Suzuki makes some of the best mainstream cars in the market. The Suzuki Baleno is one of the best family city cars from this brand. This car is elegant, efficient, spacious, and comfortable. But is the Suzuki Baleno a good car?
The Suzuki Baleno is a wonderful car as it is spacious, economical, fun to drive, safe, reliable, and affordable. On the contrary, individuals searching for a high-end hatchback with luxurious features and outstanding performance may have to look away.
Another read: Suzuki Baleno problems.
History of Suzuki Baleno
Suzuki Baleno is a subcompact car made by Suzuki. Unlike most Suzuki models that are made in Japan, the Baleno is made in India. This car is also referred to as Toyota Glanza in India and Toyota Starlet in Africa. Before Suzuki named this car Baleno, it was known as Cultus Crescent in many markets.
In the past, Suzuki Baleno was sold in different body configurations, including a wagon, sedan, and a 3-door hatchback. But since 2015, this car has been sold as a 5-door hatchback. Note that this car has been marketed at the Toyota dealership in India as Toyota Glanza since 2019 and as Toyota Starlet in different African countries since 2020.
Features of Suzuki Baleno
Appearance
The latest Suzuki Baleno model is well-built and elegant. Thanks to features like alloy wheels, adjustable headlights, front fog lights, chrome grille, and much more. The interior is also spacious and well-built with features such as a leather steering wheel, height-adjustable driver seat, fabric upholstery, and much more.
However, features that stand out from this family city car are the 360-view camera, head-up display, next-generation Suzuki Connect, and SmartPlay Pro +. Besides, this car has a wheelbase of 99.2 inches, a length of 157.1 inches, a width of 68.7 inches, and a height of 59.1 inches.
Performance
The Suzuki Baleno is based on a powertrain range of K-Series petrol engines, including a three-cylinder 1.0-liter Boosterjet turbocharged direct injection engine, a four-cylinder 1.25-liter Dualjet dual injector engine, which is also offered with a mild hybrid SHVS technology, and a 1.2-liter traditional petrol and mild hybrid engines mainly provided for the Indian market.
What’s more, Suzuki also offers a sports version of the Baleno, which comes with advanced sports technology and the latest features. The sports version comes with a 1.8-liter engine that delivers up to 121 hp. This car can also accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 11.2 seconds.
Comfort and cargo space
The older Suzuki Baleno model was the first hatchback made by Suzuki. Nonetheless, whether you pick the old or new Suzuki Baleno, you will still get comfortable as they both feature a spacious cabin. The latest Suzuki Baleno with a 5-door hatchback can accommodate up to five people.
Additionally, this car is practical and comes with a cargo space of 320 to 355 liters. However, this space can be expanded up to 756 liters with the rear seats folded. With such cargo capacity, this car is great for both short and long journeys.
Fuel efficiency
Suzuki Baleno is an efficient car. It comes with a fuel-efficient rating of between 44.6 mpg and 52.4 mpg. This is outstanding considering that the Suzuki Baleno is a family city car. As a result, the owner will spend less money on fuel.
Safety
When it comes to safety, the Suzuki Baleno is not one of the safest cars in its class. Nevertheless. It is still safe and great for both adults and kids. Thanks to safety features such as an electronic stability program, ISOFIX child seat anchorages, seat belt reminder, six airbags, hill hold assist, and rear parking assist sensors.
Price
Suzuki Baleno is an affordable hatchback with fascinating features. This car has a starting RRP of $1632 which goes up to $20,100. This is cheaper than most of its rivals. On the same note, used Suzuki Baleno models go as low as $8,730. Therefore, this is a very affordable car.
FAQ
Is Suzuki Baleno worth buying?
It depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re in the market for a subcompact, spacious, low-maintenance, reliable, and practical family city car, then this is a great car to have. On the contrary, if you desire a high-performance, advanced, safe, and luxurious hatchback, then look elsewhere.
What are the common problems with Suzuki Baleno?
Suzuki Baleno is a wonderful subcompact car with lots of fascinating features. However, it also experiences several problems that interested owners should know about. Some of these issues are connected to the engine, transmission, suspension, brake, and electrical.
Is Suzuki Baleno a good daily driver?
Yes, Suzuki Baleno is a great daily driver. This is because this hatchback is compact, cheap to run, fuel-efficient, and affordable. As a result, it won’t cost the user if they use it daily. What’s more, parking in public car parks or driving it in traffic won’t be a problem due to its compact design.
Which cars are like Suzuki Baleno?
Suzuki Baleno is an outstanding subcompact hatchback with lots of amazing features. Regardless, this car has a lot of competition that allows interested buyers to pick from a variety. Some of its closest rivals are Toyota Glanza, Hyundai i20, Volkswagen Polo, Ford Fiesta, Tata Altroz, Holden Astra, and Honda Jazz.
Is Suzuki Baleno great for long journeys?
Yes, the Suzuki Baleno is great for long journeys because it is practical, spacious, and performs outstandingly well. Even though it is built for city driving, the Suzuki Baleno is even more efficient on the highway and it comes with a comfortable cabin. The spacious cargo area ensures the users carry enough luggage for their trip.
Summary
Suzuki Baleno is one of the finest Suzuki models made outside of Japan. This family city car is well made with a spacious cabin and an appealing design. It is also efficient, reliable, safe, and cheap to maintain. However, it also comes with multiple problems that can be avoided with good care and maintenance.
Overall, the Suzuki Baleno is a good car and it offers great value for money.
