When Driven attended the national launch of Suzuki’s feisty little Baleno in November last year, we quickly grew to appreciate this Indian-built car’s qualities. BERNARD HELLBERG SR recently rekindled the love after spending some alone time with the 1.4 GLX.
At under a tonne (915 kg), the Suzuki Baleno is a lightweight compared to its market rivals. Begging the question whether a car this light– and built in India, nogal– would be able to compete with the likes of Toyota’s Yaris 1.3 Auto, and the Opel Corsa 1.4 Enjoy Auto, which all fall in the same price bracket?
LOOKS AND FEATURES
Angular and chunky, the Baleno 1.4 GLX automatic we tested is pleasantly well endowed in the legroom department, and tall people will applaud. Cleverly, the designers have camouflaged the angular shape with a raked windscreen, and boldly as well as successfully, brought to market a design that’s roomy enough for four people, but large enough to do duty as a long-distance cruiser. In this department at least, it usurps the company’s own Swift A-segment hatchback. Long distance travels usually require enough boot space, and with 355 litres in the standard configuration, and 1,085 litres with the rear seats folded down, the Baleno has more than enough.
The interior also features a useful 6.2” infotainment screen, USB and auxiliary ports, and six airbags in the GLX model, which enjoys the advantage of a leather-covered steering wheel, and 16” alloy wheels.
ENOUGH POWER?
It’s best not to expect a 1.4-litre normally aspirated four-cylinder to tear up the tar, but despite pushing out five fewer kilowatts (68 kW) than the Yaris (73 kW) and two kilowatts more than the Corsa – the Baleno reaches an untested 180 km/h top speed, trotting off the 0-100 km/h sprint in a relaxed 11.6 seconds. Although not exactly a dramatic tyre smoking run, it does conquer the Yaris by a second and wallops the Corsa by 2.3 seconds. This is, of course, where the Baleno’s low kerb weight gives it the edge.
ECONOMY
Suzuki SA claims fuel sipping figures of 5.1 litres/100 km, but we recorded slightly higher consumption under real life conditions which included some fairly long distance trips and stop-start city traffic with the air conditioner switched on at virtually all times. Under these conditions, we recorded 6-litres/100 km.
THE OPPOSITION
Bravely entering a very crowded market segment, the Baleno also comes up against the likes of the VW Polo Hatch 1.2 TSi Trendline, the Hyundai i20 1.2 Fluid, the Honda Jazz 1.2 Comfort and the Mazda2 1.5 Dynamic – all excellent value-for-money offerings.
LAST WORD
Testing the Baleno for a week was a fun experience, and we came to appreciate the good build quality, cruise control, park distance assist and the adequate 3-year/100,000 km warranty, as well as the 4-year/60,000 km service plan – all indicating that Suzuki SA is deadly serious in providing a viable alternative to Suzuki loyalists who may find the equally reliable little Swift just too small for their taste.
Report by BERNARD HELLBERG SR | Image by QUICKPIC