The Maruti Suzuki Baleno is back and it’s ready to win back its lost market share. Though not a new generation, the new Baleno sees a lot of improvements over the previous iteration. The hatchback comes in two transmission options and 4 variants, namely, Sigma, Delta, Zeta, and Alpha. Though the Baleno has been priced well, which one of these variants is the most value for money? Let’s find out!
Zeta
The Zeta variant gets auto headlamps, LED projector headlamps, 16-inch alloy wheels, chrome door handles, rear A/C vents, rear fast-charging USB, driver seat height adjust, push-button start/stop with keyless entry, rear wiper with washer, telescopic steering wheel, voice assistant, Suzuki Connect, OTA updates, 2 tweeters, electrically adjustable and foldable ORVMs, 7-inch smartplay pro infotainment system, 4 speakers, Android Auto and Apple Carplay, steering mounted audio controls, parcel shelf and ESP with hill-start assist for AMT variants.
Other features include color MID, rear adjustable headrests, center sliding armrest, 60:40 split rear seat, front footwell lamp, reverse camera and 6 airbags. The Zeta manual and AMT are priced at ₹8.09 lakh and ₹8.59 lakh respectively. As you can see, the Zeta variant gets the majority of the must-have features for your daily needs. More importantly, it gets 6 airbags as well. Most of the features that you will miss out on from the Alpha variant will be the 360-degree camera and heads-up display which are nice to have but not absolutely necessary. However, if the budget permits, one should go for the Alpha variant.
Quick recap
Take a look at the new Baleno and you’ll notice that the changes are quite substantial when compared to the previous one. The front looks wider thanks to the new fascia. There’s a new grille that is much larger and it has a mesh design to it. There is also a brushed aluminum belt that runs across the grille and merges into the headlights. Speaking of headlights, they are much sharper now and are all new projector units with LED DRLs.
In terms of powertrain, the new Baleno comes with a 1.2-liter naturally aspirated petrol engine which is called K12N. This engine features an integrated starter generator which adds the auto engine start/stop functionality to save more fuel. It produces 89hp and 113nm of torque. Transmission options include a 5-speed manual and an AMT. It delivers 22.35 km/l in the manual guise and 22.94 km/l in the AMT.