[volkman10]

Originally Posted by adimicra

Baleno is going to be a success for sure unless pricing shocker from Maruti. How big is the question!

Understand there will be 100 Nexa outlets at the launch of Baleno. With that constraint in mind and to be logical Baleno will clock ~ 6000 units / month.

It will surely pick up and its numbers will depend on the Nexa outlet reach. It has the potential of surely being in the top 10 list from the word Go!

Dealers here are claiming of having bookings of ~ 50 as on 17th Oct.

[hybridpetrol]

Originally Posted by mukul32

Anywas, by the looks of it, this car is sure to ruffle up the top 10 cars list in the fact that it seems a serious threat to Swift and Dzire sales. The Dzire sold more because of its practicality and less because of the 'sedan factor' anyway, and this Baleno only offers all of that in a fresher and prettier package.

Serious threat? I don't think so! Not so soon. Below are my reasons:
a) Top end Swift comes at about 7L OTR for petrol, and the low end can be bought at as cheap as 5L OTR. Add another 50K, you will have the Dzire. I do not think Baleno will be placed anywhere closer to this. The lowest version of Baleno would be placed most likely closer to the top version of Swift. But due to cost factor, those who want a hot hatch for 5-6L would still prefer Swift / Dzire Lxi, Vxi versions.
(My own personal opinion: If I am in the market to buy top end Swift / Dzire, even the lowest version of Baleno makes more sense due to the safety kit, and the dimensions bigger than Swift / Dzire. )
b) Engine specs same as Swift / Dzire. Many who buy based on engine, would still prefer Swift, because, what Baleno "just adds some extras" for them.

Already as the Kwid looked set to bring down the Alto from the no.1 position, the Dzire looked like the new no.1 car. But now this Baleno will itself eat into the Dzire and Swift to bring their numbers down too in turn. So even if this Baleno settles at 6-7 eventually, it should generate a more even competiton at the top of the sales chart, and bring the top 3-4 cars closer to each other.

My opinion: While Kwid cannot take on Alto directly, it will, for sure bring about some interesting changes in the sales charts! Dzire will be the new no 1 and Swift probably will be the new no 2. However, consider also the fact that the number of places the Baleno will be available will be much less. Many cities wont even see Baleno. Fact is even Omni will beat Baleno in sales numbers due to this one reason.

What I am slightly baffled about is, what does this mean to the Swift? The Swift has always been Maruti's premier large hatchback, and in fact has become a somewhat iconic and trusted brand, like the Honda City, Scorpio, Innova, etc. Now in front of the Baleno, the Swift suddenly starts looking smaller and older. Why are Maruti doing this to such a valuable brand?

Again, an all-new Swift is rumoured to be coming in 2017-18. And then what will happen to this Baleno then, which would be just 2-3 years old into the market?

This only means that the market has moved on! If you remember, when Swift was launched it was 3760mm long. Current Swift is 3850mm long. Since the new age B2 hatchbacks have the length well above 3950mm, Maruti needs an additional B2 hatchback to take on these hatchbacks. This strategy is similar to what Hyundai has been doing with Grand i10 and i20 (Both together sell about 22K units).
After Baleno launch, Maruti will again regain the top spot for B2 space (Swift -18K + Ritz-1K + Baleno-6K = 25K!)
Maruti, will not probably worry about product cannibalization, as long as customer stays within the showroom.

[carwatcher]

Going by the previous few posts, it's going to be tough for Maruti.
They have provided ABS and Airbags across all variants : check
Car is more feature rich then competition : check
Maruti is launching it in the premium segment, where customer demands a preferential treatment than a Alto customer : check

Yet they can't price it above competition.
Atleast with S-Cross 1.3 they tried a simple formula. They waited for the launch of Creta and priced S-Cross 50k less variant to variant. But couldn't convey the message properly. Now we have lots of buyers who are 'discovering' that S-Cross is actually VFM.

I have posted on S-Cross thread earlier and now posting it again, trust me Maruti won't take the failure of S-Cross lying down and S-Cross will prove to be a dark horse just like Wagon R which was lagging behind Santro initially but when started to run, ran so well that is still running in high speeds.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by adimicra

Baleno is going to be a success for sure unless pricing shocker from Maruti. How big is the question! I think the key areas where it lacks behind the Jazz and I20 is the design. Sure, it has some interesting bits and pieces in the design but overall looks not-so-exciting and pretty bulky to me.

