2015 Maruti Baleno review, road test

Not since the launch of the Swift a decade ago have we seen a Maruti that comes with such high expectations. The Baleno isn’t just another hatchback, but the business-class ticket for Maruti to go upmarket. After the lukewarm response to the S-Cross, Maruti is banking on the Baleno to tempt buyers into its new Nexa retail network that’s been painstakingly developed to pander to a more discerning and snootier lot of consumers. Maruti has thrown everything it possibly can into the new Baleno, which is a completely new car and the first on an all-new Suzuki platform. It has absolutely no link with the Baleno sedan from a decade ago and is positioned instead as a premium hatchback to directly take on the likes of the Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz and VW Polo. But is the Baleno premium enough to make customers bite?