[GameOfCars]

This looks like the Delta variant. Road presence looks good but it doesn't seem to be overly attractive looking either. Front has an uncanny resemblance to the Swift. Hyundai elite i20 and VW Polo genuinely look a notch better than this premium hatchback from Maruti stable. Plus a premium tag with a Maruti Suzuki isn't very much palatable. So in order to make this car a runaway success, that is doing about the numbers which the Hyundai i20 has been doing and Maruti is very much capable of toppling it, they should price it marginally lower than the Hyundai i20.

Having standard safety features from the base variant itself will play a huge role specially for the ones considering era and magna variants of the Hyundai i20. I can see the Polo's sales dwindling down a bit after this one is launched, same goes for the Honda Jazz. Certainly, good times for customers as they'll have more options to choose from.

[SchumiFan]

Maruti should have no business not pricing it right simply because it gathers all the excise cuts that a car can get. 1.3L D and 1.2L P engine coupled with a less than 4M length should mean a competitive pricing, maybe a little extra for the 'Nexa' thingy.

IMO this is how Jazz should have been positioned as it was the first time around. Safety features standard in all variants with only other creature comforts being the difference between them.

Also Maruti could have given the 90PS engine in the Alpha variant for an additional 25-30K thrown in. That would have really given it a shot in the arm if it ever need one.

Eagerly awaiting the CVT version. Hope it turns out good.

[Doge]

Originally Posted by hybridpetrol

.

The USP here, would be even the lowest variant gets airbags + ABS + ESP. Now, Hyundai needs to re-visit its variants to make appropriate corrections.
It makes a really if Elite i20 comes with 2 airbags + ABS + ESP as standard across all variants.
Personally I feel, Elite i20 good looking than Baleno (just seeing pictures). If the safety features are available from Era+ variants, it would be a better buy compared to Baleno.

ESP? Is it actually getting ESP? The Scross doesn't have stability program but this does? I think you're getting confused between EBD which is brake distribution and ESP which is stability program. I would be happy if I'm proved wrong though because ESP is one of the most essential safety gizmos we can have in India.

[hybridpetrol]

Originally Posted by Doge

ESP? Is it actually getting ESP? The Scross doesn't have stability program but this does? I think you're getting confused between EBD which is brake distribution and ESP which is stability program. I would be happy if I'm proved wrong though because ESP is one of the most essential safety gizmos we can have in India.

Good catch! Actually I meant EBD only, it was a typo. Thanks for pointing this out!
ESP, TCS, Hill hold etc are not provided even in S-Cross Alpha variant that costs around 16.5L OTR, and as per the specifications we know about the Baleno so far, it is not provided in this car either.
However, the USP of Baleno would be the safety kit even in the Sigma variant. Those who are looking for basic safety kit and would buy the lowest variant would benefit from this (Sigma / Delta).
However, if the prices are high, the same safety conscious customers would rather move to the top variant of another car! (e.g. Ford Figo Titanium+ is available at 6.4L ex-showroom)

[AtheK]

This color looks bad, maybe it looks more out of place because of lacking alloys. Just showed it to my wife and she said this looks like new swift. So much for premium.

[MetalBuff]

Originally Posted by bansal1987

To me, the car looks plain ugly and without any flair

The rear is the only saving grace in the lower trims. The face and the front quarter view that are devoid of the blackened headlight treatment and missing projectors are plain ordinary. Not every Maruti sells! Take for example, the SX4 and the Ritz.

This market that Maruti has tried to venture into is a sensitive one. People do want the looks if, not the performance. An i20 is not very fuel efficient compared to the rest but, has the looks and the features to beat all it's rivals. Honda is looked upon as a "premium" automaker; Dollops of space, a highly refined i-VTEC engine, attractive looks and you get the Jazz. Polo hails from a German automaker plus has the looks and premium interiors to go with it.

One common thing in all the above is that they have more than 1 quality. Great/ decent looks coupled with atleast one decent engine (could be either of the petrol/ diesel motor) whereas, the Baleno has nothing to it's credit.

Was ready to compromise with the Baleno's ho-hum looks in favor of a much dreamed about 1.4/ 1.6L petrol heart but, wishes are horses, aren't they? I just hope that MSIL soon releases a petrol version of the S-Cross as from among the current choices, that would be the only logical settlement for me.

The Baleno will be available with the following color options :

Solid fire red
Premium urban blue
Metallic premium silver
Autumn orange
Ray blue
Pearl arctic white
Granite grey

The brown shade from the Ciaz's palette should have been added too!

Cheerio,
-Shivang Gandotra

[chncar]

Originally Posted by hybridpetrol

However, the USP of Baleno would be the safety kit even in the Sigma variant. Those who are looking for basic safety kit and would buy the lowest variant would benefit from this (Sigma / Delta).

I agree that it is a welcome departure from Maruti's usual attitude to safety features, but it can hardly be called a USP, especially when the Polo and (new) Figo are already offering the same.

