Despite our fascination with SUVs, the Baleno remains one of the best selling cars and in its new form has been even more popular. Launched in 2022, the new Baleno is stronger and more efficient while getting a new cabin design as well. Hence, there could not be a better car to test for three months to see whether it has moved the hatchback game forward. While there is a lot of limelight on the AMT variant the manual is cheaper and we chose that for our test. The recipe is simple and fun with a 1.2 petrol and a manual gearbox also. In our traffic, a manual could be tiring but the light and slick manual happens to be one of the easiest to live with on a daily basis. The 5-speed manual has a slick throw and a light clutch (lighter than the previous one) which means you won't be tired after a long day.
We also noticed that the engine is slightly more tractable than the earlier Baleno 1.2 and requires less downshifts. Its primary job was more of a city based hatch for us and on my daily runs, the nimble Baleno with the manual proved more fun too. 90bhp and 113Nm proved to be more than enough for city use and the Baleno shoots off with the enthusiasm of a quick hatchback. Of course, we missed the strong punch of a turbo petrol but the Baleno's engine has just about enough oomph to encourage you to rev it while driving it hard.
The power delivery is linear but you can have fun with this car. Compared to the previous Baleno there is also more refinement and it is much quieter while also feeling more solid with its build. The other bit improved is the suspension which goes along with the improved NVH. It feels less firm at low speeds and is more absorbent while crucially it feels more stable at high speeds. This new Baleno is vastly changed and features a new suspension plus the steering which is much more direct. The new steering maintains lightness at low speeds but feels much more tighter. Of course the self centering steering is a very important addition too.
Of course the question is 'kitna deti hain?" and I will admit the savings on fuel was eye-opening. The 2022 Baleno is vastly more efficient over rivals and even the petrol manual is efficient when driven in a spirited manner. Of course the AMT is more efficient but the manual is very close at 17-18 kmpl while highway figures rise a lot more too. This is a very efficient car and part reason for its appeal is that as well.
The interior is the most important part and more than the exterior styling while here the new cabin is very well done. Quality, fit and finish levels have jumped up and so is the tech on board. The heads-up display is not a gimmick and it does help in reducing your time with a few crucial seconds shaved off by not looking at the instrument cluster. The display and the customisable info is also a nice touch. The central screen is also new and looks much better while the 360 degree camera is a huge change while making sure you squeeze into those tight parking spots. While the display resolution could be more crisp, the multiple angles do help greatly. The new audio system is also an improvement over the earlier Baleno too.
The previous Baleno lacked comfort in terms of its seats with the new model having much better comfort while legroom/headroom is class best. There are now rear ac vents but there is no middle headrest which is a bit of a miss. The boot is decent but not very huge.
The top-end Baleno manual is priced at Rs 9.3 lakh and I feel it is the one to buy since the manual version is more fun without sacrificing on convenience. You get all of the Baleno benefits as seen on the last gen model but now there is more comfort, technology and it is a much better driving experience including the new suspension. If you like driving, then the manual version is the one to go for and for this price, the combination of efficiency and everyday useability is hard to beat.
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