Maruti Suzuki Baleno Cross (YTB) and five-door Jimny are expected to make their global debut at the 2023 Auto Expo in January before reaching showrooms
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) is expected to host the global premiere of two all-new cars at the 2023 Auto Expo in January in Greater Noida. Both of them have already been spotted testing multiple times on public roads. One will more likely be the five-door India-specific Jimny lifestyle off-roading machine while the other will be based on the Baleno.
The premium hatchback received a big update earlier this calendar year and the upcoming model will be more premium than the Baleno and it will have a coupe-like styling. Its design, however, could be heavily inspired by the Grand Vitara midsize SUV. It will be positioned below the Grand Vitara and probably alongside the latest generation Brezza.
The Baleno cross, internally codenamed YTB, will likely reach showrooms in the months following its world premiere while the five-door Jimny could be introduced after the YTB. The crossover will likely sit on the Heartect platform as the Baleno and will derive power from a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine.
The Boosterjet petrol engine previously found in the Baleno RS could generate around 100 PS and in order to have an expansive range, the largest car producer in the country could bring in the existing 1.2-litre petrol or the 1.5-litre K15C mild-hybrid petrol mill found in the Brezza, Grand Vitara, Ertiga and XL6.
It will have a premium features list comprising a nine-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system, a 360-degree camera system, a heads-up display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, an automatic climate control system, multiple airbags, a semi-digital instrument console, flat-bottom steering wheel with mounted controls, etc.
The five-door Jimny will be more spacious than the global three-door Jimny Sierra and it will be equipped with a 1.5-litre petrol engine delivering power to all four wheels as standard. It will adopt the same signature styling of the overseas model but will have an extended wheelbase and longer rear doors. It will take on the upcoming five-door Mahindra Thar and the five-door Force Gurkha.