What’s this then, i hear you ask, another Suzuki supermini? Don’t they already have the Swift?
Well, yes they do and no it’s not going anywhere so don’t worry about that.
What the Baleno is intended to be is a more grown-up alternative to the Swift
a slightly more sensible supermini for a different
breed of buyer. It’s on the same level as cars like the
Skoda Fabia and Dacia Sandero which appeal to people because they offer maximum who want an inexpensive
practicality with minimum cost. However
Suzuki also says that while some buy cars based on emotional appeal alone and others
choose them for more rational reasons, the Baleno is a car that bridges the two.
In other words , it’s a car that you’ll buy for practical reasons, but that you’ll enjoy to drive as well
Just two trim levels are available for the
Baleno, the entry level SZ-T and the range topping SZ5
If that seems a little restrictive, it’s not really. Suzuki just says
that most people don’t tend to go for the absolute basic models, and so the SZ-T simply trims
the fat and is more comparable to a mid-spec car from a rival manufacturer
Standard kit is impressive too, with all Baleno models getting things like DAB radio, sat-nav
and Apple CarPlay. SZ5 models also get adaptive cruise control and stop-start,
along with the option of an automatic gearbox with flappy paddle shifters.
Of course all that neat equipment comes at a price, and the trade-off is that the cabin
itself can seem a little on the cheap side and somewhat gloomy
the over-use of hard and scratchy dark plastics. It’s not meant to be a premium car by any
means and it is comfortable, it’s just that when you’ve got an interior that’s decidedly
more on the utilitarian side of the fence, some buyers might be tempted to splash a little extra
cash for something that feels a bit more up market. It’s not all bad though, as the Baleno features
some surprisingly clever packaging that gives it a lot more space inside than many of its
rivals, particularly here in the rear where there’s loads of room for passengers.
Boot space is generous too with 302 litres with the rear seats upright.
Fold down almost flat and that increases cargo capacity to 1,085 litres which is bigger than the
Fiesta and the Polo, but slightly less than the Fabia.
So that’s the practicality but what about the drivability?
Well, the Baleno also marks the debut of Suzuki’s new 1.0-litre Boosterjet petrol
engine, a smaller version of the 1.4 that debuted on a Suzuki Vitara S earlier last year.
A little three-cylinder engine in the same vein as Ford’s EcoBoost engines, it boasts 109bhp
and 170Nm of torque and I have to say it really is brilliantly lively. It pulls happy and hard
even from low in the rev range, and due to the fact that even at its porkiest the Baleno only weighs
950kg. it can scamper from 0-62mph in just 11.4 seconds.
Like other three cylinders it does start to moo a little when you’re giving it the beans,
but it’s a remarkably fun little motor. In handling terms, the light-weight of the Baleno
also means that it’s not a bad car to drive at all.
It’s still doesn’t have a patch on something like the Fiesta for example, with slightly
numb steering and a bit of body roll when you really step on it, but then remember this
is the sensible option – it’s not meant compete with the scrappier
Swift. It does leave a little bit to be desired in terms
of refinement, however. There’s a lot of wind and tyres noise that
creeps into the cabin, while a sixth gear would be nice particularly when you're on
the motorway. The Baleno also comes with the option
of a ‘mild hybrid’ version which matches a 1.2-litre petrol engine with a small electric
motor, though we haven’t get had the chance to drive it and we’ll save that for a full review
later on.
Pricing for the Baleno range starts from £12,999
while the range-topper is just a grand more. No, it’s not the cheapest model
in its segment but virtually no rival comes with this amount of kit as standard.
At least not at this price point. In terms of running costs, Suzuki claims the Boosterjet Baleno
can return up to 62.7mpg with 105g/km of CO2. We haven’t quite matched that, and
only returned 50.3mpg, but hybrid model can reportedly do up to 70.6mpg with just 94g/km of CO2.
From an economic standpoint though, there’s a lot about the Baleno that makes sense, particularly
considering that the £1,000 extra you’ll spend on the top trim costs less than some
individual options on some competitors. The car’s main drawback is that it lacks
some of that wow factor with a slightly frumpy design that’s a long way behind
sleeker, sexier rivals. But beauty as they say is only skin deep and there’s
a lot to like here. With plenty of space, an impressive kit
list and the energetic Boosterjet engine, the Suzuki Baleno does the sensible supermini
better than most, and for less money. But what do you think of the Suzuki Baleno?
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