[volkman10]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

[*]Both ABS and airbags standard across all variants. Great job Maruti.

-ABS with EBD and 2 airbags standard across all variants.

Baleno Base variant - Sigma,could get the 2 slant grill.



Maruti Baleno Sigma

• Dual front airbags
• ABS with EBD
• Power windows (front only)
• Power steering with tilt function
• Gear shift indicator
• Rear parcel tray
• AC with heater
• Central locking
• LED tail-lamps
• Driver seat-belt reminder warning.

All black interiors - looks classy! ( Source: tweet- Sirish Chandran)






http://gaadiwaadi.com/exclusive-maru...e-told-021835/

[Crazy_Bean]

Originally Posted by volkman10

-ABS with EBD and 2 airbags standard across all variants.

Are the Projectors HID like SCross or normal halogen bulb based?

Based on my experience on the Rapid halogen projector, I don't think the brightness is enough. IF projector, they ought to be HID.

[IshaanIan]

Looks absolutely stunning. Loved the colour options especially that yummy red Still super bummed out about the lack of an M16 engine and very skeptical about it's crash-worthiness given its kerb weight figure :/

[WRXXX]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Looks absolutely stunning. Loved the colour options especially that yummy red Still super bummed out about the lack of an M16 engine and very skeptical about it's crash-worthiness given its kerb weight figure :/

I think the low weight is attributed to high tensile usage throughout like the Ciaz and a ground up design of the platform which is supposed to have reduced unwanted structure members. But, I do agree that only a real crash test will certify its mettle.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by WRXXX

I think if ride and handling wasn't my top priority i20 is my pick too. I consider Hyundai has to bring in their "N" team learning's to their cars. Can we say that would take 5 years and a new product?

Originally Posted by Sherlocked

Indeed. Its the ride and handling department that deters me from buying a Hyundai.
Though they are constantly improving themselves in it but still Suzuki has an upper edge when it comes to steering feedback and suspension setup...

I hope both of you have driven the latest iteration of i20. The ride is pretty much sorted & steering still needs improvement. But then Maruti is closely reaching there with the life less steering too. If ride & handling is my priority, I'll go for the Swift. I cant find anything great about the Baleno that trumps the Swift and make me pay the extra money.

[volkman10]

Originally Posted by WRXXX

I think the low weight is attributed to high tensile usage throughout like the Ciaz and a ground up design of the platform which is supposed to have reduced unwanted structure members. But, I do agree that only a real crash test will certify its mettle.

Since crash worthiness to some degree will come to India in 2017 and this model is exported from India to Europe and Japan , I guess Suzuki will keep the basic structure intact and only have variants like airbags, etc depending on the markets.
Pricing could be a bit more considering the above.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by WRXXX

I think the low weight is attributed to high tensile usage throughout like the Ciaz and a ground up design of the platform which is supposed to have reduced unwanted structure members. But, I do agree that only a real crash test will certify its mettle.

Yup got all that, even read that whole brief which stated it was 10% more rigid however a 900 kilo kerb weight is still too little unless they have suddenly started using aluminium We all remember how poorly the Indian Swift performs just hope it isn't the same case. I would be happy to know that it performs well in a crash. Can't wait for crash tests to commence here in India

[RavenAvi]

First review of the Suzuki Baleno out on AutoX:

We first got our hands on the 1.3-litre diesel and when we fired up the engine, it became obvious that Maruti Suzuki engineers have worked very hard to keep the NVH level down. With 74bhp, the Baleno felt eager but with the turbo lag, one ends up shifting gears on a regular basis, especially in city traffic. Also on the highway, the power tends to fizzle out, therefore, to get optimum speed keep the rev needle between 2,500-3,000rpm.

This does make you wonder whether Maruti missed a trick by not plonking the higher state of tuned engine, 88bhp, which is in the Ciaz.

Yes compared to its competition, the Maruti has lesser ponies as the i20 Eilte has 89bhp while the Jazz boasts of 98bhp, but as mentioned earlier, it never labours for power and a lot of credit goes to the new monocoque platform, which is lighter and more rigid. The 5-speed transmission easily slotted into gear without any hassles and the hatchback responded instantly but in a smooth linear fashion.

When it comes to the handling department, the Baleno pleasantly surprised us with its razor sharp capability. Maruti products usually have a softer suspension set up, but with the Baleno they have managed to strike a correct balance as it never felt bumpy or wallowed on broken roads. It took on corners like no other Maruti car can even imagine. It is definitely right up there with the segment champion i20 Elite and could make the Korean manufacturer slightly nervous.

Ride comfort is very good as well with the car dismissing undulations and potholes with ease. Even at higher speeds the Baleno does not get unnerved as such by road imperfections. Suspension noise is at a minimal too and the Baleno is a genuinely comfortable car to be in, be it on city roads or open highways. The only let down is the high level of wind noise generated from around the windows at higher speeds.

Is Maruti Suzuki Baleno the next big thing in the Indian car market? Yes, but all this depends on the how they price it. Being a Nexa product, Maruti’s premium range cars, they shouldn’t get carried away and position it at par with the i20 Elite and the Jazz as both are more powerful. Also buyers still haven’t accepted the Maruti brand as a premium one. The Baleno has the potential to shake up the segment, but then everything comes down to brass tacks.

Auto X

Evening shots, courtesy Twitterati:

Twitter

A shot of the CVT box, courtesy Hormazd Sorabjee's Twitter:

His report on the CVT's response:

Baleno auto CVT v.responsive off line. Great in city but not highway - engine always at max revs when overtaking. Noisy

[Sherlocked]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

I cant find anything great about the Baleno that trumps the Swift and make me pay the extra money.

