2022 Maruti Baleno: Worth The Wait Or Should You Go For One Of Its Rivals?

The updated hatchback looks sportier and gets many more premium features than before

Update: Maruti has launched the new Baleno on February 23. It's priced from Rs 6.35 lakh to Rs 9.49 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). 

The Baleno hatchback is one of Maruti’s best-selling models despite being a premium offering, sold via Nexa outlets. It is getting its biggest update yet with refreshed looks, new dashboard, and a host of segment-first features. It will be making its market debut soon and most of its details have already surfaced online. But is the new Baleno worth the wait, or should you opt for one of its readily-available rivals? Let’s find out.

All prices are ex-showroom India

Hyundai i20: BUY for sporty looks, premium interior and wide variety of powertrains

The third-gen Hyundai i20 arrived in India in 2021 with a modern and sporty design along with a set of premium tech. Its feature set includes a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Blue Link connected car tech, Bose sound system and a digitised instrument cluster. The i20 also offers the biggest variety of powertrains with three engines: 83PS 1.2-litre petrol, 120PS 1-litre turbo-petrol, and 100PS 1.5-litre diesel. Each of them is offered with a manual transmission (clutchless manual for the turbo-petrol) and both petrol engines get the choice of an automatic as well.

Tata Altroz: BUY for good looks, and a 5-star GNCAP safety rating

The Altroz is the most recent addition to the segment and one of the best-looking hatchbacks in the market. It is fairly well-equipped in terms of comforts and tech, with the unique choice of custom feature sets depending on the variant. The features on offer include a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, semi-digital instrument cluster, connected car tech and ambient lighting. Tata offers three engines to choose from: 86PS 1.2-litre petrol, 110PS 1.2-litre turbo-petrol, and 90PS 1.5-litre diesel. All three are mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. While a DCT-option is expected to be offered soon, the Altroz does not offer any automatic options. It was crash tested by Global NCAP in 2020 where it secured a five star safety rating.

Honda Jazz: BUY for spacious cabin, smooth CVT automatic and Honda-badge value

Honda revived the Jazz in 2020 with a BS6-compliant petrol engine, minor cosmetic changes and added features. It is best known for its spacious and comfortable cabin. The dashboard may seem aged in design but its not short on conveniences. The Jazz comes with a sunroof, cruise control, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and all-around LED lighting. Safety is covered by dual front airbags, rear parking sensors, ABS with EBD and rearview camera as standard. It recently scored a 4-star safety rating from Global NCAP.

Volkswagen Polo: BUY for affordable performance and sporty driving traits

The Volkswagen Polo is one of the oldest hatchbacks in the market, considering it has not received a generational update in over a decade. It still stands out from the crowd for its dynamic capabilities and German build-quality. The Polo is offered with a 75PS 1-litre petrol and 110PS 1-litre turbo-petrol engines, both with a manual transmission. The latter is also offered with a 6-speed automatic. Its feature set includes rain sensing wipers, 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system, cruise control and auto AC with rear AC vents.

2022 Maruti Baleno: HOLD for feature-rich cabin and efficient petrol engine

This is the most significant update for the Maruti Baleno to date. Its refresh includes cosmetic updates front and rear. However, the bigger changes are inside the cabin with a new dashboard layout for the 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It will offer some segment-first features as well, such as the head-up display, Amazon Alexa support and 360-degree parking camera. The update also adds six airbags, connected car tech, wireless phone charging and rear AC vents to the Baleno’s feature set.

Also read: 2022 Maruti Baleno: The Complete Variant-wise Features List

The only engine option will be a 1.2-litre petrol unit making 90PS mated to a 5-speed manual with the choice of an AMT. Bookings for the new Baleno are already underway with the launch slated for February 23.