Maruti Suzuki’s premium hatchback, the Baleno, has become the best-selling car for Nexa. It has recently crossed the 4-lakh-unit-sales mark in India.
The Baleno was launched in 2015 and is now priced from Rs 5.40 lakh (ex-showroom) onward. The car has a pronounced silhouette and a stance to complement its premium-hatchback character. The interior is spacious and stocked in terms of infotainment features.
The Baleno is available in petrol and diesel variants. The petrol cars are powered by a 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine which produces 84 PS and 115 Nm. Diesel cars are propelled by the 1.3-litre four-cylinder which makes 75 PS and a peak torque of 190 Nm. The petrol engines get the option of a five-speed manual or CVT while the diesels are available only with a five-speed manual.
The previous year, Maruti Suzuki also launched a sportier version of the Baleno, christened the “Baleno RS”. It is powered by a 1-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-petrol that churns out 102 PS and a peak torque of 150 Nm. It comes mated to a five-speed manual.
The Baleno’s main rivals are the Hyundai Elite i20, the Honda Jazz, and the Volkswagen Polo. En route to achieving this sales milestone, the Baleno has also beaten all its rivals. There are rumours afloat in the industry that the Baleno is slated for a cosmetic upgrade in the near future. We can’t wait to see how it will look.
Prices (ex-showroom)
Petrol Sigma – Rs 5.40 lakh
Petrol Alpha Auto – Rs 8.46 lakh
RS – Rs 8.49 lakh
DdiS Sigma – Rs 6.57 lakh
DdiS Alpha – Rs 8.58 lakh
Also read: Maruti Suzuki Baleno First Drive Review
Story: Joshua Varghese
