Baleno dislodges i20 from top-selling Premium Hatchback Spot

The hysteria for Maruti's new offering Baleno has helped it in dislodging Hyundai’s i20 from the spot of top selling premium hatchback. Indo-Japanese carmaker was able to sell 10,572 units of Baleno in December 2015 as compared to 10,379 units of Hyundai’s i20. Maruti is ready with its lineup for the 2016 Auto Expo. One of the three cars to be displayed at the automobile event is Baleno RS which comes with sportier looks. Other two automobiles to be showcased by the company are Vitara Brezza and Ignis Concept.

Baleno was launched three months ago with two engine options viz. 1.3L diesel and 1.2L petrol. While the carmaker was praised for introducing refreshed looks and new interiors, it faced criticism for alleged underpowered mills. 1.3L diesel delivers a maximum power of 74 bhp with 1.2L petrol capable of 83 bhp. Working on the feedback received, the automaker is now working on a more powerful engine of capacity 1.0 litre which will be able to churn out a maximum power of 110 bhp with 170 Nm torque. Baleno RS is expected to run on this engine. The car is being sold through Nexa showroom channel along with S-Cross to give customers a unique experience. Although Baleno has been able to remove i20 from the top spot for a while, chances are high that Hyundai’s vehicle will bounce back. i20 has ruled the premium hatchback segment for long and it looks less likely that the South Korean automaker will give up this spot easily.

Watch First Drive of Maruti Baleno

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