armrest here, but unfortunately, there is none. What you do get are rear AC vents and a seat back pocket behind the front passenger seat, which have been carried over from the previous version.

Charging Options

The Maruti Baleno now offers a front wireless charger with a cooling function along with a 12V socket and USB port.

There is only one Type-C charging port at the rear along with a USB port.

Practicality

Because there have been no changes to the cabin layout, the practicality quotient of the new Baleno remains the same, which is adequate for a family of four for short road trips. All four doors get bottle pockets and front doors also have some storage for small items.

There are two cupholders in the centre, ahead of which is the charger. When not in use, you can store your wallet or keys.

Ideally, the keys can go into the small pocket underneath the front central armrest. The driver gets a small space below near the window switches that can be used to store receipts.

The glovebox size is adequate for a couple of small bottles or packets of chips.

Rear passengers get a seat back pocket for storing a tablet or phone. Some smaller dedicated pockets for the phone would’ve been nice.

Boot Space

No change on the front. 318-litres means the boot can accommodate multiple suitcases with ease. It’s best utilised with small cabin sized trolleys.

There is also a 60:40 split, which unlocks a bigger area for more suitcases or larger items. Do note that the loading lip is high, so it’ll take some effort to lift and store luggage if it is heavy.

Boot space in the CNG variants is understandably limited and it has just enough space for two small bags.

From a functional standpoint, the feature list of the outgoing Maruti Baleno had no real miss. All modern basics were covered and that continues to be the case here. But along with the functional equipment, there’s better creature comforts to go with it. Keyless entry, push button start stop, auto ac, power windows, rear AC vents, electrically adjustable ORVMs and charging options make up all the daily must haves. 

The upgrade comes in the form of a wireless phone charger for the front passengers, but more importantly, there are ventilated seats now.

Front passengers can enjoy three levels of cooling, which is pretty effective, but a bit too loud. The only other feature addition is the Clarion tuned sound system. It makes use of 4 speakers and two tweeters for an experience which is enjoyable at higher volumes too. I also quite liked the punchy bass. 

Other things like the screens continue as before. The 9-inch for the main infotainment system has wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The resolution is bright enough to use on sunny days and no issues in responsiveness either.

There is no digital driver instrument cluster, which is acceptable. Analog dials look classy and the MID in the middle is good enough for trip details and other details.

There is also a head-up display. 

Maruti could’ve offered a single-pane sunroof to attract more people, but I feel additions like front Type-C charging ports and a rear central armrest would’ve been more meaningful.

While there hasn’t been a reported upgrade in the safety rating of the Maruti Baleno, it does get more features now. 

Standard safety features include:

• Six airbags

• ISOFIC mounts

• Reverse parking sensors

• Electronic stability program

• Hill hold control

Tyre pressure monitoring system shows you real-time tyre pressures on the driver’s display.

But the biggest update here is the addition of level-2 autonomous driving assistance system (ADAS). It uses both a camera and a radar and has seven basic features including adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and autonomous emergency braking.

Lane keep assist prevents you from drifting out from your line in case you’re distracted and also warns you about the same. Adaptive cruise control is a little conservative and maintains two car lengths at all times, but can be used on expressways with low traffic to help reduce fatigue on long drives. 

Engine and Performance

This is where the most significant bit of change has come in for the Baleno. This facelift bids goodbye to the 1.2 four-cylinder petrol engine and replaces it with a new 3-cylinder engine. Maruti says it gives better torque and driveability at city speeds, which is something we have seen with the Swift. And now, the CNG powertrain is offered with an AMT option, which is introduced alongside the Dzire and the Swift.

Here are the specifications:

Read this story to check out the Baleno’s variant-wise powertrain options.

1.2-litre NA Petrol

Engine Performance

Despite being a three cylinder engine, Maruti has kept the noise and vibrations in check. It starts with a thrum but settles down nicely. Vibrations are well controlled and it is only in heavy bumper to bumper traffic when you can tell the difference between this engine and the 4 cylinder engine. The sound of the engine when you push the car isn’t too loud either. 

In the city, you’ll like this engine. It feels peppy until speeds of 50-60kmph. It crawls smoothly in heavy traffic and has good low-end torque to make overtakes. It isn’t effortless but adequate. 

It is only once you start pushing the engine closer to 100kmph is it when it feels dull. The pace of building the speed is too gradual, and with a full load, you will definitely take time to catch up to highway cruising speeds. Once you do however, the engine cruises nicely at 2500 RPM. For an overtake there, you will have to downshift, and even after that, don’t expect the overtakes to be done in the blink of an eye. You will need both patience and planning to do so.

When left to do its own thing, the AMT does feel like a budget transmission. It takes a second to react when you want a quick downshift and has a delay before it changes gear at full throttle. There are no paddle shifters, but slotting the gear lever in manual mode does give you full control. It lets you rev to the redline, holds onto the gear and lets you downshift aggressively too. In the city, it works well enough and gives you the convenience that you need in long traffic. 

We didn’t get a chance to sample the manual, but knowing how Maruti usually tunes them, you shouldn’t have a problem with the clutch and gear lever. 