Positives of Baleno over Swift:

• Built on an entirely new platform while the current Swift platform is over 4 years old already. Total product life has already crossed 10 years. New Swift not expected before 2017.
  
• Baleno is around 100 kgs lighter than Swift. Even with the 75PS on Baleno it'll be faster and quicker than the Swift.
  
• Baleno comes with Goodies such as Reverse camera, Projector headlamps, Infotainment system, touchscreen, DRLs. Leaves Swift barebones.
  
• Build quality inside out should be unlike other Marutis as its a Nexa product.
  
• Plenty of Swifts on road. Too common.
  
• Baleno has bigger boot space than the Swift. Should definitely be able to seat 5 more comfortably than the Swift. Swift lacks in these two departments miserably. One of the main reason why people consider i20 and other spacious hatchbacks over Swift.

Hence if I'm in the market and my budget permits, I'll pick the Baleno over Swift anyday.

[Gosu]

I see that there is an option in the MID which seems to show the real time power and torque figures. Anybody have any idea if this is a mass-wowing pseudo feature or the real thing incorporated here? Seems to be a segment first addition. How trustworthy should be the readings?

[WRXXX]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Yup got all that, even read that whole brief which stated it was 10% more rigid however a 900 kilo kerb weight is still too little unless they have suddenly started using aluminium We all remember how poorly the Indian Swift performs just hope it isn't the same case. I would be happy to know that it performs well in a crash. Can't wait for crash tests to commence here in India

True! that low weight in Ciaz(~1000kg) too sometimes worries me. I agree with you though till a proper crash test standard is enforced it is tough to say what cost cutting lies underneath. But if this is a world car lets hope the cost cutting is not in structural integrity.

[WRXXX]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

I hope both of you have driven the latest iteration of i20. The ride is pretty much sorted & steering still needs improvement. But then Maruti is closely reaching there with the life less steering too. If ride & handling is my priority, I'll go for the Swift. I cant find anything great about the Baleno that trumps the Swift and make me pay the extra money.

Ride and handling is a priority and boot space was the second priority,
hence waiting for Baleno. My default fallback if Maruti pricing strategy gone haywire is Swift. I am looking for an upgraded Swift thats all.

Ride and handling is not the only thing I was looking for if that is what was inferred from my posts. In this segment if possible I will choose a better handling ones as apposed to boats and skate boards. As better handling cars constitute active safety in Indian conditions. I am not buying these cars for driving fun alone, because I am past that stage honestly. I have had two cars at least so far which hug the road even in the worst road condition(snow/slush/rain/bad roads) and handle superbly. And I am not trying to fill in that vacuum here since it is nearly impossible.

What I want is something that can do daily duties in city and decent highway stability without freaking out in our conditions. At least four Hyundai cars i10, Gi10, i20(slightly better) and Verna I have driven have no predictable road manners at high speeds, and inspires no confidence in me. And many Suzuki cars I have driven are coincidently driver centric (Zen, Swift, Ciaz, even Ertiga) and inspires confidence due to their road holding. Now I don't know what to infer but to say that Hyundai as a company so far doesn't give a damn about handling dynamics and it gets no support from my side. Not even the cutest of their cars can attract my attention unless it also handles well.

Again don't get me wrong, I do test drive Hyundai cars for my friends, colleagues and family members, and have even recommended to them knowing their driving style and even clearly tell them why I don't consider them for my usage.

[carwatcher]

While we all are criticizing Maruti for not giving powerful engine, we all should remember that the priorities of Maruti and general market is definitely mileage.
Polo 1.6 was discontinued not so long back. Hyundai's BHP figures and actual on-road power performance is no secret so Maruti need not worry about Elitei20.

MSIL is the company who gave India 'Kitna Deti Hai ?' Ads.

MSIL's recent launch Ciaz launched with India's 'Most Fuel Efficient Sedan', and now with Smart Hybrid the fuel efficiency bar is raised even higher.

Honda is also adopting the same strategy with Amaze and Ciaz.

Maruti has not claimed that it is launching 'Hot Hatch' but a Premium Hatch.

While I agree that the market needs Hot Hatches, lets wait before the actual sales numbers of Polo TSI and Abarth T-Jet comes out and how much it is % of total sales of Premium Hatch Segment.

[chncar]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

First review of the Suzuki Baleno out on AutoX:

Auto X
When it comes to the handling department, the Baleno pleasantly surprised us with its razor sharp capability.... It took on corners like no other Maruti car can even imagine. It is definitely right up there with the segment champion i20 Elite and could make the Korean manufacturer slightly nervous.

Not sure what they are trying to say here. First they praise the Baleno for 'razor sharp' handling, and then they go and compare it to the i20

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by chncar

Not sure what they are trying to say here. First they praise the Baleno for 'razor sharp' handling, and then they go and compare it to the i20

Never trust these first impressions as folks try penning theirs and uploading it as soon as possible just to be first. Have seen even autocar and overdrive goof up first impressions. I'd wait for a couple of weeks till a proper review is out.

Originally Posted by Gosu

I see that there is an option in the MID which seems to show the real time power and torque figures. Anybody have any idea if this is a mass-wowing pseudo feature or the real thing incorporated here? Seems to be a segment first addition. How trustworthy should be the readings?

why on earth would it be a pseudo feature? I'm sure it is the real deal. It isn't like as if the car's ecu does not take these readings already. All they have done is displayed it without the need for you to hook up a scanner to the OBD port. Loving the MID on this car the visuals look really good