Baleno
Baleno
Baleno
Baleno
Baleno
Baleno
Baleno
Baleno
Baleno
Baleno
Explore a comprehensive collection of in-depth Baleno car reviews. We've curated reviews from our trusted experts, offering unbiased analyses that dissect performance, technology, comfort, safety and more. By exploring these Maruti Suzuki Baleno 2026 reviews and competitor comparisons, you'll gain a well-rounded understanding of the Baleno's strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to see how it truly stacks up against the competition. Ultimately, this empowers you to decide if the Baleno is the perfect fit for your driving needs and lifestyle.
...The Maruti Suzuki Baleno is a premium hatchback for buyers who want a spacious cabin, refined petrol engine, good mileage and low ownership costs. It is available with a 1.2L normal petrol engine with manual and AMT transmission options. A CNG-manual option is also available for buyers with higher running. The Baleno’s core appeal comes from its comfort, fuel efficiency, service support and easy city manners. It also gets 6 airbags as standard and in Bharat NCAP, the Baleno scored 26.52 points for adult occupant protection (4 stars) and 34.81 points (3 stars) for child occupant protection. The Zeta variant remains our top recommendation for petrol-manual, petrol-AMT and CNG-manual buyers. The Sigma is only for strict budget buyers, while the Alpha is worth considering if you want the feel-good features.
The Baleno has a wide-looking front-end, helped by its large grille and triple-element LED DRL signature. The car is not wider than the previous version, but the grille design makes it look broader and more premium from the front.
The headlamps use single-unit LED projectors in higher variants, while the fog lamps are also LED units. However, the indicators still use orange bulbs, and the LED DRLs do not double up as sweeping indicators. A shark fin antenna would have also made the design look more modern.
From the side, the Baleno looks clean and low-slung. The chrome windowline, chrome door handles and 16-inch alloy wheels add a premium touch in higher variants. The alloy wheel design has a slightly rugged look, which adds some character without making the car look too sporty.
The rear design is more familiar than the front. The tail-lamps carry the triple-element LED signature, while the brake lamps use 4 circular LEDs. The Baleno offers 318L of boot space, but the boot sill is tall, so loading heavy luggage takes some effort. The 60:40 split rear seat improves practicality.
The Baleno’s 1.2L, 4-cylinder normal petrol engine produces 89.7PS and 113Nm. Its main strengths are refinement and fuel efficiency. The engine remains quiet in normal driving and only becomes more audible when pushed beyond 4000rpm.
The manual transmission is smooth and easy to use, with a light clutch. The AMT is also smooth in most situations, but occasional head nod is still noticeable. For a premium hatchback, the AMT also feels like a cost-focussed choice compared to the CVT or DCT options some rivals have offered.
The engine is tuned for relaxed driving. If you want quick acceleration, you need to rev it harder. Buyers looking for stronger performance may miss a turbo petrol option, which Maruti Suzuki currently offers in the Fronx but not in the Baleno.
Ride quality is one of the Baleno’s better traits. The suspension is tuned for comfort, but the car still feels confident around corners and at highway speeds. Braking feel is also progressive, with a good initial bite.
In V3Cars’ long-term use, the Baleno petrol-manual Alpha showed 18.1kmpl over around 5000km of mixed usage. Based on V3Cars’ estimates, the Baleno can deliver around 18kmpl in city use and up to 20kmpl on the highway. The CNG-manual adds another option for low running costs, though the lack of CNG-AMT is a miss.
The Baleno’s cabin has a blue-and-black dual-tone theme with glossy grey and gloss black elements. The cabin looks modern, but the mix of colours and trim pieces also makes the dashboard look slightly busy.
The dashboard top uses hard plastic, but it does not look cheap. The lower centre console and glovebox fitment could have been better. The glovebox is large, but a more organised layout would have made it more useful.
The Baleno gets well-designed physical AC controls. Fan speed and temperature use rocker switches, while other functions use piano-style push buttons. This setup is easier to use while driving than touch-sensitive controls.
Higher variants offer a 9-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone connectivity, head-up display, auto-dimming IRVM, 360-degree parking camera, cruise control, tilt and telescopic steering, height-adjustable driver seat and sliding front centre armrest. The 360-degree camera is useful, though the camera quality is not the sharpest.
Front seat comfort is good, and the steering and seat adjustment make it easy to find a comfortable driving position. Rear seat space is generous for 2 adults, with good kneeroom and legroom. However, the rear seatback is a bit upright, under-thigh support could be better, and there is no rear centre armrest or centre headrest.
The Maruti Suzuki Baleno continues to make sense for buyers who want a practical, refined and efficient premium hatchback. It is spacious, easy to drive, comfortable and backed by Maruti Suzuki’s wide service network.
There are a few clear gaps. The Baleno does not get a turbo petrol or diesel engine, and rivals like the Altroz now offer more features in their higher variants. The Baleno also misses features like TPMS, wireless charger, rear centre armrest, ambient lighting, leather upholstery and a shark fin antenna.
Still, the Baleno’s strengths are easy to understand. It offers good mileage, refined performance, useful features and low ownership stress. For most buyers, the Zeta variant offers the best balance of price and features. Buyers who are not in a hurry should also note that the Baleno facelift has already been spotted testing.

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City
Delhi
Variant
Sigma
On-Road Price
₹6.58 Lakh
Period
5 years
Total Running
50,000 km
Maintenance Cost
₹19,199
Fuel Efficiency
23.8 km/l
Fuel Cost
₹2.14 Lakh
Total Estimated 5-Year Cost
₹8.92 Lakh
Cost per km
₹17.85
*Includes fuel and regular maintenance costs, but excludes insurance renewals and other periodic expenses.
| Month | Units |
|---|---|
| 2026-04 | 18306 |
| 2026-05 | 18396 |
| 2026-06 | 12488 |
| 2026-07 | 18241 |
| 2026-08 | 15746 |
| 2026-09 | 25392 |
Maruti Suzuki Baleno Sales Performance
Data Last Updated: Sep’26
1,08,569 Units in Last 6 Months