Maruti Baleno road test and review: Surprise package

[NikilSJ]

Euro NCAP crash tested the India-spec Baleno with two standard airbags and here's what they found.

[blade.raj]

Can anybody help me out with my choice for Baleno against Jazz and i20 elite.
Firstly i like the Baleno looks, although the other two are also good to me.
Problem is that rear passenger suspension is low (as i heard), and rear visibility a problem. Even the front mirror also disturbs the front view.
Next is the petrol engine heats up, doesn't get a cover, might tamper the wires. (I am going for petrol).

Now considering its a cheaper car than the other two, great mileage, and loaded with features, economically Baleno attracts me, and its looks backs it.

But will I lose something very much if i don't opt for the Elite i20 or Jazz? Please help. Need a decision making answer.

[Roshun]

Can anybody help me out with my choice for Baleno against Jazz and i20 elite.
Firstly i like the Baleno looks, although the other two are also good to me.
Problem is that rear passenger suspension is low (as i heard), and rear visibility a problem. Even the front mirror also disturbs the front view.
Next is the petrol engine heats up, doesn't get a cover, might tamper the wires. (I am going for petrol).

Now considering its a cheaper car than the other two, great mileage, and loaded with features, economically Baleno attracts me, and its looks backs it.

But will I lose something very much if i don't opt for the Elite i20 or Jazz? Please help. Need a decision making answer.

This is a common comparison that most Maruti Baleno buyers go through. I've not heard about heating issues with the Baleno so far. The petrol 1.2 K Series is a tried and tested unit - the same one that the Swift and Dzire also use. No issues there. Rear visibility is a bit of a problem with the Baleno, but then if you go in for the top-end one, you will get a reverse camera and sensors anyway with it. It's pretty well-rounded package. The Honda Jazz is better on space, but in terms of performance it is about at par. The petrol Jazz is a bit sluggish compared to the Baleno. As for the Elite i20, it's a tried and tested product - lots of buyers swear by it, and no major issues so far, apart from a few suspension related rattles. The biggest challenge you will face would be with the waiting periods - the Baleno has a huge waiting period of 4-6 months depending on the variant. Can you deal with that? Jazz and i20 would be more easily available. If you can wait, go for the Baleno. Else pick the Jazz if you want space over everything else, or the i20 Elite if you want a well rounded package.

[bisenshashank]

I bought Baleno Delta AMT 2weeks back and getting mileage of 9.7kmpl. I know it’s too early to decide on what mileage I am going to get in the post servicing but was just curious to know what should be my expectations?

[Roshun]

I bought Baleno Delta AMT 2weeks back and getting mileage of 9.7kmpl. I know it’s too early to decide on what mileage I am going to get in the post servicing but was just curious to know what should be my expectations?

The Baleno comes with a CVT (constantly variable transmission), not an AMT (automated manual transmission). That said, there's a technique to driving a CVT box car. If you stomp down hard on the pedal, you will basically go nowhere, as the engine will rev a lot (consequently wasting fuel), before it actually begins to move. Instead, you need to drive with a feathering action of your right foot, press a little, release a bit, press a little, release a bit - and the CVT will shift up much quicker and waste less fuel. 9.7 kmpl in city conditions is on the low side. You should expect to get at least 11 kmpl from it soon. Service should probably help.

[Jijo_Malayil]

Update: Baleno and S-Cross now gets grey alloys instead of white now. There are no difference in prices. And this is how they look like on Baleno

The one on Maruti Suzuki S-Cross

[PeterJohnes]

Roshun
I agree with you JijoMalayil
Grey ones look quite good.

[NikilSJ]

Oooh, the grey ones look much better on the S-Cross. But I'm still not a big fan of the S-Cross' wheel design. The Allgrip version sold abroad get better looking ones.

[Jijo_Malayil]

NikilSJ I think the one on the S-Cross still looks like an alloy. The Baleno ones resemble one of those after-market wheel cover to many. Imagine the state of the owner, after paying so much for those, get commented from his friends on why won't he put alloys on his car?

[Jijo_Malayil]

Maruti Suzuki Nexa turns a year old and have reported to sell over one lakh units! That accounts to just 10% of total Maruti Suzuki sales in India. The Nexa outlets currently sells the Baleno and the S-Cross models now. The upcoming Baleno RS and Ignis is expected to be retailed through the same platform.

[themallustig]

Mr. Malayil, I don't think the Ignis will be sold through the Nexa platform. Like the Vitara Brezza, Maruti is likely to target the mass market segment with the new Ignis (which replaces the Ritz in India), thereby lauching it through the regular Maruti Suzuki outlets. Small doubt, what will be the starting price of Ignis in India?

[Roshun]

Themallustig
Ignis is likely to slip into the void left by the Maruti Ritz. So expect prices to start at about Rs. 4.2 lakh going up to Rs. 5.9 lakhs, between petrol and diesel models. Of course, with the recent anti-diesel wave, Maruti may reconsider plans, but we don't know that yet.

[Jijo_Malayil]

Roshun At Rs 4-6 lacs, the Ignis will directly rival the Chevy Beat, Mahindra KUV100, Ford Figo and the next-gen Swift for that matter. Owning to its propositions, I am not very hopeful of Ignis doing well in India.

[Arjun]

JijoMalayil According to the latest news, the launch of the ignis will be delayed. The decision is taken to clear the more than 1 lakh car backlog on the bookings of Baleno. It is now expected to launch in 2017. Source : http://auto.economictimes.indiatimes...cklog/53443343

[Jijo_Malayil]

Arjun Oh, that is disappointing! Until Suzuki's Gujarat plant starts production in 2017, Maruti production crisis is not likely to improve I guess. As per reports, the joint backlog of Vitara Brezza and Baleno stands at more than one lakh units.