The new-gen Maruti Baleno 2022 is an eagerly and highly awaited car of the year. With less than a week remaining for the new Maruti Suzuki Baleno to launch, the carmaker has teased some details ahead of the launch date on February 23rd, 2022. Booking for this new Baleno has also been opened for customers to pre-book the car online or at the NEXA dealership for the sum of ₹11,000.
So why wait? Let’s get cracking on the exclusive details of the facelift and more by talking all Baleno.
Styling & Exterior
Even though the 2022 Baleno looks familiar, the styling updates are also clear with a wider grille upfront with a pronounced honeycomb pattern and a brushed silver strip at its base extending into the new wraparound headlights. The headlights are larger too and also get a new three-element LED, DRL signature.
On the upfront, the bonnet is now flatter & the front bumper has been revamped with larger fog lamp housings. The side profile is the same as the current model. There is a more generous use of chrome at the window line & the door handles have been elongated. There’s a new diamond cut design for the top variant along with 16-inch alloy wheels.
At the rear, the new Baleno will be identifiable with its new integrated L-shaped LED taillights that extend onto the tailgate. A reprofiled rear bumper with reflectors can also be seen.
Moreover, the new Baleno is also expected to come with 360 degrees view integrated cameras which would enable a top-down view of the hatchback, making it easier to park the vehicle in tight places.
Interior
The premium hatchback is said to feature a big load of features. To begin with, Baleno is the first hatchback in its segment to come with a heads-up display with a foldable screen displaying various information so that the driver doesn’t have to take his eyes off the road. This display is highly customizable with parameters including vehicle speed, real-time fuel efficiency, rev counter and climate control info.
The facelifted Baleno will get a free-floating 9-inch touchscreen positioned infotainment system atop the central AC vents (which are now placed horizontally). This will be equipped with an Arkamys Surround Sound Audio setup. The infotainment system is named SmartPlay Pro+ which is co-developed with Toyota which supports Android Auto & Apple CarPlay.
The cabin is seen with a tri-tone layout: black, silver & violet for the revamped dashboard and will carry the same steering wheel as Swift. Its cabin will have a black and violet layout as the violet highlights are also seen on the door pads and upholstery.
The revised climate controls are much sleeker than those of the earlier version. The instrument cluster is still analogue with the same colour MID as before. It will be following the new mandatory guideline of 6-airbags and will be equipped with electronic stability control, ABS with EBD, wireless phone charging, connected car tech & ISOFIX child seat anchorages. Additionally, it also would have Hill Hold Control, Speed Alert System, Push-button engine start/stop, keyless entry, cruise control, automated wipers, and much more.
Using all the improved and enhanced safety features and build quality, Maruti is using a strengthened platform to desperately try and get a 5-star global NCAP score. Only time will tell if it succeeds in its endeavour, but if it does then it would be a huge improvement over the zero-star score of the current model.
Under the Hood
On the performance front, there will be only one petrol engine on offer with the new Baleno which will be powered by a 1.2-litre dual jet-petrol engine K-Series, a four-cylinder engine that is naturally aspirated that produces 89bhp and 113Nm of torque. There would be a standard five-speed manual unit while the CVT unit is likely to be replaced by an AMT gearbox. It will come combined with a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed AMT. The engine will also feature mild-hybrid technology.
Colour, Competition & More
The new-gen Baleno will have 4 new colours of the 6 colour options and will be sold in 4 variants namely: Sigma, Delta, Zeta & Alpha.
With major updates that the Baleno has undergone, the prices are expected to rise by ₹30,000 to 70,000 over the upcoming model, which would sum up to around Rs 6.5 lakh (ex-showroom) onwards. It will renew its competition with the Tata Altroz, Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz, and Volkswagen Polo.
With the major overhaul received based on the teasers and facelift spied and revealed, let’s wait and watch whether the real deal is equally as exciting. Until then, stay tuned for more such interesting and exclusive updates of the automobile world!
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