Launched in the month of January, the Baleno facelift carries forward some minor changes, refreshing this premium sedan from Maruti Suzuki. Apart from the cosmetic tweaks, the lower variants of the Baleno also benefitted with some additional hardware like a projector headlamp set-up. These refreshed Baleno models can be seen on the road already. Left out from this update party was the ‘hotter’ RS variant of the Baleno which would not be staying alone anymore. In this video uploaded by YouTube user Sricharan Vedamurthy, we see a refreshed Baleno RS model shining on the floor of the Nexa showroom located in Mysore Road, Bengaluru. Do have a look.
Just like the regular Baleno, the Baleno RS also gets a revised front and rear bumper design. The sporty fascia is complemented by 16-inch, dual tone alloy wheels which look very interesting. Other changes in the car include a revised safety package which would include bits like high-speed alarm, seatbelt reminder and some more features in order to comply with the upcoming safety regulations set by the government. The Baleno RS also comes with dual airbags, ABS and disc brakes at all corners since its launch. The changes on the inside are minimal, with some minor changes seen in the upholstery and floor mats. One big change, however, on the inside is the new Clarion-sourced Smartplay Studio unit.
No mechanical changes were required to be done to the Baleno RS facelift, which continues to draw power from the 1-litre Boosterjet engine. Imported straight from Japan, this engine uses turbocharging and direct injection to push out 101.97 PS of peak power and 150 Nm of peak torque. This K10C engine produces its peak power at 5.500 rpm while peak torque is available from 1,700-4,500 rpm and according to ARAI travels for 21.1 km for every litre of petrol it sips. It sends the power to its front wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox. At a price of INR 8.76 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) this car competes with the likes of the Polo GT TSI and the relatively new Tata Tiago JTP in the Indian market. Linked below is the walkaround video showcasing the facelifted Baleno, do have a look and stay tuned for more news from the world of hot hatches.
https://youtu.be/d81-1FF11j0