Autocar India
RA

Rajesh

•34w

I am confused about the Maruti Baleno. How are its performance and safety standards? Is it available in CNG?

Anshuman Singh

Anshuman Singh

Verified
•34w
The Maruti Suzuki Baleno is a spacious, comfortable, and reliable premium hatchback with a good amount of features. Its 1.2-litre petrol engine offers decent performance, and it's peppy around town, though the Hyundai i20 N-Line with its 120hp 1.0 T-GDi engine offers stronger performance.
On the safety front, the Maruti Baleno gets 6 airbags as standard, and has received a 4-star rating from Bharat NCAP. The Maruti Baleno is available in CNG, albeit only in the mid-range Delta and Zeta trim levels.

More questions on similar cars

VS

Viral Shah

•1d

I purchased the Mahindra XEV e9 70 days ago. I am living in Ahmedabad City. Most of the travel is inside the city. After a full charge of 79 kV, my car runs only 190 km till 15 % battery. The company claims 590 km. The dealer told me 450 km, but my car ran 190 km. What to do?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•19h

That is significantly lower than expected. In our real-world testing, the Mahindra XEV 9e delivered around 425 km in the city, 488 km on the highway and a combined figure of 456 km. So getting only 190 km from 100 percent down to 15 percent is nowhere near normal performance.Even allowing for heavy AC use, aggressive driving or dense city traffic, that kind of drop is excessive. This is not something that should be dismissed as normal EV behaviour. We would strongly recommend getting Mahindra to inspect the car immediately, because this could point to a battery calibration issue, software problem or another efficiency-related fault. A range figure that low on a 79 kWh battery is simply not in line with what the car is capable of delivering in the real world.

VehicleMahindra XEV 9e
RA

Rakesh

•1d

My newly purchased Grand Vitara base model mileage is only 11KPL. What is the actual KPL?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•1d

If this is a new Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara base petrol (mild-hybrid, manual or automatic depending on your variant), 11 kpl is not necessarily abnormal in the initial period, especially if the car is driven mostly in city traffic.A few things matter here. A brand-new engine usually loosens up after the first 1,500 to 3,000 km, so fuel efficiency can improve slightly after break-in. Driving style, AC usage, traffic conditions and trip length also make a huge difference. Short city runs with frequent stops can easily pull efficiency down.So if you are seeing 11 kpl in dense city use, that is actually within a believable range. If this is highway driving or very light traffic, then it would feel low.

VehicleMaruti Suzuki Grand Vitara
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Adam

•3d

My new Kia Seltos DCT 2026 rolled forward on a slightly inclined surface even after shifting to neutral. It has also happened once on a flatter surface. Is this normal?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•3d

If your Kia Seltos rolled forward after you shifted to Neutral, that by itself is not a fault. In Neutral, the gearbox is disengaged, so even a slight incline can cause the car to roll unless the brake pedal or parking brake is applied. That is normal behaviour.The only nuance is with DCTs, even when in Drive mode on slopes. Unlike a torque converter automatic, a DCT can allow a slight rollback or roll forward on gradients before the clutch fully engages, which is normal for this type of gearbox. The best way to handle this is to keep the auto hold function activated, as it keeps the brakes applied when the car is stationary and only releases them once you get on the throttle, preventing any unintended movement.

VehicleKia Seltos

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Popular discussions right now

MA

Mohammed Ashiq

•5d

I am planning to buy a new car mainly for long-distance travel comfort. Which would be the better option among the Elevate, Hyryder, and Citroen Aircross? My priorities are comfort, power, and performance.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•3d

Being a Fiat Punto Evo owner, you're likely to lean towards the Citroen Aircross for its outstanding ride-handling balance, overall comfort, and its strong turbo-petrol powertrain. Fundamentally, it is excellent, and with the new interiors and feature set, it does make you feel like you've spent your money well. The only downside and perhaps the biggest deal-breaker for many is that its sales and support network is limited, compared to other brands. But if you have a Citroen touchpoint close to you, this is a car you must surely consider.In comparison, the Honda Elevate will be a more conventional option. What's nice is that its ride quality and long-distance comfort are quite good too, and its 1.5 naturally aspirated petrol engine delivers strong performance.

VehicleCitroen Aircross
VehicleHonda Elevate
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lakkhan

•5d

Is it worth considering buying an Audi in India at the moment over rivals like Mercedes-Benz or BMW? Could you please explain whether there are any risks associated with purchasing an Audi currently?

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•4d

From a pure product perspective, Audi’s cars like the A4, Q3 and the Q7 remain genuinely strong. Cabin quality is excellent, refinement is top-notch, quattro-equipped models are hugely capable, and the overall ownership experience can be perfectly satisfying. Where Mercedes and BMW currently have the edge is brand momentum, product freshness and showroom pull. Mercedes has the broadest luxury portfolio, while BMW arguably has the more engaging cars to drive in several segments. Audi, by comparison, has felt quieter in recent years, with fewer headline launches and slightly less buzz.Audi India remains committed, and service support for existing owners is not a concern in the way people sometimes fear.

VehicleAudi A4
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VehicleAudi Q7
UD

Udit

•6d

I currently drive a petrol Baleno that is about 8 years old. My monthly running has increased to around 2,500-3,000km. Should I install a CNG kit or look for a used BS6 diesel car? My maximum budget is Rs 6 lakh.

Autocar India team

Autocar India

Verified
•6d

At your kind of running, moving away from petrol does make financial sense, but we would first look at how that 2,500 to 3,000 km a month is split between city and highway use.If a large chunk of it is on a highway, a well-maintained used BS6 diesel can make sense because the fuel savings will be meaningful, and the usage pattern suits modern diesel engines far better. If, however, this mileage is mostly city traffic, we would avoid a BS6 diesel because DPF-related issues can become a headache with repeated stop-and-go use.Installing an authorised aftermarket CNG kit on your Maruti Baleno is absolutely legal, provided it is a government-approved kit, fitted by an authorised installer and the RC and insurance are updated accordingly. Financially, this is the lower-risk route if your Baleno is otherwise mechanically healthy, because you will recover the conversion cost relatively quickly with your kind of running. The trade-off is some loss of boot space and a drop in performance.

VehicleMaruti Suzuki Baleno

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Posted on: 27 Sept 2025