MARUTI SUZUKI Baleno

Exterior: If it ain't broke...

Maruti Suzuki clearly hasn't felt the need to significantly alter the Baleno's design. And honestly, that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

The biggest change is at the front, where the updated Baleno gets a new grille featuring vertical chrome slats. Apart from that, the car looks largely identical to the outgoing version. The headlights, bumpers and the overall silhouette remain unchanged, while the Baleno also continues with the same 16-inch alloy wheels.

Unless you spot the new grille, telling the updated car apart from the previous one isn't particularly easy. But then again, the Baleno's design hasn't really aged badly either.

Interior and features: Small changes, useful additions

The cabin layout has also been carried over. You still get the familiar layered dashboard design, which continues to look reasonably modern and well put together. The most obvious visual change is the new colour scheme. There is now a light blue finish on parts of the dashboard, while the upholstery gets a matching blue and black combination.

More important, however, are the new features. The Baleno now gets a tyre pressure monitoring system, with the information displayed on the infotainment screen. Maruti has also added a wireless charging pad. But perhaps the biggest addition is the introduction of front ventilated seats, making the Baleno the first car in its segment to offer them.

And these aren't just features added to inflate the equipment list. Ventilated seats can make a genuine difference during Indian summers, especially in cities where temperatures regularly cross 30 degrees Celsius.

The rest of the equipment list remains familiar. The top-spec Alpha variant gets an analogue instrument cluster that is easy to read, along with a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system offering wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There's also a 360-degree camera, automatic climate control, an auto-dimming IRVM, a Clarion sound system, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a heads-up display.

The 360-degree camera, though, remains one area where Maruti could have done better. The quality isn't particularly impressive, and considering the car has received an update, this felt like a missed opportunity.

Rear seat and practicality: Still one of the Baleno's strengths

The Baleno has always been a practical hatchback, and that continues to be the case. With the driver's seat adjusted to my 5ft 8in driving position, there was plenty of knee room in the second row, along with a decent amount of headroom. Even taller passengers should be reasonably comfortable here.

Under-thigh support is also good, which helps make the rear seat suitable for longer journeys. Three people can sit at the back, and all three get adjustable headrests, but the Baleno is best enjoyed as a four-seater. The only thing you really miss here is a central armrest.

You do, however, get rear AC vents along with a roller to adjust the fan speed. There are also two USB Type-C charging ports and a small cubby where you can place your phone while it charges. There is only one seatback pocket, though, located behind the front passenger seat. Other misses include rear sunshades, although the Baleno doesn't have a sunroof either. The padded door armrests are a welcome touch.

Boot space: Enough for most needs

Being a minor update rather than a new-generation model, the Baleno continues with its 318-litre boot. There's no powered tailgate, of course, and you will have to deal with a slightly high loading lip while putting luggage inside. Once you do, though, the boot itself is quite well shaped and usable.

A full-size suitcase can fit in without much trouble, along with a couple of smaller bags. If you need more space, the rear seats can be folded down, increasing total luggage capacity to over 750 litres. Another positive is that Maruti continues to offer a space-saver spare wheel under the boot floor instead of relying on a puncture repair kit.

Engine and gearbox: Familiar, for better and worse

One of the bigger changes to the Baleno is under the bonnet. It now uses a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine producing around 90hp and 113Nm of torque. Transmission options include a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT. Our test car was equipped with the latter.

Maruti hasn't changed the fundamental character of this powertrain. The three-cylinder engine is audible, but it is surprisingly smooth and refined. Torque also comes in early, making the Baleno easy to drive in the city. It's out on the highway where the engine starts to feel a little short of breath. Overtakes need to be planned, particularly with the AMT.

In automatic mode, the gearbox takes its own sweet time while upshifting, which is typical of an AMT. Downshifts are relatively quicker, and you can switch to manual mode when you want greater control. Doing so makes the car feel more responsive. But if you enjoy driving and want to extract the best response from the engine, the 5-speed manual would still be my pick.

Ride and handling: The Baleno still gets the basics right

Maruti hasn't made any changes to the Baleno's suspension setup either, and that means the car continues to offer one of its strongest qualities: ride comfort. Most of our drive around the outskirts of Bengaluru was on relatively smooth roads, but the rough patches we did encounter were handled well. The suspension absorbs imperfections nicely without making the car feel floaty.

That gives the Baleno the kind of ride quality that should work well across a variety of Indian road conditions. When it comes to handling, the Baleno isn't the sharpest car in the segment. Steering response is above average rather than exceptional, but the car still feels predictable and easy to place.

Body roll is also reasonably well controlled, which means there is still some fun to be had if you find yourself driving on a twisty road. The brakes are another positive. They don't offer a great deal of feedback through the pedal, but braking performance is strong and progressive, allowing the car to stop smoothly and confidently.

One area where Maruti could have made a more noticeable improvement is cabin insulation. You can almost always hear what the three-cylinder engine is doing. Traffic noise is filtered out reasonably well when driving around the city, but things change at highway speeds.

Beyond around 70kmph, a noticeable amount of road noise makes its way into the cabin. There is also some wind noise from around the A-pillar. It's not a deal-breaker, but better insulation would have made the Baleno feel more premium.

The biggest update from a safety technology perspective is the addition of Level 2 ADAS. However, it is available only on the top-spec Alpha optional variant. The system brings features such as adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist and lane departure warning.

We were able to experience the system briefly during our drive, and it performed reasonably well within the limitations of using such technology on Indian roads. As always, though, ADAS should be treated as a driver assistance system rather than a replacement for an attentive driver.

Verdict: Still a compelling premium hatchback?

The 2026 Maruti Suzuki Baleno doesn't attempt to reinvent itself, and it probably didn't need to. It was already a strong product, and its sales numbers reflected that. The latest update adds features that buyers have started expecting, while ventilated seats and ADAS help bring the Baleno more in line with what newer cars are offering.

There are still a few things Maruti could have improved. The 360-degree camera quality remains below average, while better cabin insulation would have made a noticeable difference to the overall experience. But the fundamentals remain solid. The Baleno is spacious, comfortable, practical and easy to live with. It offers good ride quality and enough features to keep most buyers happy.