My opinion on the Baleno. Review on Maruti Suzuki Baleno

The Baleno is the only car from Maruti that hasn't done well in India. So what is the reason for that? There isn't any particular reason, it is a combination of some small silly ideas.

Ffirst is that it looks outdated and boring. Second, is that the customers can get a very capable City (+ the Honda badge!) for its price. Finally, it is because it isn't popular (consumers have this strange ideology; If others don't buy it, they shouldn't buy it). But all these reasons are stupid. For example, the Baleno may not look very inspiring, but it is the same with the Esteem, 800 and Wagonr. Now, the Baleno's price has come down so much that it is an unbeatable deal. So I see no reason why it shouldn't be a bestseller. It is tremendous value for money and it also has superb performance.

First a small summary on the car. Starting with the way it looks, it is conservative, but not ugly. Compared to the Accent and City, it looks plain, but it can't be termed as ugly in any sense. Build quality is not too good, and can be improved. The space inside is on par with the City and other 'like' cars. The quality inside, like on all Maruti cars, still has a lot of scope for improvement. The engine is as good as other Suzuki engines, and its performance is a big advantage. It is fun and involving to drive. The ride is quite comfortable and its handling is quite good. The economy is just average. Nothing special here. So on the whole, it is a very conservative car in all areas, with a boost in performance and the 'fun' aspect.

Why not Baleno?- Look at the Esteem. It is outdated definitely, and its dismal build quality makes it one of the least safe cars in India. On the other hand, the Baleno has conservative, but acceptable looks. It is among the few cars that has undergone a Euro safety test. Its build quality is decent, and it beats the Esteem in that hands down. The space in the Esteem is incredibily poor.

The Baleno meanwhile, has a good amount of space comparitively. One major selling point of the Esteem is its reliable engine. It is peppy too. But the Baleno's engine is also very reliable, and its performance is good enough to be compared with D-segment cars! Fuel economy of the Baleno is compareable to the Esteem.

I know that the Baleno and Esteem can't be compared. But now the Baleno's price has come to a level very close to the Esteem making it amazing value for money. So why can't you put that extra money and go for something more modern and fun? I fail to understand the logic behind this.

Baleno- Pros- The points in this section are more than the next paragraph. First of all, the engine. This engine is refined as well as reliable. Like all Suzuki engines, it is peppy and fun to drive, but this one goes that bit extra, and has very good performance. Its top speed is an awesome 170+ km/h! And moreover, it hits 100 km/h in less than 14 seconds. Yet it manages to be quite economical in fuel consumption. The next advantage on the Baleno is its spacious interior. For its price, it has a rather roomy interior, making it comfortable unlike the cramped Esteem. The most important pro is its value for money. At first, it was priced at the range of Honda City, Accent CRDi, and so on. But now, it is priced in between the Esteems and Citys, giving the advantages of the costlier sedans at a lower price. According to me, that along with its performance, should be its selling point.

Baleno- Cons- Just one or two. It looks a little conservative, which goes against it. But according to me, it is quite cute and there is nothing very bad in the design. Still, I am mentioning it. Second, its quality levels are not that good. It is way better than the Esteem, but still not up to the mark (set by Honda and Toyota). Beyond this, there isn't any major disadvantage. For its price, both of these can be forgiven.

THE FINAL VERDICT- You have got to believe me when I say this, the Baleno is a car that is capable of being a bestseller like the Zen and Esteem. If you want a car in the level of the Honda City, the Baleno is just okay, and nothing more than that. But if you want to buy an Esteem, then PLEASE DON'T OVERLOOK THE BALENO. It is a very capable car.

Sometime ago, I would have said it is a conservative car and left it with that, but now I urge you to check it out. This is because it is now much cheaper, and is a superb deal. It is better than the Esteem in every possible way. I hope you got my point. Now, if you want an even better deal, buy the Baleno Altura (estate version). Since it is out of demand, you can get more than 50k off the already reduced list price. Moreover, you get the utter practicality and space of an estate.

My overall rating- 87/100

I hope my review has been useful, since I have written it in a different way.

PLEASE comment on it.