[Mustang_Boss]

Originally Posted by driver52001

Baleno handles much better than the Ignis and the suspension is also better tuned.

Sorry for intruding, but this got my mind thinking...

Would you please clarify this? I drive an ignis and its rock solid till 140 on highways. never faced any handling issues. I would like to better understand your point of view for my next purchase.

Suspension, yes! The ignis has a hard/crude suspension, but for daily rides, its not an issue.

[Motorhead1203]

I had a question for 2023 manufactured baleno owners:
Does your car come with the driver floor mat hook?

My car came with the floor mat accessories and in the instructions paper, it said that we can use the floor mat hook to hold the mat in place. But there's no mat hook in my car, is this another feature that they removed in 2023?

[no_boundaries]

Originally Posted by Motorhead1203

Does your car come with the driver floor mat hook?

This usually comes in a small packet with the mats. The guys at the showroom often miss to fix it as they assume these are useless considering the velcro beneath the mat will hold to the floor carpet. I caught this on the day of delivery and my SA has kept it for me.

If you go to the showroom they will give you those from some other install.

[driver52001]

Originally Posted by Mustang_Boss

I would like to better understand your point of view for my next purchase.

Am driving an Ignis since March 2020. Yes, agree that it is quite fun to drive in the city and also feels planted on the highway. However, I did take a friend's new Baleno for a spin and it felt more assuring than Ignis during hard turns, maybe due to wider tyres and smaller aspect ratio, lower ground clearance and a wider size. Only downside was after coming from Ignis, the Baleno felt claustrophobic. The front view also felt restricted. Also, in my Ignis, my comfortable cruise range is between 100 and 110 kmph. The Ignis doesn't feel at all confidence inspiring once it reaches 120 kmph.

[Maverick Avi]

Safe no nonsense decision on getting the Baleno. Latest Maruti offerings have a definite interior design upgrade as compared to lame options earlier. One gripe I find with Maruti AGS is that it's not able to fully utilise that gem of a 1.2 motor. Are the latest iterations any better?

One thing that I have learnt over the years exchanging my old cars is to keep selling and buying experiences separate. With Cars24 and OLX you are bound to get fair value of your old cars so that you can choose your dealer wisely. With exchange option we usually tend to get stuck with dealers that are providing better quote.

[murlidar]

Is the Baleno good for long expressway drives at 100 to 120 kms per hour speeds for long distances with full load of 5 people and luggage with regards to comfort, ac cooling and noise levels. Would the fronx with same engine be better with respect to above? Please any suggestions for any other vehicle for the above requirement with respect to similar cost as the Baleno alpha Amt (top model)

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by murlidar

Is the Baleno good for long expressway drives at 100 to 120 kms per hour speeds for long distances with full load of 5 people and luggage with regards to comfort, ac cooling and noise levels. Would the fronx with same engine be better with respect to above? Please any suggestions for any other vehicle for the above requirement with respect to similar cost as the Baleno alpha Amt (top model)

Can Baleno do long highway drives with full load? Yes. Is Fronx with same engine going to be better? Not really. Are there better cars for this kind of usage? Absolutely.

Vehicles like Altroz turbo petrol and i20 with the 1.0 GDI engine are far superior highway machines, with much better performance, lower NVH and far superior dynamics and stability. The lower models of the Nexon petrol are also priced in the nearabouts, and that takes it a step further with even more power, space and the six speed gearbox.

[m8002?]

Originally Posted by murlidar

Is the Baleno good for long expressway drives at 100 to 120 kms per hour speeds for long distances with full load of 5 people and luggage with regards to comfort, ac cooling and noise levels. Would the fronx with same engine be better with respect to above? Please any suggestions for any other vehicle for the above requirement with respect to similar cost as the Baleno alpha Amt (top model)

The inside of Fronx is same as Baleno. I would suggest Brezza from Maruti stable or Nexon.

Most normal hatches would bottom out with five people and luggage.

[Chandler Bing]

I bought the New Baleno Zeta Manual in Dec 2022 and recenty did a roadtrip to Goa from Bengaluru. Here is how I felt about the car :

• The engine is absolutely silent , smooth and engaging. Just love the grunt from the K12 engines
• The gearbox has a sleek shifting , never did i miss shift or had issues with shifting. Not the smoothest ones like those of Hyundai's. But definitely better than the Tata's.
• Managed to get a range of approximately 700kms with full tank ( 37L). The driving was not sedate. Cruising at 90-100 should definitely return better figures.
• Overtaking with 3 people and luggage onboard was a breeze. However this engine is more tuned for efficiency. The old generation engine was more brisk and quick.
• Comfort was really good. Im 6ft tall and had no problems with the driving position. The seats could have been a bit harder. The softer seat makes it uncomfortable for long drives.The dead pedal somewhat feels oddly placed. As I always struggled getting my foot off it with shoes on.
• Had no issues with the infotainment system. No restarts or lags. It was smoooooth as butter !! The Smartplay Pro and Pro+ systems on the new Maruti cars are reallyy good in terms of UI smoothness and usability. The music was okay. Neither was it too good nor too bad.
• I had my doubts on the steering response as the old maruti steering had no life in it. Surprisingly the new unit weighed up pretty good at high speeds. It is nowhere close to Tata or the Germans. But atleast it has some life in it !!
• I love watching that analog cluster and the needle going up !! . Hate these new age digital clusters which looks no less than a cartoon.

