Maruti Suzuki Baleno Facelift First Drive Review - Max Value Under ₹10 Lakh

With new styling, new features, and a new engine under the bonnet, does the Maruti Suzuki Baleno facelift make an impact? We drove the car recently in Bengaluru to find out. 

While everyone wants to bring a new “SUV” home, India still loves its hatchbacks very much. They are quick, comfortable, easy to drive, and most importantly easy to own. That’s exactly why the Maruti Suzuki Baleno regularly features on the ‘top 10 selling cars’ list month-on-month. It averages over 16,000 units every month, and single-handedly sells more than the Hyundai i20, Tata Altroz, and Toyota Glanza combined. Why fix something that’s not broken? Yes, but you can surely make improvements. And that’s what the Baleno facelift promises. With new styling, new features, and a new engine under the bonnet, does the Maruti Suzuki Baleno Facelift make an impact? We drove the car recently in Bengaluru to find out.

2026 Maruti Suzuki Baleno: Minimal Styling Changes

There are styling differences but only at the front. There is no change to the proportions nor to the rest of the car otherwise. You now get a wider grille with triple chrome slats and gloss-black finish mesh. Maruti calls this the third-wave grille design language, but not an i20 lookalike for some reason.

There’s a revised bumper with gloss-black finish and new LED fog lamps. The Suzuki logo rests in the space between the grille and bonnet, making for the newest feature on the hatchback - ADAS. There are superficial additions such as the chrome garnish on the front fender, and a shark-fin antenna. The 16-inch alloy wheels have been carried over, and so are the taillights. Low effort? You bet!

2026 Maruti Suzuki Baleno: Feature Upgrades

No changes to the layout here but there are thoughtful feature additions. The top variants get ventilated front seats. There’s new leatherette and fabric upholstery - very easy to maintain and likeable too. The bluish tint on the dashboard is quite nice and the plastics feel sturdy. The 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system has been carried over, and so is the semi-digital instrument console, and head-up display (HUD). There’s a new premium sound system from Clarion, which does sound better, and you get a tyre pressure monitoring system. Perhaps my favourite aspect are all the buttons in the cabin. You get dedicated buttons for the auto climate control, HUD, auto start/stop, and even the new ADAS features.

The existing features continue with wireless charging, a 360-degree view camera, height adjustable driver’s seat, one-touch up & down driver’s side window, rear AC vents, and more on offer. The rear seat experience remains the same with no change in the wheelbase. The boot, at 318 litres, is good for two medium sized bags, and is quite deep too. Maruti has not fallen for the trends and you still don’t get a sunroof on the Baleno, but I’m not complaining one bit. It helps keep the costs lower.

2026 Maruti Suzuki Baleno Engine: Lower Performance, Higher Efficiency

The Baleno now gets the 1.2-litre Z Series petrol engine from the Swift & Dzire, replacing the K Series motor. While displacement remains the same, the number of cylinders have gone down from four to three.  Power is lower too at 82 bhp, while peak torque is identical at 112 Nm. It is slightly lazier in the lower end. I would’ve liked it to be more enthusiastic. The previous 1.2-litre K-Series motor was fantastic - responsive and rev happy too. This one is not as rev happy. There is a mild clatter from the three-pot and it isn’t as refined as the older engine. The cabin sound insulation could be better too with the wind and tyre noise creeping in at high speeds. It gets noisy at the higher end, and this engine is largely built for the city and for fuel efficiency. The Baleno facelift now returns 23.80 kmpl on the manual (vs 22.34 kmpl on older model), and 24.77 kmpl on the AMT (vs 22.94 kmpl on older model).  

But Maruti is really playing to the Baleno strengths. The ride quality is good. It's very decent and it gobbles up most undulations very well. The 5-speed gearbox is slick to use. Slots into gears very well and no real complaints there. It is fantastic in the city and definitely something that most buyers will find to be very happy about.

The AMT option continues for added convenience, and so does the CNG version for lower running costs. However, there is no CNG-AMT combination on the Baleno, as there is on the Tata Altroz in the segment.

2026 Maruti Suzuki Baleno: Stronger Safety with Level 2 ADAS

A big change is the segment-first Level 2 ADAS on the Baleno facelift, making it a safer model than before. The ADAS unit uses a monocular camera and millimetre-wave radar to read the road ahead. This brings Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist and Lane Departure Warning, Advanced Emergency Braking, High Beam Assist, and more. The hatchback also offers six airbags as standard, adding another layer of safety even as the overall structure remains unchanged over the predecessor. Maruti is yet to announce the updated Bharat NCAP crash test results for the hatch.

2026 Maruti Suzuki Baleno: Verdict 

The one thing Maruti understands very well about the Baleno is that it doesn’t have to be the more powerful or more expensive. But there were shortcomings that needed to be addressed - improved NVH, more premium cabin, and overall safety. Maruti has addressed most of these. There’s now Level 2 ADAS and 6 airbags as standard. There’s a more premium cabin with more features. But NVH levels could’ve been better. All of these changes do work with what the Baleno essentially is. An easy to drive, highly efficient and low-running cost vehicle. Moreover, you get the top-spec variant with all the bells and whistles at just under ₹10 lakh on-road. Maruti has brought little improvement on every front while keeping the fundamentals in check. Eventually, that’s what matters for the Baleno buyer.