[hybridpetrol]

Originally Posted by chncar

I agree that it is a welcome departure from Maruti's usual attitude to safety features, but it can hardly be called a USP, especially when the Polo and (new) Figo are already offering the same.

Let us review immediate competition in terms of safety features offered:
Polo offers 2 airbags in the Trendline variant, while lacking the ABS & EBD. In the next variant - Comfortline, 2 airbags, ABS and EBD are available. - Comfortline price - 6L ex-showroom.

Figo on the other hand, offers Driver airbag alone in the Base variant. Other variants get 2 airbags but not ABS & EBD. Only the top Titanium+ gets ABS & EBD, but this also provides 6 airbags. Titanium+ price - 6.4L ex-showroom.

The chief competitor i20 offers dual airbags & ABS only on Asta variant - price - 7L ex-showroom. Safety kit on other variants are not available.
Jazz offers safety kit similar to Baleno on its SV variant, with 2 airbags, ABS & EBD. SV price - 6.5L ex-showroom.

While it is a welcome move that the base variant Sigma gets a decent safety kit, it all depends on the pricing, whether it can be called a USP or not. If the Sigma version costs 6.5L ex-showroom, users can very well pick up Ford Figo Titanium+ at 6.4L, or Polo Highline at 6.6L, or even Jazz at 6.5L. While safety wise, i20 is not a good buy, general public would be willing to stretch their budget for Elite i20 and get the Asta at 7L, for its appeal!

At the end of the day, Baleno is no Swift or Dzire to get huge sales, irrespective of the competition!

[y2ksrs]

Originally Posted by AtheK

This color looks bad, maybe it looks more out of place because of lacking alloys. Just showed it to my wife and she said this looks like new swift. So much for premium.

Ah, same here. I showed the first pic to my wife, and her reaction was she does not want a Swift!! This car needs those head lights from Frankfurt and alloys to look good.

[mercedised]

I think that they are keeping the engine options similar to Swift, just to be on a safer side, Incase this Baleno fails severely! Crap strategy by Maruti after investing in Nexa for so called PREMIUM feel.

[ankurvirmani19]

I am not able to understand the Fuss about MSL not giving 90PS instead of 75PS.

IMO 75PS is best at this level of car. Being auto enthusiasts I understand that we would want more power from this car, but engineers at Maruti have to look at the bigger picture. 75PS is a more practical choice that they are making.

As majority of Indians want VFM proposition along with plush features and not Power. Major chunk of Balenos would be sold in metros and big cities for daily office commuting. There is already so much congestion on roads, what would common people do with so much power.

While I agree that on weekend or holidays we drive on highways and long stretches, but that is seldom.

I am totally in favor of a 75PS engine, solely because of the VFM, Car size and practicality.

I may be wrong but this is my personal opinion.

[hybridpetrol]

Originally Posted by mercedised

I think that they are keeping the engine options similar to Swift, just to be on a safer side, Incase this Baleno fails severely! Crap strategy by Maruti after investing in Nexa for so called PREMIUM feel.

Maruti created Nexa, to launch premium cars - but then they are launching cars that compete with Elite i20, Jazz, Polo etc.
So a Baleno customer who is willing to spend about 8-10L is considered a "premium customer" compared to the one who buys Ciaz at 12L?
Maruti has created a new branding, and to make use of its investment, it should sell only premium vehicles there. How about C2 segment and above alone in Nexa, while the C1 and lower segments are addressed in traditional Maruti outlets?

Baleno would indeed be a premium hatchback, if they keep it to just two versions (and not launch basic versions such as the ones without rear power windows, steel wheels, etc). With so much of localization, they could have launched a premium hatchback, that would rival Mini Cooper in equipment levels at less than half its price! In my opinion, the one they call premium, and launch it in a showroom meant only to showcase their premium products, should not have any missing equipment.

If they need to compete with Figo, Polo, i20 etc, why not launch the car with current specifications in the usual Maruti outlet? At least they will get more sales! Now, by launching a usual hatchback in Nexa, the branding strategy just goes for a toss.

[AtheK]

I have a simple question how will baleno in its current CVT trim sell more then Jazz CVT V variant, if priced equally. Nexa or whatever maruti wants to name themselves can not match the brand power of Honda(though not the same as say 5 years back). Plus both of them will probably cost the same, for me it is a battle lost for the CVT variant even before the fight begins.

[volkman10]

Indian Autos Blog’s video walk-around of the Maruti (Suzuki) Baleno from its premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

https://youtu.be/QSk-Upt4xSc

http://indianautosblog.com/2015/10/m...ampaign=buffer

[amaheshwari]

Originally Posted by Axe77

Making height adjustable driver seat a variant option is a big screw up in my opinion. That too considering an AT customer has no choice but delta variant.

This is so disappointing but once again typical Maruti style. We'll keep wondering how these variants make sense.

Is seat height adjuster that big a deal and that too in a car Maruti chooses to call premium? C'mon Maruti, you had started to raise the expectations with S-Cross and now this.