The Maruti Baleno premium hatchback has managed to dethrone the erstwhile segment leader Hyundai Elite i20 for the month of November, entering the top 10 best selling cars list in the process. According to Industry date, the latest offering from Maruti Suzuki clocked 9,074 units last month as against the Elite i20’s tally of 8,264 units.
The festive season has cleared given the new premium hatchback an edge over its rivals. The sales performance is impressive considering that the Baleno is retailed only through the premium Nexa dealership network which currently has presence only in major cities across the country.
The strong momentum is expected to continue in the coming months as the hatchback has garnered over 40,000 bookings already. Based on Suzuki’s new compact global platform, the Baleno is manufactured exclusively in India for the entire globe including Japan.
The hatchback is sold exclusively through Nexa outlets.For the Indian market, the Elite i20 rival is powered by the familiar 84.5 PS 1.2-litre K-Series petrol and 75 PS 1.3-litre DDiS 190 diesel engines. The former is mated either to a 5-speed MT or CVT while the latter is available only with a 5-speed MT. A recent media report suggests that a more powerful diesel variant could be introduced at a later stage.
Also read – Maruti Baleno crash leaves 4 dead
A fresh design inside out, good interior space and impressive standard features make the Maruti Baleno a good value proportion. The car has an introductory price range of INR 4.99 – 8.11 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Maruti Baleno – Photos
Via – Economictimes.Indiatimes.com
