Published : 19 August 2026
Read Time : 5 min
Author: Mahesh Yadav
We have learned from a fairly reliable source that Maruti Suzuki will soon launch the Baleno 2026 facelift model with the option of CNG + automatic powertrain. It looks like this is the first time Maruti Suzuki will be offering any kind of automatic with a CNG bi-fuel variant of any car straight from the factory.

Maruti Suzuki essentially made factory fit CNG cars the baseline expectation for almost all CNG car buyers in India. And, they almost single-handedly made automatic transmission mainstream with the launch of AMT type automatics more than a decade ago.
However, Maruti Suzuki failed to see the natural growth in demand for CNG cars with automatic transmission. Tata Motors saw this white space in the market and brought this powertrain to the market with their Tiago, Tigor, Altroz and Punch cars.
The buyers clearly saw this as a unique offering from Tata Motors. There was obviously enough interest in this engine-transmission combination that, in 2026, they started offering powertrain option with the Punch and Altroz cars as well. Initially, this option was only available with the Tiago and Tigor.
The current-gen Baleno launched in 2022 and it’s getting its mid-life update in 2026 — 4 years into its life cycle. If this is the Baleno’s new half life, then we should expect the generation update for the Baleno to arrive sometime in the year 2030.
The Baleno hatchback first went on sale in 2015 with a starting price of Rs. 4.99 lakh. At the time, the industry trend suggested that safety features such as ABS and airbags were reserved for higher variants. So, the safety conscious buyers had to also pay for music systems and alloy wheels.
The Baleno challenged that kind of feature distribution and became the only car under Rs. 5.0 lakh to offer ABS and 2 airbags as standard equipment. At a time when practically nobody knew the purpose of ISOFIX, the Maruti Baleno offered it as standard safety equipment in all variants. It is unfortunate that a large portion of car owners and car buyers still don’t know what ISOFIX is. Those who do and should use it don’t put it to good use.
For more updates on the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Baleno facelift, stay tuned to V3Cars.
Also Read: Skoda India Likely To Reintroduce Diesel Engine — Here’s Why
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Mahesh is a fan of compact, quirky and underrated vehicles that punch above their weight. Multix, Nano and Navi are his favourites.

























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