The thing is, that while the i20 has good exteriors, there are several people out there (me included) who absolutely hate Hyundai's predictable, fussy design. Infact the brand has even answered to that topic on several occasions. i20 interiors do win hands down but the Baleno's arent that bad and might even be better than the Jazz's interiors. The Jazz has some neat cuts and slashes and IMO looks better than the Hyundai, but for me, the crouching silhouette, non-cluttered design theme, beautifully rounded nose, well proportioned rear all add to the timelessness of the Baleno's design making it look so good that I don't care about its awful looking alloys. This isn't one of those conservative designs like the Ciaz, this is one of those cars that doesn't have to try hard to look beautiful kinda like a chick who isn't compelled to pile her face with make-up to attract guys That is my opinion. Ofcourse you are entitled to yours but it is hard to dismiss the fact that there are people like me, others on the forum and several journalists out there, who think that the Baleno looks absolutely smashing. But you knew that already, you yourself added a disclaimer stating it doesn't look good to you. Why would you have to mention that it was only your opinion if you thought the design was so bad it could hamper sales of the product?

Please don't take any offense and let us please put an end to this unnecessary rant. You have written your opinion on the design on multiple occasions on this thread, but to make illogical predictions like that is quite unnecessary. You clearly seem to know that it is your opinion on the design and not everyone elses. Not even the majority, so why make baseless illogical predictions? Questioning the cars sales performance given its limited availability due to the fact that it will exclusively be sold by Nexa dealerships, is a more relevant topic because it is based on fact not on opinions that you know aren't shared by everyone.

Hope we can move on to more healthier discussions
cheers

[adimicra]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Please don't take any offense and let us please put an end to this unnecessary rant. You have written your opinion on the design on multiple occasions on this thread, but to make illogical predictions like that is quite unnecessary. You clearly seem to know that it is your opinion on the design and not everyone elses. Not even the majority, so why make baseless illogical predictions? Questioning the cars sales performance given its limited availability due to the fact that it will exclusively be sold by Nexa dealerships, is a more relevant topic because it is based on fact not on opinions that you know aren't shared by everyone.

Hope we can move on to more healthier discussions
cheers

Don't get so worked up Ishaan
I have hardly made 2-3 comments on this thread. And I have mostly praised Maruti for it's efforts about the Baleno. And I did talk about design in a couple of occassions only. Surely, there are many people talking making Baleno and other cars in this forum and and if 1-2 comments appear repetitive to you, doesn't mean that I am spamming. I think Baleno has pretty good prospects anyways. So, relax!

Before a car is released, we make lots of speculations and predictions. All that may seem illogical to you but it's all part of the fun. What's wrong in that? And yes, why would my opinion need to be shared by you or anyone else? I still don't see what's your objection is all about.

On the other hand, it seems that you are keeping me in your watchist and getting worked up whenever I write anything remotely negative about any Maruti car. Sorry but I have no intentions of upsetting you but I really don't think I have posted anything unhealthy here.

Regarding the sales projections, it's a speculation for me. Let's see if I am close or not. The premium hatchback segment is driven mostly by big citites where Nexa has a decent presence. So, I think if Maruti prices it well, it can clock close to 8K per month, if not more.Only time will tell!

PS - please 'report' my post to a Moderator if you feel I have written anything objectionable and I am sure they will take aciton if required. Peace out!

[volkman10]

The 'initial' official brochure of Baleno. Fuel figures are in TBD, though it is known now as,

1.2 L Petrol MT and CVT 21.4 km/l
1.3 L Diesel - MT at 27.39 km/l

[Arjun Reddy]

So over to Maruti now for the pricing. The package seems perfect for Maruti to stretch its legs in terms of segment market share.

Maruti I am sure will be hoping that it will eat into the Jazz and I20 rather than the Baleno gobbling up the Swift. So in terms of pricing I expect it it to be quite a premium over the Swift as Maruti would not like to dent their 17000 units a month icon.

They only negative I see with this launch will be an overlap pricing with the Dzire, which may take a hit. They other bit will be the S Cross sales. If it does cannibalise the S Cross it would hit Maruti where it hurts the most, considering the millions of dollars that Maruti might have spent on the all new S Cross platform.

