Maruti Suzuki Baleno – evo fleet

My Baleno is our go-to car for shoots and because of it being used extensively by the whole team, the clutch plate has been due for a replacement for weeks. After a spa session at Maruti Suzuki service centre, it is back and is as good as new.

During the Christmas holidays I drove down to Alibaug for a family weekend. That’s where I discovered a few shortcomings. For starters, the steering has no feel and needed constant correction. The ride is slightly on the stiffer side for a Maruti; as a result, it is one of the sportier Maruti’s in recent times but for someone with a family and a dog, it could be a little uncomfortable as we experienced on our holiday. On the positive side, my family along with my photography equipment and all the luggage fit comfortably with a lot of space to spare, which is excellent packaging for a hatchback. Then there’s the brilliant infotainment system that can give cars one segment above, a run for their money. The Baleno is also an attention grabber, thanks to the bright DRLs. There have been instances, where people have left signalling, to switch the lights off. Yes the light strips are that bright.  And how can I forget about the excellent fuel efficiency! My office commute is really long and I end up driving over 40km in a day. However hard you push, the figure never drops below 14kmpl, even in heavy traffic. Highway runs you ask? 18-20kmpl is guaranteed.

Date acquired : December 2015
Duration of test : 14 months
Total mileage : 14,900km
Mileage this month : 850km
Overall kmpl : 14.6kmpl
Costs this month : Nil