- Fuel-efficient 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine
- Generally comfortable ride
- Spacious interior compared to other light vehicles
- Functional infotainment system with seven-inch display
- Light steering is accurate…
- … but has little feel and kicks back over bumps
- Limited dynamic ability
- Front seats lack lateral support
- Cheap interior materials
- Overly sensitive electronic stability control system
- For Baleno GLX Turbo, some turbo lag at low rpm
Overview
Released in Australia in July 2016, the Suzuki Baleno was a light, five-door hatchback. Manufactured in Manesar, India, the front-wheel drive Suzuki Baleno range consisted of GL and GLX Turbo variants, powered by 1.4-litre naturally aspirated and 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engines (see table below).
In February 2019, the Suzuki Baleno GLX Turbo was discontinued and the GLX variant was powered by the same 1.4-litre petrol engine as the Baleno GL.
| Variant | Years | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GL | 2016-on | 1.4-litre K14B petrol I4 | 5sp man., 4sp auto |
68 kW at 6000 rpm | 130 Nm at 4000 rpm |
| GLX | 2019-on | ||||
| GLX Turbo | 2016-19 | 1.0-litre K10C turbo petrol I3 | 6sp auto | 82 kW at 5500 rpm | 170 Nm at 2000-3500 rpm |
Body and dimensions
The Suzuki Baleno was 3995 mm long, 1745 mm wide, 1470 mm tall and had a 2520 mm long wheelbase. The Suzuki Baleno had a luggage volume of 355 litres with the rear seats in position, though this increased to 756 when the rear seats were folded and luggage was filled to the roof line.
Suspension and steering
Standard safety equipment for the Suzuki Baleno included dual front airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags, full-length curtain airbags (i.e. for front and rear occupants), ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control and front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters.
Euro NCAP testing
In Euro NCAP testing , the Suzuki Baleno received a three star safety rating which included an 80 per adult occupant protection rating, a 73 per cent child occupant protection rating and a 25 per cent ‘safety assist’ rating. In the frontal offset test, protection of the driver’s head, neck, thighs and lower legs were rated as good, though chest and foot protection was rated as adequate (i.e. a slight risk of serious injury). In the side impact test, head protection was rated as adequate; in the more severe pole test, chest protection was rated as marginal.
Brakes
The Suzuki Baleno GL had 252 mm by 20 mm ventilated front brake discs and 200 mm by 25 mm rear drum brakes; while the GLX Turbo had the same front brakes, it was fitted with 228 mm by 9 mm solid rear disc brakes.
Features: Suzuki Baleno GL
Standard features for the Suzuki Baleno GL included 15-inch x 5.0J wheels with 175/65 R15 tyres, a six speaker sound system with an auxiliary input (3.5 mm), USB port/SD card slot, MP3/WMA/AAC compatibility, Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity and audio streaming, a seven-inch display with satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink smartphone integration, manual air conditioning, cruise control with speed limiter, front fog lights, LED daytime running lights (mounted on the front bumper), dusk-sensing headlights, a rear view camera, 60:40 split folding seats, remote central locking, power windows and mirrors, a height adjustable driver’s seat, rear privacy glass, a trip computer and an immobiliser.
Features: Baleno GLX Turbo
Compared to the Baleno GL, the Baleno GLX Turbo was further equipped with 16-inch x 6.0J wheels with 185/55 R16 tyres, automatic air conditioning, high intensity discharge (HID) projector headlights and push-button start. The Baleno GLX Turbo was also fitted with a 4.2-inch colour LCD which could display information such as average speed, driving G-force, engine output and torque, and accelerator/brake operation.
Visually, the Baleno GLX Turbo could be identified by its LED daytime running lights were integrated in the headlights (rather than mounted on the front bumper), chrome door handles and door mirrors with integrated indicator lights.
