Sales performance of the Maruti Baleno has seen quite a drop in recent times, which could be owing to the launch of the Toyota Glanza
The Maruti Baleno has been the undisputed leader of the B2-segment ever since its launch in October 2015. The Hyundai Elite i20 and the Honda Jazz rival continues to enjoy a segment-best sales figure, but it looks like the recent introduction of the Toyota Glanza has had an adverse effect in the car’s sales performance.
Last month, the Maruti Baleno found 13,689 buyers, which is a 23% decline over the 17,850 units sold in the corresponding month last year. While this drop in sales could be due to the general slowdown that looms over the market, a significant part could be even owing to the introduction of the Toyota Glanza.
The Toyota Glanza is nothing but a rebadged Maruti Baleno that is supplied to TKM from Suzuki Motor Corporation’s Gujarat-based facility. Last month, as many as 1,919 units of the Glanza were sold. There’s a fair possibility that the introduction of the Baleno-based hatchback has left a dent in the sales performance of the donor vehicle.
The Toyota Glanza looks almost exactly like the Maruti Baleno, with the only differences arising out of a slightly different front grille and the badges. Even the interior of the two models is exactly the same if you can ignore the branding. The similarities don’t end here as the Glanza gets the Baleno’s 1.2-litre petrol mill in precisely the same state of tune.
However, compared to the 2-year/40,000 km warranty of the Maruti Baleno, the Toyota Glanza offers a standard warranty of 3-year/unlimited kilometre. Also, the fact that the Toyota badge has a higher brand image than the Maruti insignia could have worked in favour of the Baleno-based model.
The Toyota Glanza is available in G and V trims, which correspond to Zeta and Alpha grades of the Maruti Baleno. The top-spec Glanza comes with Automatic Climate Control, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED Projector headlamps, Steering Mounted audio controls, rear defogger, tilt and telescopic steering adjustment, machine-cut alloy wheels, UV-cut glasses and electric ORVMs.