Maruti Suzuki is expected to launch a heavily facelifted version in 2022
Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) has announced a major sales milestone for the Maruti Baleno premium hatchback. 10 lakh units of the car have been retailed in the country, in a six-year time frame.
The Baleno has been one of the highest volume drivers for Maruti Suzuki India. One lakh units were sold in under a year of its market debut while the next one lakh came in under 8 months! The 6 lakh mark was achieved in the next two years and the 7 lakh milestone in December 2019. Despite the pandemic ravishing automotive sales, Maruti Suzuki sold 1 lakh Balenos in the 10 months that followed. The final 2 lakh to the epic 1 million mark was covered between October 2020 and November 2021.
Maruti Baleno: What Is It And Why?
The Baleno was essentially Maruti’s answer to the Hyundai i20 which at the time of its launch, was garnering much customer attention. It also happens to be the biggest success from Nexa- the manufacturer’s premium retailer network. With the right value propositions in place, Baleno locked horns with the i20 for long, and in the course of time outwitted the Korean in sales. The sales battle between these was fierce and together, they shaped the premium hatchback scene in India.
Baleno is built on Maruti’s new-gen Heartect platform that now underpins multiple other models like the Swift, Wagon R, and the recently launched Celerio 2021. Powering it is a 1.2L VVT 4 cylinder petrol engine that churns out 82 hp and 113 Nm, paired to a 5-speed manual transmission and a CVT. A more powerful 89hp Dualjet Dual VVT engine is also available which comes mated just to a 5-speed manual gearbox.
ALSO READ: 2021 Maruti Celerio Manual Review: Bigger N Better!
The competition is getting fierce in the premium hatch space. There are a handful of models in the game now, like the all-new Hyundai i20, i20 N Line, Tata Altroz, and updated Honda Jazz, all competing aggressively with each other for an upper hand in the market share. Our reviews would give you better insights into these. To stay strong in the game, Maruti Suzuki is now working on a heavily updated Baleno facelift, which is hoped to roll out in 2022. Also known to debut soon is a crossover/coupe based on the Baleno, for the SUV-savvy…
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