If it does impact the Swift and Dzire Maruti may not be too worried as the customers stay within the brand and the monies invested in swift and the Dzire would have long yielded the profits required of it.

Overall a very nice and upmarket product by Maruti and fingers crossed that they would make a push into the premium segments at least with the Baleno.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by adimicra

Don't get so worked up Ishaan
I have hardly made 2-3 comments on this thread. And I have mostly praised Maruti for it's efforts about the Baleno. And I did talk about design in a couple of occassions only. Surely, there are many people talking making Baleno and other cars in this forum and and if 1-2 comments appear repetitive to you, doesn't mean that I am spamming. I think Baleno has pretty good prospects anyways. So, relax!

Sorry if my post came across as a bit intense. I really encourage different opinions and I can completely understand it if someone is attracted to cars with a host of design elements as compared to simpler ones. All I meant to say is speculating/predicting a car's sales figures based on an unpopular perspective of how it looks makes little to no sense. Hope you can understand

[RavenAvi]

Motorbeam's review is out.

Petrol:

The K-Series mill doesn’t have the strongest low-end performance with the mid-range being flat but the same isn’t very evident in the Maruti Baleno due to the lower weight of the car. The gear ratios have also been altered to extract the best mileage, thus the ratios are tall with first gear doing 45 km/hr and second gear taking the vehicle to 90 km/hr, third maxes out at 137 km/hr. But where this powertrain truly shines is the top-end and screams all the way to 6200 RPM where the rev limit kicks in. The smoothness of the 1.2-litre engine is truly noteworthy with refinement levels being excellent, no vibrations at all.

CVT:

An automatic gearbox is offered as well which is a CVT unit (on the mid-level Delta variant and not on the top-end Alpha), offering good response to throttle inputs. But being a CVT, the rubber band effect is a given and thus the motor revs too much once past 4000 RPM (all the way to 6000 RPM) without actually making much progress, best to give part throttle inputs then. This nature of the CVT box makes it best suited for city driving where the boon of automatic gear shifts takes precedence over outright acceleration. But the big advantage of the CVT box is the mileage, as both the manual and CVT gearboxes of the petrol Baleno return the same fuel economy, 21.4 km/l as per ARAI which is the segment best.

Diesel:

The weight advantage plays here too and thus the diesel Baleno is quicker off the line than the Swift, it also feels more eager to throttle inputs thanks to the tuning done to the motor. But you do have to downshift as the car doesn’t take off quickly at low speeds in higher gears. However, the bottom-end continues to be weak as there is some lag low down but performance is more linear than before and there is no sudden spike in torque. The engine also revs freely and has a petrol like character in that regard, spinning past 5000 RPM before the limiter kicks in at under 5400 RPM. However, the top-end isn’t making much progress and it’s best to shift up in the mid-range.

Ride, Handling & NVH:

There is much more noise in the cabin once you get past the mid-range and NVH levels aren’t as good as some of its rivals, in fact we measured a maximum of 95 dB at redline in third gear, which is a lot of sound indeed. Clearly the DDiS motor’s 8 years of duty can be seen and Fiat’s MultiJet II motor is the need of the hour. 100 km/hr comes up in third gear while at the same speed in top gear, the oil burner is spinning at around 2400 RPM, ready to pull strongly for a quick overtake. The clutch is light and the gearbox has short but surefooted throws, making driving this Maruti a pleasure.

This Maruti has been softly sprung (remember, this car is made to please those who find something lacking in the Swift) and comfort is what the Baleno is aimed at. Thus the ride quality is excellent and the car absorbs almost everything in its stride, save for sharper bumps. Even on bad roads, there is little noise which is transmitted to the cabin, the suspension working silently to iron out bad tarmac. But out on the highway, road and tyre noise does get inside the cabin and in the case of the diesel, the engine’s drone further makes things noisy.

The Maruti Baleno features a long wheelbase which does help in giving the hatchback very good high speed stability. The handling is good and body control is excellent too, although not in the same league of the sportier Swift. What is really impressive is the steering wheel that weighs up quite well at speed and is quite quick too, feel and feedback being good enough to put a big smile on the driver’s face. Braking performance left us a bit disappointed as the Baleno doesn’t inspire confidence to brake hard and even though it’s light, the car feels a bit twitchy under hard braking, the lower trims more so with the 15-inch MRF ZVTV rubber lacking grip.

