The new feature-packed Maruti Suzuki Baleno takes on Hyundai i20, Tata Altroz

India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki on Wednesday announced the launch of its latest premium hatchback, the 2022 Baleno, at a starting price of Rs 6.35 lakh for the base Sigma variant going up to Rs9.49 lakh for the top-end Alpha automatic trim. The all-new Baleno takes on other successful hatchbacks like Hyundai i20, Tata Altroz, Honda Jazz and VW Polo.

The company has invested Rs 1,150 crore towards the new model development.

It gets an extensive upgrade, especially when it comes to the technology inside the car. While the platform and powertrain remain the same, it gets a new bumper along with a wider and slimmer grille. It gets a 9-inch Smartplay Pro standalone touchscreen and over 40 connected-car features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Alexa assistance, head-up Display, wireless charging, a new sound system with ARKAMYS tuning and a 360-view camera view. Safety also takes a centre stage as the car comes with six-airbags.

“Many of us have 2-wheelers and many aspire for a car. It is the responsibility of the market leader to provide wheels to their dreams. We think, for mass motorisation of India; a compact car is an ideal solution. A market leader has to be present in all segments,” Kenichi Ayukawa, Maruti Suzuki MD and CEO said.

The company wants to focus on compact cars even as SUVs continue to be the fastest-growing segment in India. “Our parent, Suzuki Motor Corporation along with our engineering team at Maruti Suzuki has the expertise to provide a delightful package in compact cars,” Ayukawa said.

The company said that Baleno has been among India’s top 5 selling cars since launch and is the only brand to reach the fastest ever 1 million sales mark in the Indian automobile industry. But experts have long argued that till now Maruti hasn’t focussed on in-car technology as much as the competition. But with the new Baleno, the company can boast two segment-first features: the customisable 5.5-inch heads up display (HUD) and the 360-degree parking camera system which helps in easier parking.

The company still has challenges like supply-side issues, semiconductor shortage, increasing raw material prices, etc. to deal with. “Leaving the supply side issues aside, the demand in the market looks promising. Even today we have about 2.7 lakh bookings. We are making all efforts to fulfill this demand at the earliest and live-up to the trust placed by our customers,” he said.