Maruti Suzuki Baleno took just 44 months to reach this milestone with over 27% market share in A2+ segment; comes with 2 petrol and 1 diesel engine
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has announced today that the Baleno premium hatchback has reached a sales milestone of six lakh units. Launched towards the end of 2015, the Baleno has garnered 27 per cent market share in the A2+ segment and it has maintained tremendous consistency over the years. The five-seater is also the fastest to reach this achievement in its segment.
The Baleno has been the first true success from Nexa and it set the tone for the premium dealerships to expand across the country. It competes mainly against Hyundai Elite i20 and despite exchanging top position in its segment with the Korean hatchback initially, the Baleno started finding a rhythm and left the Elite i20 as well as Honda Jazz and Volkswagen Polo in its wake in recent years.
In just over three and a half years of its market entry, the Baleno has managed to reach six lakh sales and it regularly features among the top five most sold cars in India monthly. Maruti Suzuki introduced a mild update to the Baleno earlier this year and it was followed by the arrival of the brand new 1.2-litre DualJet SHVS petrol engine.
It is only the second product from the brand’s stable to get BSVI compliant engine as the DualJet as well as the long-serving 1.2-litre VVT sticks by the stringent emission norms coming into effect in April 2020. The Baleno sits on the lightweight Heartect platform and is known for being an agile handler and a fuel-efficient hatchback.
| Model | Baleno Dualjet |
| type | Water-cooled in-line 4-cylinder |
| Valve mechanism | DOHC 16 valve intake and exhaust VVT |
| Total displacement (L) | 1242 cc |
| Fuel supply system | EPI (Electronically Controlled Fuel Injector) |
| Maximum output (kW/rpm) net | 90 PS / 6,000 RPM |
| Maximum torque (Nm/rpm) net | 113 Nm / 4,400 RPM |
| Fuel tank capacity (L) | 37 |
The new and more powerful 1.2-litre DualJet engine in the premium hatchback is offered in 2 variants: Zeta 1.2 litre DualJet Dual VVT and Delta 1.2 litre DualJet Dual VVT. The new powertrain is claimed to deliver a good mileage of 23.87 kmpl.
Moreover, the Baleno comes packed with standard safety features like dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, reverse parking sensors, high-speed warning system, auto-sensing door lock, driver and co-driver seatbelt reminder, etc. The main equipment list contains new SmartPlay touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, 16-inch wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel, reverse parking camera and multi-functional steering wheel among others.
Maruti Baleno Variant Wise Pricing:
| Variants | Baleno 1.2 VVT BS VI | Baleno 1.2 Dualjet Dual VVT Smart Hybrid BS VI |
| Sigma | Rs. 5.58 Lakh | |
| Delta | Rs. 6.36 Lakh | Rs. 7.25 Lakh |
| Delta (CVT) | Rs. 7.68 Lakh | |
| Zeta | Rs. 6.97 Lakh | Rs. 7.86 Lakh |
| Zeta (CVT) | Rs. 8.29 Lakh | |
| Alpha | Rs. 7.58 Lakh | |
| Alpha (CVT) | Rs. 8.90 Lakh |
Pics Credit: Ujjwal Saxena