India's largest carmaker ventured into the premium hatchback segment of India in 2015 with the Baleno. Maruti Suzuki first launched the Baleno in October 2015. Initially, it was sold with both petrol as well as diesel engine options. In 2017, Maruti even launched a performance-oriented version of Baleno, called the Baleno RS. Then in 2019, the carmaker launched the new facelifted Baleno with BS6-compliant petrol engines. The Baleno was the first mass-market car in India to get a BS6-compliant engine. Here, we have for you the First Look Review of the new 2020 Maruti Suzuki Baleno BS6.
2020 Maruti Suzuki Baleno: Looks and Colour Options
The Baleno has been always a handsome looking car. With the recent BS6 update, it has got even better. The new facelifted Baleno gets a new front fascia. It now gets an angular smiling grille flanked by LED projector headlamps and it even gets LED DRLs. The bumper of the car has also been tweaked and it now looks more fresh and even sporty. Moving to the side profile, one can see that it gets new machined-cut dual-tone 16-inch alloy wheels. The rear of the car is almost identical to the pre-lift model and it gets a thin strip of chrome on the tailgate and an integrated spoiler. The Baleno is offered in five different colour variants: Pearl Arctic White, Nexa Blue, Metallic Premium Silver Metallic Magma Grey and Pearl Phoenix Red.
2020 Maruti Suzuki Baleno: Dimensions
| Specification | Maruti Baleno |
| Length | 3995 mm |
| Width | 1745 mm |
| Height | 1510 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2520 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 170 mm |
| Boot Space | 339-litres |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 37-litres |
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2020 Maruti Suzuki Baleno: Engine and Transmission
The new 2020 Maruti Suzuki Baleno gets two BS6-compliant petrol engines of the same displacement. The first one is a 1.2-litre K12B petrol motor that churns out 83 PS of power at 6000 RPM and 113 Nm of torque at 4200 RPM. It comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox and a CVT. The other mill is a 1.2-litre K12C Dual-Jet petrol engine. This motor delivers 90 PS of power at 6000 RPM and 115 Nm of torque at 4400 RPM. It comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox only. The K12C motor even gets Maruti's advanced smart hybrid technology. However, now we don't get an oil-burner with the Baleno as Maruti is betting on no diesel policy in the BS6 era.
2020 Maruti Suzuki Baleno: Interiors and Features
Mimicking its stylish exterior, the Baleno has a snazzy interior. It gets an all-black cabin with subtle blue inserts on the seat upholstery and door pads. Like all other new Maruti cars, the Baleno also gets Suzuki's latest SmartPlay Studio Infotainment System. It is a 7.0-inch touchscreen system which is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. Some other features of the Baleno include an engine start/stop button, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, steering-mounted audio & calling controls, voice command system, navigation support and many more. The safety features of the car include dual front airbags, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, reverse parking sensors with rear-parking camera, etc.
2020 Maruti Suzuki Baleno: Price, Rivals and Verdict
The new 2020 Maruti Suzuki Baleno is sold in India in four variants: Sigma, Delta, Zeta and Alpha with prices ranging between Rs. 5.63 lakhs - Rs. 8.96 lakhs. All prices stick to Ex-showroom Delhi. The Baleno gets the CVT box in all the variants except the base Sigma model while the Dual-Jet engine is offered in Delta and Zeta trims only. The variant-wise prices of the new Baleno are mentioned in the table below:
| Variant | Price (Ex-showroom Delhi) |
| Sigma | Rs. 5.63 lakhs |
| Delta | Rs. 6.44 lakhs |
| Zeta | Rs. 7.01 lakhs |
| Dual-Jet Delta | Rs. 7.33 lakhs |
| Alpha | Rs. 7.64 lakhs |
| Delta CVT | Rs. 7.76 lakhs |
| Dual-Jet Zeta | Rs. 7.89 lakhs |
| Zeta CVT | Rs. 8.33 lakhs |
| Alpha CVT | Rs. 8.96 lakhs |
The new Baleno rivals the Hyundai i20, Tata Altroz, Ford Freestyle, Honda Jazz and the Maruti Suzuki Swift in the Indian market. Talking about the verdict, so if you want a good-looking, feature-loaded, reliable and spacious car with punchy performance and good fuel economy in the budget, then you should definitely consider buying the new Maruti Suzuki Baleno BS6.
Also Read: 2020 Maruti Suzuki S-Cross Petrol Alternatives - Maruti Ciaz To Mahindra XUV300 To Hyundai Creta!
This was our First Look Review of the new 2020 Maruti Suzuki Baleno BS6. What are your thoughts on this Premium Hatchback from Maruti? Tell us in the comments below. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for more such amazing motoring updates.
