The Baleno was launched in October 2015, and Maruti Suzuki upped the premium hatchback game. Sold via the Nexa showrooms, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno rivals the likes of Hyundai Elite i20, Honda Jazz and Volkswagen Polo. And now, the Baleno which is celebrating the 4th anniversary in the Indian market has crossed 6.5 lakh sales overall. The Baleno remains the leader in the premium hatchback space and continues with the Liquid Flow Design and has also undergone a minor facelift.
The Baleno now comes with SHVS smart hybrid technology. The Baleno SHVS with Idle Start Stop (ISS) and power re-generation is superior in the mechanical bits compared to rivals in the premium hatchback space. Also, the Baleno is the only car in its segment which is BS6 compliant with 2 petrol engines on offer at the moment, but the diesel motor could be phased out by April 2020.
At the moment, the Baleno has a total of 3 engine options on offer. The 2 petrol engines are already BSVI compliant while the Fiat-sourced 1.3L diesel engine is on its way out. The 1197cc, 4-cylinder motor without SHVS produces 61 kW of power and 113 Nm of torque delivering 21.01 kmpl mileage with a manual gearbox and 19.56 kmpl mileage with a CVT box. The 1248cc, 4-cylinder diesel motor produces 55.2 kW of power and 190 Nm of torque matched to a 5-speed gearbox delivering 27.39 kmpl mileage. The 1197cc, 4-cylinder motor with SHVS produces 66 kW of power and 113 Nm of torque delivering 23.87 kmpl mileage with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
Maruti Suzuki retails the Baleno through 360 Nexa showrooms across 200 cities and towns in India. The Baleno is the only premium hatchback which has crossed the 6 lakh milestone. The infographic below shows the sales volume for the Baleno through its life cycle in India. The Baleno previously used to be a C segment sedan in India, but made a comeback as a hatchback.
