Killer Looks II. Review on Maruti Suzuki Baleno

Killer looks II

Now that I own the Maruti Suzuki “Baleno” having driven it for around 1000 Kms in first 10 days here’s what I have to say…….

Buying experience

The dealer was very responsive and completed all the paperwork in due time. I did not have to do anything, the dealer sent his executive for all paper collection and signatures to my door steps. I opted for 3 yrs finance on 90% of car value.

My down payment cheque was around 1,70000 with break up of 70k as10% of car value + 1 EMI of 21000 + taxes and insurance and registration. Also inclusive of 2000 for special car number.

Now a huge cash discount of 80000 meant that I had to pay only 90,000. So, I could retain my old santro much to happiness of my wife. She is still afraid of driving this huge car in Mumbai traffic.

The car was delivered on the promised date despite of huge rainfall in Mumbai in the first week of July. The dealer executives were quite enthusiastic and responsive. My wife was really thankful to the garland and tilak provided by dealer, even a pack of sweets.

Great, Now I know why maruti dealers are rated 1st in whole of country.

Ownership Experience.

I am being absolutely honest here, when I bought in the building compound, looked really old as compared to the shining year old maruti wagon “R” parked next to it. Believe me the car is totally lackluster. Maruti must seriously do something about the paint treatment of Baleno. I thought it was only my car that looks lack luster but then on, I have been eying every baleno more avidly then a college Romeo eyes the new admissions, still results are same. And the rain soaked muddy roads of Mumbai do not help the looks further.

That day onwards, a guy in his shorts vigorously rubbing/washing an old looking car has become a usual sight in our society, every morning.

To rub in some salt in to my already bleeding wound, two of my neighbors quipped “a Honda city would have had been definitely a better choice as a second hand sedan” C’mon…..

Anyway maruti has made a feeble attempt to give it sporty look with a rear spoiler and alloy wheels, (make sure you get all 5 as alloy wheels and not the normal wheel in the dickey). But you can’t make a pregnant women do cat walk even if she is wearing designer maternity gown.

Interiors.

Press the remote key button and that opens the “alibaba’s cave” believe me the car is so different from inside. It is almost impossible otherwise I would have had loved to put all the residents of my building at least once inside my car and then would have clicked their photos with agape mouths and stuck those photos to their door knockers early Sunday morning, that’s the day I polish my car. “ Bus itnasa Khwab hai”

Coming back. The car is spacious. The driver seat has height adjustable seat with tilting steering wheel. There is nice recess below the Kenwood MP3 player, to accommodate your CD’s/music collection. Nothing fancy here, a plain simple nice MP3 player with a remote. I was planning to upgrade system and speakers to Sony-Explode but that would mean cutting the mount opening for rear speaker to make it oval and then the speakers would show. Now the company fitted speakers don’t show from top, they are covered neatly.

Below the MP3 player is that worth its weight in gold automatic climate control. It’s simply superb, no doubt it was rated best in its class by auto drive, even above Mercedes “S” class sedan. All you have to do is push the button auto and set the required temperature within minutes if not seconds you start feeling the effect. I am sure because its rainy season the A/C is chilling fast but mind you the heat can be pretty intense out in the sun even in July. I am planning to get V- kool films fitted. (got a quote of Rs. 12,000 for same). Louvers are nice and firm the blower positions can be controlled electrically, just like the 2 side view mirrors. Rear view mirror is large enough to read the graffiti on the ever imposing trucks behind you.

There is nice rectangular recess to accommodate odd things but best suited for tissue box. The view on whole is uncluttered and expansive. The steering wheel comes with leather wrap but I found it to be slipping readily.

Start the key, do not start the engine..Wait a minute, shut down and then crank it…funny.. That’s the way I am told to start the car every morning by the customer care executive at the dealer. He claims that it takes some time for the car to flood the fuel lines so first ignition on, is to flood the lines and then the next crank is fast and soft. There is definitely some resistance; I mean it takes a bit more cranking initially if you do not follow the prescribed ritual.

The engine starts purring, release the brake and loosen out. The clutch is smooth/progressive but a bit hard for this class of car.

The car pulls out effortlessly, gear change was a bit mushy and vague on the first few days but slowly started getting very precise and metallic as the days progressed. The car pulls up to 3 rd gear effortlessly and then onwards there is loads of power under that hood. The manual states 91 BHP @5500 RPM but to me it translates in to, no down gear shifting to 3 rd when over taking in tight spot. In 4th gear I can drive the car right from thane to VT without a single gear change. I took the car out of Mumbai to a place called Pali some 110 Km from thane and I tried all the maneuvers like high speed braking albeit I did not push the car above 80 KmPH max as the car is yet to undergo first servicing. I also tried to keep the tachometer below 3000 RPM always. But the car did not fail me when need took the needle in the proximity of 6000 RPM. Taught that show off qualis tourister a good lesson.

The car remains firmly planted on sudden and high speed braking no wallowing or skidding at all. The noise management is excellent. Worth all its 13 noise reduction parameters working full time. Interiors of Baleno are comforting and relaxing even in the middle of the chaotic S V road traffic Jam. I even tried the rear seat comfort with chauffer behind the wheels and loved the under thigh support. Biggest problem in many sedans is you keep slipping off the rear seats. The rear seat dividing hand rests ads to royalty value.

The suspensions are nice cushy and do excellent job of dampening those typical hidden Mumbai road pot holes. But as many have written in their reviews with 5 people aboard you better be careful over speed breakers I scrapped the bottom at least twice.

The fabric inserts on door walls look excellent and colour combination is designed to take some amount of abuse. The luggage compartment is huge and maruti is now a days providing the mercedish Hazard - Warning radium triangle as standard kit.

In a mixed running of 30% out of city and 70% within teh city teh car returned an average of 12 KmPL. but that’s before first servicing.

I think I have written enough to express my total opinion about this car, but to explain it clearly. When I asked my friends (owners of cars like Honda city, ford fiesta, Corsa sail ) to test drive the car and sum up in single word; mind you at different time and different place, they all summed it up by saying “smooth”

Coincidence….???? Hardly.

So that’s my BALENO with killer looks……….