New Maruti Baleno Facelift Spotted On Indian Roads – Premium Hatchback Set For Big Upgrade

The Indian premium hatchback segment is set for another major shake-up. To keep its portfolio fresh, Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest car manufacturer, is rapidly developing a facelift for its best-selling premium hatchback, the Baleno. Recently, the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Baleno Facelift was spotted testing on Indian roads for the first time.

Although the test mule was completely camouflaged, significant changes to the car are clearly visible. If you’re also considering a premium hatchback in the next few months, this new move from Maruti is going to be very special for you.

Exterior Design

Maruti Suzuki has completely redesigned the front of the new Baleno facelift, giving it a sportier and more premium look than the current model. The front of the car features a new, sleeker, and wider front grille, with a chrome bar connecting the two headlights.

New LED projector headlights and a completely redesigned front bumper have added to its aggressive look. Regarding the side profile, the overall silhouette remains the same, but new, attractively designed alloy wheels have been added to give it a fresh look. The rear profile also receives some cosmetic changes, including redesigned LED taillights and a new rear bumper.

Cabin and Premium Features

Leaked spy images have provided a glimpse of the car’s interior, revealing that its dashboard layout will largely remain the same as the current model.

Inside the cabin, you’ll find the same trapezoid-shaped air conditioning (AC) vents and a large, free-standing 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the center, which supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Maruti may use a new color theme and better-quality upholstery to give it a fresh look.

The biggest USP and highlight of this facelifted model is expected to be its electric sunroof. Spy shots clearly show a sunroof on the roof of the car, which will give this hatchback a strong edge over rivals like the Tata Altroz and Hyundai i20.

Additionally, it will continue to offer excellent features like a 360-degree camera, head-up display (HUD), cruise control, and automatic climate control, similar to the current model.

Engine and Performance

No major changes are expected to the mechanical components of the new Maruti Baleno Facelift. The car will continue to be sold with its existing and highly successful 1.2-liter K-series dual-jet, dual-VVT petrol engine.

This refined engine generates a maximum power of 89.7 PS and a peak torque of 113 Nm. Customers have a choice of a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT (automated manual transmission). Additionally, to reduce the cost, Maruti will also offer a CNG variant, which delivers 77.5 PS of power and 98.5 Nm of torque in CNG mode.

Mileage

Maruti cars have always been at the forefront of fuel efficiency. The petrol manual variant of the current model delivers an impressive mileage of 22.35 km/l, the petrol AMT variant 22.94 km/l, and the CNG manual variant 30.61 km/kg.

Customers will also experience these impressive savings with the new facelifted model. There are also rumors that the company may offer an underbody CNG tank setup similar to the Brezza, which will provide more space for luggage in the boot space.

Price, Launch, and Competition

The current Maruti Suzuki Baleno’s ex-showroom price starts at ₹5.99 lakh and goes up to ₹9.10 lakh. With the addition of cosmetic changes, new alloy wheels, and premium features like a sunroof, the upcoming Baleno Facelift may see a slight price increase.

Although the company hasn’t yet officially announced its launch date, it is believed to be launched in the Indian market within the next few months. Upon launch, it will face tough competition from cars like the Tata Altroz, Hyundai i20, and Toyota Glanza.