Maruti Suzuki Baleno
After spending a few months in the evo Fleet, the Baleno bids farewell, leaving our resident Maruti fanboy teary-eyed
IT'S SHEER COINCIDENCE THAT I was the one to receive the Baleno when it first landed at evo India HQ, and now that the blue-hued hatchback is headed back to Maruti, it is as good a time as any to marvel at all the lovely little things I'm going to miss once it is gone.
For starters, it's not just a mere facelift. I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions on the styling but having spent a few months driving the new Baleno, it definitely feels better built compared to its predecessors. The great Indian hoi polloi, motoring journos included, have pointed out on more than one occasion that Maruti Suzukis tend to feel a bit too light, but having driven the old HEARTECT-underpinned model and the new Baleno back to back, I can firmly attest that the latter feels a lot more robust, European even, and that's coming from us who spend a fair bit of time with upmarket German machinery.
I've always been a firm believer that Maruti Suzuki makes the most fun-to-drive cars around, and while the Baleno has no cult following like, say, the Swift, it continues to be a terrific steer. The 1.2-litre NA K-Series engine is perhaps the best small capacity petrol motor in the business, and the Baleno feels extremely peppy to drive around town. I am especially a big fan of the manual gearbox. To give you some context, I'm the last guy on the team to join the #SaveTheManuals congregation ― I come from Mumbai and you really need a steely resolve to drive a stick through that sort of maddening traffic. But the Baleno's five-speed manual? I fell in love! The short-throw action coupled with the light clutch makes the 'box a joy to use. Not to mention every Maruti Suzuki's trump card. Superb fuel efficiency. Even with a bit of spirited driving, the Baleno has consistently delivered 15kmpl in Pune city with its maddening jams, and shifting up a bit earlier easily persuades the range to go up! I've had
a blast rowing through the gears and pulling the engine hard even on an ordinary weekday commute, and I suspect that Mandar, whose long-termer I've been swiping the keys of at every possible opportunity, is not going to be pleased to see the Baleno go back.
Living with the Baleno also meant that I got to spend more time in the wonderfully appointed cabin. The choice of materials used are a big departure over its predecessor and it feels expensive. Maruti might not like being criticised about the fact that its earlier offerings did feel a bit lowrent, but that's definitely been addressed with the new Baleno. I'm not sure how the blue dashboard and door inserts would work with other colours, but with our Nexa Blue example, the interior colour scheme pairs very well and all of the switches and
I’ve had a blast rowing through the gears and pulling the engine hard
plastics feel much nicer. There's been a bit of rummaging around the Maruti parts bin, (old habits die hard), but the Baleno's interior feels very upmarket. A slick touchscreen and Apple CarPlay definitely net brownie points, although I do wish that Maruti had offered wireless connectivity for the latter. However, it does get a head-up display, which I personally prefer to be stowed away as it does get in my field of vision. On the other hand, the 360-degree parking camera has definitely won me over with its sheer clarity and intuitive displays, though I might be a tad miffed at the fact that the new Brezza's camera is even clearer, but frankly that's horses for courses.
In its short tenure, the Baleno didn't lead the cushiest life. It doubled up as our tracking car on shoots, and at one point the front-right tyre suffered from a cut sidewall. But whenever we drove it, we revelled in the space and comfort it offered. The boot gulped up all of our photography equipment with ease while the climate control kept our heads cool in the searing heat. And frankly, it was one of the underrated gems on the fleet. That is why I always harboured a soft corner for it, so much so that I even took it home for the festival of Dussehra before the chaps from Maruti Suzuki finally whisked it away. So long Baleno, you will be missed. ⌧
Date acquired June 2022
Total mileage 1472km Mileage this month 646km Costs this month Nil
Overall kmpl 15.5