Also, a video review of the Baleno in Hindi by CNBC Awaaz:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3mQedmMi0Y

[romeomidhun]

Source: http://auto.ndtv.com/reviews/maruti-...hbacks-1233875 by SVP.

"So what's the verdict? The Baleno appears to hold an edge in this contest. I don't have the benefit of comparing prices, as the Baleno only launches next week. But my gut tells me that Maruti Suzuki won't make an S-Cross-like mistake and will be aggressive with Baleno prices - which may even undercut the i20 substantially. If that is true, then I have to say the Baleno is the winner of this contest. I shall revise that statement once the prices are out though."

[WRXXX]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Also, a video review of the Baleno in Hindi by CNBC Awaaz:

This is how it will be if beauty conscious buyer introduced Baleno to Indian market, absolutely, I loved the total entertainment factor in this video

[volkman10]

Battle of the Premium Hatches - SVP compares Maruti Suzuki's Baleno Vs Hyundai's Elite i20!



Verdict:

The Baleno appears to hold an edge in this contest. I don't have the benefit of comparing prices, as the Baleno only launches next week. But my gut tells me that Maruti Suzuki won't make an S-Cross-like mistake and will be aggressive with Baleno prices - which may even undercut the i20 substantially. If that is true, then I have to say the Baleno is the winner of this contest. I shall revise that statement once the prices are out though

Good headroom, excellent legroom and a nice airy cabin feel are the Baleno's strengths. Now while the rear legroom on the Baleno is more than the i20's, it doesn't have a rear AC vent - which the i20 has. The i20's rising beltline though makes the rear cabin seem more cramped because the window is a bit high. The Baleno's climate control system and overall central console layout looks nicer and trendier too.

the i20 handles better and has a slight nicer feel, but overall the engine performance from the Baleno's diesel unit is a lot more satisfying and more fun. Its more punchy and definitely sportier.

while the gear shift has been mated very nicely, the Baleno could use the 6th gear that the i20 offers. Both cars have ample torque so there is not much gear changing involved. That is the only real disappointment. The car's steering and sporty ride make up for it though. The diesel Baleno feels planted, and the steering and suspension feel solid. The obvious tilt of the suspension setup towards comfort will go down well with India buyers, though the i20 also enjoys good ride quality as I said.

The availability of torque as low as 2000 rpm in the Baleno and 1500 rpm on the i20 means both cars maneuver quickly and effortlessly through city traffic. The i20's gearbox comes across as more refined though. And that is more or less true on the petrol variants too. The Baleno does seem zippier - and this is no surprise considering Suzuki's prowess with small displacement petrol engines.

http://auto.ndtv.com/reviews/maruti-...hbacks-1233875

[Leoshashi]

Autoportal's First drive report of the New Baleno

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLWp-d2qFG8

The alloys on the Baleno seem to be growing up on me. However, I still haven't come to terms with the alloys on the S-Cross.

[WRXXX]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

Autoportal's First drive report of the New Baleno

The alloys on the Baleno seem to be growing up on me. However, I still haven't come to terms with the alloys on the S-Cross.

A very balanced review. Yes, I am beginning to accept the alloys as well especially they do look decent when the car is seen three quarter angle
I am sure the Ciaz multi-spoke 16" alloys can be had on the Baleno as well?

[GameOfCars]

I somehow have a gut feeling that Maruti Suzuki will not only position it variant to variant against the market leader i.e. Hyundai i20, but also undercut it by a visible margin. Plus add to the fact that safety features i.e Dual airbags,ABS and EBD are standard on Baleno will make it even a better buy against the likes of Era,Magna and Sportz variant of i20 which are devoid of any basic safety kit. Although, Hyundai should quickly make these safety features standard as well on the i20 if they want to keep those current sales figure as it is but Maruti surely seems to have played its cards correctly this time. Pricing will decide if Maruti Suzuki has launched just another hatchback in the market or possibly another game changer.

Safety surely has taken a sudden surge of importance in a buyer's decision these days even in the price conscious segments and I think the market is evolving quickly to that direction as well which is highly appreciated.