Why The Baleno Facelift Misses Out On The 1-Litre Boosterjet? Partho Banerjee, Maruti Suzuki Explains

Maruti Suzuki recently introduced the Baleno facelift, and while the hatchback gets several segment-first features, a clear miss was the addition of the turbocharged petrol engine. There was an expectation that the 1.0-litre Boosterjet would be a part of the updated version, considering the recently introduced Brezza facelift got one. Moroever, the Baleno  had a turbo petrol option in the previous generation. When quizzed about the omission, Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, explained that the choice was more to do with what customers wanted and a turbo petrol wasn’t one of them.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Baleno launch, Partho San explained that the customers prefer more features than a more powerful engine on the Baleno. Citing the example of the new Brezza, there was a clear demand for a more powerful engine option on the subcompact SUV. On the flip side, the Baleno customer is looking to hold on to the high fuel efficiency-low maintenance cost proposition. The addition of new features on the Baleno aims to provide more “value engineering” without straying away from the core product attributes.

Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Baleno Facelift Launched In India, Prices Start At ₹6.10 Lakh

Partho san further said, “Because of the type of customers who are buying this product. They are going to buy the next level of the car [higher segment] in another four to five years. I'm able to give him that experience today.”

Customer feedback prioritised the need for more features on the Baleno facelift over a more powerful engine. The premium hatchback is now equipped with a segment-first Level 2 ADAS, which brings driver aids such as Adaptive Cruise Control, High-Beam Alert, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, and more. There’s also ventilated front seats, which are not available on the Hyundai i20 and Tata Altroz (barring the Racer edition), while the update also brings a tyre pressure monitoring system on the top trims and six airbags as part of the standard kit. The Baleno is now one of the most accessible cars to get ADAS in India, with the top-spec Alpha variant priced from ₹9.10 lakh (ex-showroom).

Banerjee emphasised Maruti’s robust sales and service network as well as low cost of servicing and maintenance remain the foundation stone. He iterated that different products cater to different customer needs. “The Baleno is a premium hatchback, not a performance car. A younger buyer would be looking for a product with more zip. The Baleno customer is a more calm, sophisticated and composed guy. He does not need the zip, as per the feedback we’ve received.”

For now, customers looking for a turbocharged Maruti will have to rely on the Fronx and Brezza. Both are SUVs and continue to drive Maruti Suzuki’s growth, even as the automaker is confident about hatchback demand not going away. That said, SUVs now contribute about 32 per cent to the automaker’s total sales, and the company is planning to bring seven new SUVs to the market in the next five years.