Maruti Baleno facelift 2022 review: Naturally Aspirated spirit

Despite SUVs becoming popular day by day, hot hatchbacks are what we still love to be seen in India. A love for hatchback cannot be replaced especially when one gets fun in a budget. The Volkswagen Polo unfortunately is about to leave India but we still have the Maruti Baleno facelift 2022 with the best naturally aspirated engine. Here is a Maruti Baleno facelift review by me without any bias.

Maruti Baleno facelift exterior

The Maruti Baleno facelift 2022 has a very aggresive front

The Maruti Baleno facelift 2022 has very aggresive looks when compared to the previous Maruti Baleno facelift 2021 that had a simplistic design. In the leaked images, the new baleno lacked appeal because it was a base model but the Alpha model looks just insane. If I get a chance between Hyundai i20 and the new Baleno then surely Baleno has the looks that appeals to young buyers who appreciate better looks.

 

The Baleno facelift price justifies premium of the car

Alloy wheels on the new model have diamond cut finishing which just catches eyeballs and the same also goes for the side profile of the car. The chrome lining which flows till the C-Pillar is what makes the new Baleno look very premium over previous model. 

The J-shape taillamps doesn't look controversial

Taillamps on the car doesn't appeal much to everyone but surely they are just anyday better than the Polarizing Hyundai i20. Tata Altroz is the another competitor which has a sharper design but still there is no denying the fact that both cars have great looks. A car that doesn't have appeal can't be an exciting package especially in the case of young buyers. It's an advice to Maruti Suzuki to not compromise on the looks as they can make great cars. The font of the Baleno nameplate is also upgraded which looks now has a better appeal.

Maruti Baleno facelift 2022 interior

The interior is just now very much better in term of appeal

The new interior of the Maruti Suzuki just has a better appeal over the interior of the previous model that even came in rebadged Toyota Glanza. Floating touchscreen might develop a thinking that the screen just has looks but the connected car features are also now offered on the car. Hopefully the connected car tech gets added in all premium cars from Suzuki. Steering wheel is the same as the Maruti Swift however it gives the Maruti baleno facelift 2022 a great appeal. There is no compromise on cabin space due to which the cabin surely just feels very much open from inside. The 360 camera and headsup display are a useful feature which are great for everyday use.

Cabin is very much suitable for a passenger with an average height

If you are person with an average height then the cabin at the rear has a lot of space to offer. Many people say that one should go for an SUV at the price of the car but why need an SUV when there is an appealing hatchback. There is no feel of being trapped which is just a great thing with the car. Seats of the car are also comfortable for cities and there is decent support for thighs. One thing that makes it a deal breaker is unfortunately the lack of rear armrest that one needs for long journeys to get better elbow support. Rear air-conditioning is a great addition as thankfully one doesn't need to suffer in the scorching heat during summer season. The new model now also has fast charging port in the rear and that's great especially when mobile goes dead during long trips.

Maruti Baleno facelift 2022 performance

There are several naturally aspirated engines available in the market but the 1.2-liter petrol in Baleno is still the best due to best in class performance. One thing that makes it a dealbreaker is an AMT gearbox as that's a downgrade from CVT due to which Hyundai i20 and Tata Altroz are a better pick for smoothness. Those who want to extract performance should pick the manual as nothing beats a traditional stick shifting gearbox in driving.

Maruti Baleno facelift 2022 safety

A lot of people often say that Maruti Suzuki increased weight to improve safety but honestly there is not very much difference in build quality. The safety is what one can feel after closing door as thud is not very loud like a Tata or a Volkswagen car. Safety features like 6 Airbags, Hill Hold control control, etc are a great addition and that's something which makes the model better than previous generation.