Things which could have been better ?

• The stock apollo tyres carry a bit of noise inside the cabin.
• The alpha variant gets UV cut glass , which helps A LOTTTT in these scorching summers. Maruti should atleast provide this on the Zeta variants !! Can we get these retro fitted in Zeta at MASS ? If yes any idea how much it would cost ?
• Even though the interiors are new , I still like the beige treatment on the glanza more !!

ODO : 3317
Roundtrip : 1377 kms


Overall its a fun to drive machine with good comfort and fuel efficiency. Looking forward to crunch more miles with this one Cheers !!

[no_boundaries]

Originally Posted by murlidar

Is the Baleno good for long expressway drives at 100 to 120 kms per hour speeds for long distances with full load of 5 people and luggage with regards to comfort, ac cooling and noise levels. Would the fronx with same engine be better with respect to above? Please any suggestions for any other vehicle for the above requirement with respect to similar cost as the Baleno alpha Amt (top model)

I've driven the Baleno to Pune from Bangalore with 4 adults and my 7 year old with a 2 day luggage. It did not affect the performance in anyway.

Yes, there would be (very)slight difference considering the engine is generating power for more weight onboard but it did not impact AC, mileage or even AGS down shifting often. One benefit is for a soft sprung car, you'd notice the ride is stiffer and holds up well.

A Fronx with 1.0 turbo engine could probably fair better than the 1.2NA but you may have to compromise on the mileage.

[murlidar]

Originally Posted by no_boundaries

I've driven the Baleno to Pune from Bangalore with 4 adults and my 7 year old with a 2 day luggage. It did not affect the performance in anyway.

A Fronx with 1.0 turbo engine could probably fair better than the 1.2NA but you may have to compromise on the mileage.

Any figures for the mileage you got for the above drive? would R15 of sigma or delta vs R16 tyres on zeta alpha make a significant impact on mileage during long expressway drives?

[sramven]

Originally Posted by murlidar

Is the Baleno good for long expressway drives at 100 to 120 kms per hour speeds for long distances with full load of 5 people and luggage with regards to comfort, ac cooling and noise levels. Would the fronx with same engine be better with respect to above? Please any suggestions for any other vehicle for the above requirement with respect to similar cost as the Baleno alpha Amt (top model)

I have CVT aplha. I do multiple trips in a year from chennai to Rajapalayam (500+ km) with 4 adults and 2 kids. fully loaded luggages. Since this is more tuned for fuel efficiency, you must expect engine to put in extra effort and bit more noisy than you normally see to pull everyone. Except that, no one else will feel any difference on board. AC is a gem. i normally cruise at 90-110. Fuel figures will drop by 2 on an average. i get 23 on highways normally if i do just 2 adults and kids.

[ScrabbleMan17]

Originally Posted by Chandler Bing

I bought the New Baleno Zeta Manual in Dec 2022 and recenty did a roadtrip to Goa from Bengaluru. Here is how I felt about the car :

Interesting that you equate steering technology of Tata with German brands. Perhaps Tata owners might strongly disagree with you, so many videos in SM about poor steering response/steering tilting the vehicle sideways etc

Mod Note: Please avoid quoting the entire post when responding

[Gupts007]

The Baleno AC's dismal performance is evident in these numbers below. This comparison test was conducted by 91wheels on YouTube.
I've always felt and complained that the 2022 Baleno AC is pathetic compared to the cheaper 2017 Swift. These numbers prove that Maruti has exercised their cost cutting maneuvers here too.

[Gotcha]

I test drove the new 2023 Toyota Glanza recently and the AC performance was very poor. When I asked the SA, he said the test vehicle is low on refrigerant gas.

I test drove another 2023 Baleno and it too had poor AC performance! Looks like Suzuki/Toyota prioritized cost cutting and made poor design/engineering decisions. I'm now apprehensive of buying Baleno/Glanza since an essential feature like AC is not up to the mark.

Originally Posted by Gupts007

The Baleno AC's dismal performance is evident in these numbers below. This comparison test was conducted by 91wheels on YouTube.
I've always felt and complained that the 2022 Baleno AC is pathetic compared to the cheaper 2017 Swift. These numbers prove that Maruti has exercised their cost cutting maneuvers here too.