An experience. Review on Maruti Suzuki Baleno

I was to buy a car in mid size range, my choices were Accent, Getz(Ikon later on, and I went on to buy it), but I also wanna had second look at Esteem.

In maruti showroom, I saw a Baleno with a sticker written 5.34 lacs on it.I was surprised and asked dealer to give test drive(I haven't heard of the price slashing). Being a regular reader of Auto magazines, I thought great about Baleno(I havent driven one).All magazines stated that Baleno is the most underrated car.

It was once compared with Honda city VTEC, so it was an interesting flurry of new thoughts for me at once. I took out for test drive.

For one, car is quite wide, spacious, and from both interior and exterior it imparts a class when u think its price.And being a maruti, it is supposed to be cheap to keep and maintain.

But reality is far from it.

For one, the cost of spares of baleno is too much. I hear they are imported from japan, and localisation is very less.Their cost is comparable to those of most expensive ones available.

Interiors are not too pleasing...I was imagining an Alto stretched out while I sat for the first time in it....Just thought it like...but I think it is OK OK but not too good.

Ignition took place, the dealer on my left side and my cousin on the back, I was ready to feel what I thought to be great rush of power;and remembering Maruti's pedigree I was imagining that its Engine wud be better in power as well as smoothness than esteem's. But as I took it on highway, I found that the engine is too noisy, rough.Yes, power was good but not that I would like to feel, gear stick vibrated a lot even on low rpm's,and as I revved hard the sound from engine was unbearable...I was thinking what is the benefit of buying a petrol car when the vibrations are of a diesel's.

On pressing horn there was lot of sound in the cabin,as if the horn is mounted insideinstead of outside...it was poor quality feel overall I must say.

What is the use of powerful engine when you dont have a good feel while driving one? The engine is worse than esteem.

But one thing, the ride of the car impressed me(very good);apart from big car feel.

Baleno is never been a success in market and one who buys it is because of the maruti label and second its performance.(Do people really go and compare it with other cars?or just they have so much believe in maruti as well as magazines which constantly utter it as an ''underrated car''?)

Maruti label is useless and spares are exorbitantly high priced and engine is bad, rough and noisy.(though power can appeal to those who dont care about vibrations) I find it hard to believe that its engine is made by Suzuki.