[RedStallion]

Will there be any structural changes from the Heartect platform of the Suzuki Baleno?
Or Toyota would keep the structure same and tweak features only.

Is Toyota planning to provide more safety features in this cross-badged Baleno? The structure is inherently unstable as per GNCAP test results, right?

Could anyone please share some information?

I also agree that biggest beneficiary in this tie up is the Suzuki, currently IMO. Let's see what Toyota is going to gain!

[Waspune]

Originally Posted by RedStallion

Will there be any structural changes from the Heartect platform of the Suzuki Baleno?
Or Toyota would keep the structure same and tweak features only.

Cross badged cars normally are the same cars, mechanically, share the same platform and differ only aesthetically or in terms of features.
Having said that it will be interesting to see,how Toyota would be able to manage a good (4 star and above) rating in GNCAP from Hearttect platform (read : Baleno). They can very well install beefier crash bars at least!

[CoolFire]

Originally Posted by RedStallion

Will there be any structural changes from the Heartect platform of the Suzuki Baleno?
Or Toyota would keep the structure same and tweak features only.

Is Toyota planning to provide more safety features in this cross-badged Baleno? The structure is inherently unstable as per GNCAP test results, right?

I don't think the Indian Baleno itself was ever tested by GNCAP.

Strangely, many of the top selling cars from Maruti in India including Baleno and Brezza are still untested and the reasons for this is hard to fathom. Especially when you get to know that average sellers like Eon and Duster have been done. Even total sales duds like Enjoy and Mobilio

Let's just hope it'll be done sometime. Being a non statutory requirement, nothing much can be done about it.

The platform per se may be good enough and typical Maruti skimping for domestic markets could be the culprit. I am hopeful Toyota will keep up its reputation of better safety in their Indian lineup here too by not diluting structural safety.

You can read about tested cars here - https://auto.ndtv.com/news/global-nc...-years-1959337

[RedStallion]

Originally Posted by CoolFire

I don't think the Indian Baleno itself was ever tested by GNCAP.

Strangely, many of the top selling cars from Maruti in India including Baleno and Brezza are still untested and the reasons for this is hard to fathom.

Maruti Vitara Brezza is already tested by GNCAP.

Please find the attached link:

https://www.team-bhp.com/news/maruti...cap-crash-test

[Waspune]

Originally Posted by CoolFire

Strangely, many of the top selling cars from Maruti in India including Baleno and Brezza are still untested and the reasons for this is hard to fathom.

Brezza has been tested by GNCAP and it scored a decent 4.

[Mukund]

Originally Posted by CoolFire

I don't think the Indian Baleno itself was ever tested by GNCAP.
Strangely, many of the top selling cars from Maruti in India including Baleno and Brezza are still untested and the reasons for this is hard to fathom.

As you rightly started, Baleno has not been tested by GNCAP yet, but the OP might be referring to the 'Body unstable' comment from the Swift (which shares the same platform) rating. I would not infer anything from the swift rating while evaluating Baleno, the same way I wouldn't infer anything from Euro NCAP rating (4*) of the Baleno. We don't know how India spec Baleno would fare, we can't tell till GNCAP tests it.
Brezza was tested by GNCAP and scored an impressive 4* (it is there in the report you shared).

Originally Posted by CoolFire

The platform per se may be good enough and typical Mariti skimping for domestic markets could be the culprit. Let's hope Toyota keeps up its reputation of better safety here too by not diluting structural safety.

Toyota might not have much say here. They'll be getting cars from Maruti and changes that they'll be able to do might well be limited to cosmetic changes. I wish they prove me wrong.

[CoolFire]

Thanks to all who pointed out. It was my bad - the mention about Brezza not being tested. Still, it is true that some very popular modern Marutis including Dzire, Wagon R and the Baleno itself are untested. Yes, the Swift and Dzire structures are very similar, but you never know what goes inside.

[JS Kwt]

Originally Posted by RedStallion

Will there be any structural changes from the Heartect platform of the Suzuki Baleno?
Or Toyota would keep the structure same and tweak features only.

Structure would remain same as stated further in the article link

Originally Posted by JS Kwt

[center]
Toyota’s version of the Baleno is likely to sport soft part changes as well, including a new grille, redesigned bumpers and lights.
Full Article

Here is the excerpt-

Raja, however, has confirmed that product changes will be kept to a minimum.
Any further differentiation in products, involving sheet metal changes would require massive investments and would lead to an increase in costs, something Toyota wants to keep in check.
Instead, the company aims to add value by providing a different buying experience to the customer.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by RedStallion

Will there be any structural changes from the Heartect platform of the Suzuki Baleno?
Or Toyota would keep the structure same and tweak features only.

Is Toyota planning to provide more safety features in this cross-badged Baleno? The structure is inherently unstable as per GNCAP test results, right?

Could anyone please share some information?

I also agree that biggest beneficiary in this tie up is the Suzuki, currently IMO. Let's see what Toyota is going to gain!

My guess is that the plastic bits - front nose and bumpers will be reshaped. The rear tailgate pressiing might be different also.

[nkrishnap]

Suzuki won't be supplying any cars as such. The ones branded under Toyota will be produced at the plant 2 near Bidadi.

Some key trainings for assembly are expected to happen in a month or two from the current plant where Suzuki manufactures the Baleno.

[su1978]

Originally Posted by Equus

Would be likely that Baleno would also be sold at markets where Suzuki isn’t present/strong making this a lot different. I would love to see Toyota engines & 6 airbags, ESP, traction control, etc on this!

If this engine brings out the enthusiast in you, probably, you should try the ford freestyle with 1.2 litre 96 BHP dragon series engine. And with all the electronics and safety features that they offer, makes it even more drool worthy. Ford has even priced this car so well that one keeps on wondering about what's going on in ford mind.

[arjab]

A fairly reliable birdie says that Toyota India's next gen Etios Liva hatch will be a twin of the Maruti Baleno. It will not be an identical twin, soft tooling changes will be done, that is to say, different bumpers, grille et al.
As per Mr. Birdie, Toyota India is much enamoured by the reasonable retail success of the VW Vento / Skoda Rapid siblings and wants to follow a similar path.

[indivic]

Any hint about the future of the Etios sedan? If they rebrand the Baleno as Liva it might not gel with the Etios brand

[saisree]

Originally Posted by indivic

Any hint about the future of the Etios sedan? If they rebrand the Baleno as Liva it might not gel with the Etios brand

Wild guess!. Going by the OP, Toyota may look into the new DZire, tweak it, rebadge it to represent Toyota's Etios.

[volkman10]

Originally Posted by arjab

As per Mr. Birdie, Toyota India is much enamoured by the reasonable retail success of the VW Vento / Skoda Rapid siblings and wants to follow a similar path.

Are Vento/Rapid's 3 digit sales figures seen as a success ? Oh well maybe Toyota would feel so when seeing the corresponding figures of Yaris