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Suzuki Baleno 2022.

The new Suzuki Baleno hits the market: older, richer and more expensive.

The compact five-door has been transformed both outside and inside. Moreover, the list of available equipment is significantly expanded.

Hatchback, for which the name Baleno was revived (in the ’90s, there was a whole family with such name in Suzuki’s lineup), is produced since 2015; modest modernization was conducted in 2019.

The model was conceived as a global one, even the possibility of its appearance in Russia was considered.

But it did not reach us, did not take root in Europe: in this region sales were finally closed in 2020.

Nevertheless, in India, where the basic manufacture site is located (Maruti Suzuki — the daughter of Japanese company — is responsible for its release), the five-door is in great demand: last year it was sold there 172 237 units (+12%) — and it is the third best-selling car in the country (Maruti Suzuki Swift is on the second line, Maruti Suzuki Wagon R is leading).

In general, it is not surprising that Indians are the first to get a hatchback that has gone through a full-fledged restyling.

Suzuki Baleno now has more «adult» design. The model received new headlights with a squint and three L-shaped LED lights (the headlights themselves can be LED too), the radiator grille became wider and the rear lights have additional sections, which swim on the luggage door.

The fifth door itself is new, as is the hood. The bumpers have also been replaced.

The length is cut by 5 mm to 3990 mm, the height is now 1500 mm (-10 mm compared to the pre-reform hatchback).

Width and wheelbase are the same — 1745 and 2520 mm, respectively.

The interior has a new front panel, steering wheel, dashboard and climate control.

In addition, Baleno has gained a modern multimedia system with a 9-inch touchscreen (in a simpler range — is still a 7-inch), which rises above the panel, due to which the central air deflectors had to move lower (in the restyling hatchback they are on the sides of the tablet).

Expensive versions from now on also have a projection display, six airbags (the pre-reform Indian Baleno has two «airbag») and a camera all-around vision.

In India, Maruti Suzuki Baleno is offered with petrol four-cylinder «atmospheric» Dual Jet K12N 1.2, and all versions have start-stop system now, thus, the engine produces 90 h.p. on all variants of execution (capacity of the engine without addition made 83 h.p. in «simple» before-restyling hatchbacks).

Five-step «mechanics» has remained in service, and a robotized gearbox has replaced variator. Also, Maruti Suzuki said that the suspension was reconfigured.

After a restyling, the hatch has become more expensive. If a pre-reformed Baleno was on sale last fall (the hatch has been already removed from sales) and cost Rs. 599,000 (about 641,000 rubles at the current exchange rate), the updated basic model is sold for at least 635,000 rupees (about 680,000 rubles).

The top-of-the-line new hatchback will cost 949,000 rupees (1,015,000 rubles).

By the way, in India Baleno is considered as «premium», it is sold through separate dealer network Maruti Suzuki — Nexa (to premium models of Suzuki there also belong parkettes S-Cross/SX4 and Ignis, crossover XL6 and sedan Ciaz).

After Baleno, its clones from Toyota should be restyled: in India, it is Glanza, and in Africa — Starlet.