Performance

The Baleno's engine is a little rough and chuggy at idle, just as all transversely mounted three cylinder motors tend to be as a result of the rocking motion that their firing order imparts. But it spins into a fairly reserved but industrious thrum which, although not as well isolated as in some of its rivals, is perfectly tolerable.Braking performance is respectable, although the 185/55 R16 Bridgestone Ecopia tyres on which the Baleno comes don't exactly maul the road surface. In the dry, the car stopped from 70 mph in 49.8 meters a poorer result than the two-tonne Ford Edge we figured on the same day. From a sub-one-tonne car, you might well expect better.

Comfort

Coming to the comfort, with the front seats adjusted for 6-foot adults, similarly sized adults will not complain about legroom at the rear: the Baleno's 2,520 mm wheelbase is only 10 mm shorter than the Honda Jazz's, which, will continue to be the most spacious car in this class. The rear seat floor is also relatively flat, though shoulder width is typically the two and a half adults. For the space on offer, we feel Maruti could have given better cushioning on the seat backs, they're not as comfortable to sit on as say a VW Polo or a Hyundai Elite i20. However, the Baleno has clearly trumped the smaller Swift by a considerable margin in the real estate department.

Features

All variants of the Maruti Baleno are pretty much feature-laden and full of the expected technical specs. Baleno Diesel engine specification include an engine of 1248cc, which musters up a torque measuring to 190Nm@2000rpm and maximum power of 74bhp@4000rpm. Baleno top model coughs out an average or giving an overall mileage of around 13.7 kmpl, with a fuel efficiency within a city of 0.0 kmpl and on highways the mileage stands out as 27.39 kmpl. Maruti Baleno Automatic comes in petrol engine options.

WHAT'S INSIDE

Push button start/stop with smart key Central locking SmartPlay Infotainment System with FM/MP3/CD, Bluetooth, Aux & USB, Navigation system, Voice command and SmartphoneConnect/Apple CarPlay Steering mounted audio controls Leather wrapped steering wheel Multi Information Speedometer Display (with colour TFT) Electrically foldable ORVMs Telescopic steering Tilt steering Automatic AC Front centre armrest with storage 60:40 split rear seats

SAFE AND SECURE

Maruti Suzuki Baleno is the premium hatchback with the excellent fuel efficiency, ride quality and best in class features in terms of safety, engine, performance and maintenance. Baleno price in India ranges from INR 5.24 – 8.35 Lakh.