Maruti Baleno Gets A First-in-segment Safety Update

The Baleno is now provided with an adjustable headrest and a 3-point seatbelt for the rear centre passenger

• Basic safety equipment now offered for the rear-middle passenger for the first time in the premium hatchback segment.

• Likely to be offered with the Baleno’s Toyota counterpart, the Glanza, soon too.

• Wearing seatbelts at the back is being implemented more seriously by traffic laws lately.

• The Baleno’s safety net includes up to six airbags, a 360-degree camera and ESP.

• Maruti retails it from Rs 6.61 lakh and Rs 9.88 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The country’s best-selling premium hatchback, the Maruti Baleno, has become the first in its segment to get a 3-point seatbelt for the rear centre passenger. Additionally, it also gets an adjustable rear headrest for the middle occupant. The Baleno’s Toyota counterpart – the Glanza – is likely to get the same safety update soon as well.

Government’s Recent Safety Regulations

The Indian government made wearing seatbelts at the rear mandatory last year following the unfortunate demise of Cyrus Mistry (former Chairman of Tata Sons) in a car accident. At a time when not all carmakers are offering 3-point seatbelts in their affordable cars, seeing Maruti step up is a welcome move.

Apart from making wearing seatbelts compulsory at the rear, the Indian government has also set October 2023 as the deadline for carmakers to offer six airbags as standard in all cars capable of carrying up to 8 passengers. However, the matter of the minimum airbags is yet to be put into law as not all models are compatible with that number and may not even benefit from it to increase occupant safety.

Related: From Zero to Six: How Airbags Became A Must-Have Feature In Indian Cars

Baleno’s Safety Package

With the second midlife update for the Baleno in early 2022, Maruti equipped its hatchback with six airbags, electronic stability programme (ESP), hill-start assist and a 360-degree camera. The Baleno also gets ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchorages, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors.

Variants, Prices And Competition

Maruti retails the Baleno in four broad variants – Sigma, Delta, Zeta and Alpha – priced between Rs 6.61 lakh and Rs 9.88 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). It fights it out with the Hyundai i20, Toyota Glanza, Tata Altroz and Citroen C3.

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