So overall, with this engine, you won’t have a problem with the drop in performance in the city. It has usable torque and it feels adequate if you like to drive in a relaxed manner. The benefit of this new engine is in its fuel efficiency, where you can expect it to return 13-15kmpl in the city and 17-19kmpl on the highway, if driven calmly. 

Ride Quality

I’m glad Maruti hasn’t made any changes on this front. The ride quality of the new Baleno continues to be really comfortable. The small ripples, undulations, speed breakers and potholes are absorbed really well, and even over multiple imperfections or road patch works, the body movement is controlled. I couldn’t drive the car over a rough road, but it is safe to assume that it will be comfortable if you don’t carry high speeds.

On the highway though, the Baleno feels stable. You can carry speeds of 100-120kmph confidently. It goes over an undulation or expansion joint nicely and settles into a flat ride very naturally. 

1.2-litre NA Petrol + CNG

Performance

I didn’t get a chance to drive the CNG Baleno, but if you’re looking for low running cost, convenience of an automatic, and you don’t mind a compromise in performance, then you should consider it. You won’t really feel the difference in the city, but more on the highway.

The new Baleno is available in five variants: Sigma, Delta, Zeta, Alpha and Alpha (O).

The CNG powertrain (both manual and automatic) is only available in the Delta and Zeta variants, while the petrol-AMT combo can be had in all the variants except the base. Here’s a quick look at the highlights of all the variants:

Maruti Baleno Sigma

• Only gets a petrol manual powertrain.

• Simple design with halogen projector headlights, shark fin antenna, LED tail lights and 15-inch steel wheels with covers. No DRLs and limited chrome garnish.

• Basic interior gets dual tone theme with fabric seats, no leatherette and footwell lighting. 

• Adjustments include all headrests, 60:40 rear seat split and with tilt steering.

• Covers all basics with power windows, keyless entry, manual AC, and central locking.

• No infotainment system and sound system.

• 6 airbags, electronic  stability program, hill hold control, rear defogger and rear parking sensors are standard safety features.

Maruti Baleno Delta

• Entry-level CNG variant. Also,  both petrol and CNG are offered with an automatic (AMT) option from this variant.

• Improved styling with chrome on the grille, ORVM with turn indicator, and body coloured door handles.

• Better comfort and adjustment with front central armrest and parcel shelf.

• Top feature additions include electrically adjustable outside rear-view mirrors, USB and Type-C rear charging ports, rear AC vents, and steering mounted controls.

• Features a 7-inch infotainment system with wireless Android aAuto and Apple CarPlay. Also gets four speakers.

• Improved safety with tyre pressure monitoring system that shows real-time pressures and not just warning.

Maruti Baleno Zeta

• Also available with Petrol and CNG powertrains, with MT and AMT gearbox options.

• Big visual improvements with LED projector headlights, LED DRLs, chrome plated door handles, painted 16-inch alloy wheels, and rear chrome inserts.

• Gets height adjustable driver seat with both tilt and telescopic steering adjustment. Also gets front footwell lighting and driver gets a coloured MID display.

• Feature additions include push button start/stop, automatic climate control, voice assistant, and wireless charger with active cooling.

• Better entertainment package with bigger 9-inch touchscreen system with 6 speakers and ARKAMYS tune. Also gets connected car technology.

• Rear parking camera, wiper and washer provide a stronger safety package.

Maruti Baleno Alpha

• Can be configured with Petrol engine only, with MT and AMT options.

• LED fog lights and UV cut glasses offer better illumination and protection, respectively.

• More premium interior experience with leatherette seats and leatherette steering wheel.

• Adds driver side foot rest, cruise control, front ventilated seats, auto day/night IRVM, auto folding ORVMs, and a head-up display to the feature package.

• The sound system gets Clarion tuning and listening modes.

• A 360-degree camera with dynamic turn indicators is the only new addition in the safety kit.

Maruti Baleno Alpha (O)

• Available with Petrol MT and Petrol AMT powertrains.

• No visual changes in the exterior and interior design.

• No changes in the feature department too.

• Safety kit gets Level-2 ADAS with 7 features, including adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist and autonomous emergency braking.

• More details about the Alpha (O) variant can be found here. 

CarDekho Recommends

• The base variant is too basic from a modern purchase point of view and you’ll have to spend extra for an infotainment system and sound system. We suggest you pick the one-above-base Delta variant for a better overall package which doesn’t compromise on basic functionality. It also gets all the powertrain options that the Baleno has to offer.

• Zeta variant offers the most balanced and value-for-money package with modern looks, and functional upgrades. The CNG AMT combo also blends in convenience with low running costs for high-mileage users.

• If you want a more premium experience, then choose the Alpha variant. It adds a few feel-good features that will elevate the ownership experience.

• Only pick the Alpha (O) if you want the safety net of ADAS features. Otherwise skip.

We’ve also compared all the variants in one place in our variant-explained story. Read all the details here for help with your decision-making process.

Baleno’s new engine has caused a lot of controversy online, but it comes with a blessing in disguise. Sure, refinement has taken a hit, and so has the highway performance. But the city drivability remains strong, that too with better fuel efficiency than before. If you like driving in a relaxed manner, then Baleno’s inherent traits of a cabin that’s ergonomic, spacious and comfortable with its new modern features and safety tech now make it not just the most sensible option to pick but also a very appealing one. The only reason not to consider is when you want more performance.