A Very good car let down only by its Suspension Setup

Exterior I really like the way the car is styled. Now appearance is subjective, but I really think that the baleno is a great design to come out of the Maruti Suzuki stable since the swift. We owned a Swift prior to the Baleno and really loved the Swift for what it offered. The baleno is definitely a one up on the swift in terms of looks. The DRLs on the alpha variant make the car stand apart in a crowd. The follow me home and lead me to vehicle feature apart from being functional, is a visual treat to look at. It is a large car at 3995 mm and with a height od just 1500 mm, it gives the car a crouching stance. I personally, like it.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) The interior of the Baleno is a nice place to be in. There is ample space for 5 occupants with the driver. Sitting three abreast in the second row was never an issue, which previously was the case with the Swift. There is no rear AC vent, but the Auto AC unit does a decent job of keeping the car cool in hot temperatures.

There are lots storage spaces within the cabin. The 1 litre bottle holders in the door pockets are very useful and practical. The centre armrest could have been longer as it is practically unusable while driving, but offers a storage area underneath. The glovebox is lit and so is the footwell. Both these should have been brighter as the current lighting doesnt seem adequate. The puddle lights underneath the doors are a nice touch and lights the way as you open the door. The auto dimming mirrors inside the cabin is also a nice feature to have. It is especially useful during the night.

The infotainment system has to be the highlight of the Baleno. The touchscreen is very intuitive and sensitive to touch. With multiple media playing options like FM, Aux, USB, Bluetooth and Apple Carplay, you will never left wanting for more. Connecting your phone via bluetooth enables you to not only play the media, but also make and take voice calls. We made and took a few voice calls while driving and they worked very well. The voice command feature works well too and can be accessed from the steering wheel. The Apple Carplay function works seamlessly.

The reverse parking camera is a boon. As the rear window is small, the view while parking this car is limited through that. The camera alongwith the parking sensors, however, make the job much more easier. The camera works brilliantly even in pitch darkness. The audio quality is decent with four speakers in the door and two tweeters. But pushing it hard strains the system. If you are an audiophile, you may want to opt for better speakers.

The instrument cluster is another great feature on the Baleno, especially the LCD screen in the centre. It gives you so much information about the car. It also, beautiful to look at. :)

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox The tried and tested 1.2 litre engine is an able performer. Though it is not really exciting to drive, the power delivery is linear and is easy to drive. I was pleasantly surprised with the fuel economy. On the highway, I got an average fuel economy of 21.5kpl which at its peak, touched 22 kpl. I guess over time, this will only get better, as I work the engine more. The gearbox is another feature of the Baleno which I love. It is soft to touch and shift gears effortlessly. You can practically change gears with one finger. It is butter smooth.

Ride Quality & Handling The ride quality is one area of the Baleno which I am a bit underwhelmed with. The suspension setup on our Swift was much better than what it is on the Baleno. You really have to slow down to first gear to pull the car out of a pothole. Even small dents on the road filter into the cabin, which takes away from the premium feel of the car. I really wish Maruti addresses this issue in the later versions of the Baleno.

That said, the handling, again is a breeze. The steering is light on slower speeds which makes manouvering the carin traffic an easy affair, though it is a fairly large sized car. On higher speeds, the steering gathers some weight which is good in a way.

Final Words Apart from the Suspension, there is very little to complain about, in the baleno. Yes the plastic quality inside the cabin could have been better, but for me, that would be nitpicking. If you own and have driven costlier cars, you may bedisappointed with the Baleno. But if you, like me are coming to Baleno from a smaller car, or even if it is your First car, you will love it for what it is. Being a MAruti Suzuki, it really is a value for money.

Areas of improvement Suspension setup needs a lot of improvement. Also the interior plastics and some better materials to be used on the inside.

Overall Styling, Space, Infotainment System, interior lighting, DRLs, Fuel Economy, Instrument clstrSuspension, Speaker Quality could have been better