Long Term Report-1

The Maruti Suzuki Baleno has done two important things for its maker. First, it has proved, yet again, that when it comes to selling hatchbacks, Maruti really has got its MO completely sorted. And second, going the Nexa way has finally attached a sense of premiumness to Maruti products, which has been missing…forever. Sure, the S-Cross didn’t do too well via the Nexa endeavour, but it was a case of poor pricing more than anything else.

Take the Baleno though, it is marketed as a premium hatch, it sells via Maruti’s premium Nexa outlets but it still starts at under Rs 5.5 lakh (ex-showroom in Delhi); that’s less than its competition, namely the Honda Jazz and the Hyundai Elite i20. No wonder, it’s selling well.

But, you the reader still have some concerns regarding the Baleno. It’s a light car, so there are anxieties regarding its build quality and stability at speed. It’s large for a hatch, and that brings questions regarding ease of driving and parking. And finally, you want to know how the 1.2-litre, 83bhp engine really performs in the real world – driveability, fuel economy, refinement and the fun factor.

So, to find out, we have welcomed the top of the line petrol powered, 5-speed manual equipped Baleno Alpha 1.2 to our long-term fleet. Now, over the course of four months, we will tell you how the Baleno is to live with in the city, out on the highway, and when loaded to the brim. And at the end, we will have our recommendation on whether the Maruti Suzuki Baleno is worth buying or not.

But for now, as initial impressions go, I haven’t warmed up the car’s exterior styling yet. It has strong design elements like the grille, the powerful rear haunches, the tightly skinned doors and an attractive behind, but overall it still doesn’t seem attractive to me. I am also no fan of those ‘wheel-cap’ looking alloy wheels.

What I do like though is the interior. It’s all black in here but the Baleno still feels spacious. It has a simple interior design but the brushed aluminium outlines for the central console, the AC vents and the central tunnel help break the monotony. And because this is the top of the line Alpha trim, it also gets a nice looking central display as part of the car’s infotainment system. The Baleno also has a big boot, both on paper and visually. But, will it work when we actually throw in some luggage at it?

For an answer to that and many other questions, do keep a track of our monthly updates on the Baleno.

Edit:We would like to clarify that the car is a Alpha 1.2 variant and not Zeta as we had first mentioned. Inconvenience is regretted.

Pictures: Kapil Angane

Maruti Suzuki Baleno First Drive Review

Maruti Suzuki Baleno Road Test

Maruti Suzuki Baleno Vs Honda Jazz Vs Hyundai i20