My Maruti Suzuki Baleno story will always be the one where I got told off by the control room at the BIC for driving too fast'. Maybe there was some spinning out involved, maybe there wasn't let's not get into too much detail. The Baleno in question was the RS version, the short-lived hot hatch that Maruti briefly experimented with before pulling the plug (it didn't think upgrading the 1.0 boosterjet engine to meet BS6 norms was worth the trouble). I've always thought this was a shame, since the RS did amp the fun factor up. What it also did was to set a certain benchmark for entertainment for the Baleno, at least as far as I was concerned. Does the refreshed model live up to that standard? I drove it around north Goa to find out; it's a hardship posting, I know, but someone's gotta do it.
But first, that heads-up display that everyone's been talking about. A HUD is something that first appeared in aviation, so as to enable pilots to see critical information in their line of sight rather than having to look down. It soon trickled down to cars, and is normally found on high-end models (BMW loves HUDs, in particular), but Maruti has decided to put the HUD among the instrument panels (as it were) and make the Baleno stand out not just in its segment but a few notches above. In short, I like it — it's a great active safety feature because it allowed me to keep my eyes on the road while still being aware of speed, engine revs, fuel efficiency and the like. And it looks pretty slick, too.
Clean, readable analogue dials - nice to see
Controls for the HUD and 360-degree camera
The cabin has a predominance of dark colours, but it's well finished and classy
That HUD is actually quite useful
Esta historia es de la edición March 2022 de Motoring World.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición March 2022 de Motoring World.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Z-Eneration Gap
A 22-year-old named after a Lamborghini goes for a drive in a rather stunning one
QUARTER TO FUN
The updates to the quarter-litre Pulsar have made it all the more engaging to ride
MR NICE GUY
The Transalp plays all nice unless you know the right buttons to push
B FOR BOOSTERJET
The three-cylinder turbo petrol from Maruti Suzuki makes an impressive comeback
SILENT CHARGE
BYD's plans of global domination rely on the Seal. Does it have enough to wake up the sedan segment?
ONE'S A FUN?
With one motor, how good is the Scandi-SUV?
RATED 3X
The thoroughly competent XUV 300 has a new name, a new face and posterior and loads more features. What does all this add up to?
FIGHTING SPIRIT
The Jeep Wrangler reigns supreme for adventure seekers with its unmatched capability and undeniable heritage
SECURELY SUSTAINABLE
A safe and sustainable product in the Indian luxury EV space
FORCE FED
There's an updated Gurkha 3-door in town, alongside a brand-new Gurkha 5-door. Do they pass muster?