India-made Suzuki Baleno launched in the UK

The Suzuki Baleno hatchback has been launched in the UK for £12,999 (Rs 12.77 lakh). The hatchback is a made-in-India product, exported to UK from our country and will go on sale from June 1.

One variant packs a 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine paired with the integrated starter generator (ISG) and a compact lithium-ion battery. This is the SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki) micro-hybrid technology also seen in the Maruti Ciaz and Ertiga in India. This mill comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission with the option of a CVT transmission.

However, the main highlight is the other variant that comes powered by a 110bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder Boosterjet turbocharged petrol engine. It comes paired to the same five-speed manual gearbox, but with the availability of a six-speed automatic transmission as well. The manual does the 0-100kmph sprint in 11.4 seconds, while the automatic does that in only 11 seconds.

This Baleno is the company’s first car to use Suzuki’s new platform. For the UK market, it gets more features than the Indian model. These include HID headlamps, 16-inch alloy wheels, front power windows, six airbags, satellite navigation, DAB Radio with USB and Bluetooth connectivity and cruise control with speed limiter as standard. Additionally, the top-end trims get LED tail lamps, rear power windows, automatic climate control, a 4.2-inch central MID display, Adaptive Cruise Control and Radar Brake Support.

Suzuki has priced the Baleno in the UK in the range of £12,999-15,349 (Rs 12.77 lakh to Rs 15.11 lakh). The Japanese carmaker had earlier showcased the India-made Baleno at the Geneva Motor Show. This was in line with their marketing plan of selling the Baleno in over 100 countries including Europe and Japan. This fiscal we can expect a huge boost in Maruti Suzuki's exports as it's supplying the global hatchback to different countries.