Maruti’s second premium product, the Baleno hatchback has been launched at a very aggressive price. Now although the Baleno does hold promise, it steps into the premium hatchback segment which is dominated by the Hyundai i20, and the heat has been dialed up more recently thanks to the new Honda Jazz. Here’s how Maruti’s big hatchback stacks up against the i20 and the Jazz.

Engines

The petrol variants of all three cars use 1.2-litre engines, and though difference in power figures may not be a lot, the Baleno makes a bit more power than the i20 but around 5bhp less than the Jazz. The Baleno and the i20 have similar torque figures, while the Jazz’ torque output is a hairline less.

 

When it comes to the oil burners, the Baleno has the smallest and least powerful engine of the trio followed by the i20. The Honda Jazz has a power advantage here as well, by almost 10bhp. The i20 has the highest torque output of the trio followed by the Jazz and then the Baleno.

 

For buyers looking at automatic variants, there's only the Jazz and the Baleno to pick from. The Jazz petrol has a CVT option, and the Baleno petrol will be coming with one too.