Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS Price in India
Maruti is stepping up their game in the Indian market and of
late they have been pushing the envelope in various new dimensions.
The carmaker introduced their premium NEXA brand having niche products
to taste the higher end of the mass market segment. Maruti recently
experimented a different design direction with the launch of the Ignis
targeting millennials and now they are finally entering the
performance oriented segment. Yes, we are talking about the new Baleno
RS that comes with a brand new BoosterJet engine. We just drove the
hot hatch at the Buddh International Circuit, testing the limits of
the 1.0-litre turbo petrol motor. The RS moniker here stands for ‘Road
Sport’ and we see if the first performance-centric hatch from Maruti
justifies the RS badge.
EXTERIORS AND INTERIORS
The Baleno Rs. (Road Sport, not rally sport, according to
Maruti) is the car market leader’s first attempt at creating what is
closest to a hot hatch. In the Indian context, this belongs to the
performance category, while elsewhere in the world, this is just one
more engine variant of the Baleno; and in most cases meant to help
meet more stringent emission norms. But, what is in a name… or should
we say an appendage. The numbers should still excite petrol-heads. How
does 102 hp of power and 150 Nm of torque sound to you? Not bad for a
sub-one-litre engine in a sub-tonne hatch, right?
But, before we get carried away by the new Boosterjet engine
and its prowess, let us get past the Baleno RS’s design identity. From
a distance, the new sportier version of the Baleno could pass off as
the existing model, except maybe from the rear and if you had a keen
eye. Maruti Suzuki has chosen to keep the unique features on the RS’s
exterior to a fair minimum. It has got a new bonnet grille with a grey
metallic chrome surround and a new bumper at the front with what looks
like a large airdam and aggressive profile. Faux skirts in the same
grey metallic chrome finish run along the sides and under the front
fender. The rear features a considerably altered fender compared to
the regular Baleno’s. There is also the rear spoiler at the roof and
the mid-tail gate chrome half spoiler with the reversing camera in the
middle. The only place where the Rs. appendage is visible is at the
rear with the badge in blue. The most unique and good looking feature
of the new Rs. variant are the black alloy wheels.
The changes to the Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS’s cabin are similarly minimal.
The interior is offered in an all-black avatar, in keeping with a very
sophisticated, European flavour. The touchscreen infotainment screen
and the coloured multi-information display in the instrument cluster
with the helpful power and torque delivery identified in a real-time
circular chart format have both been carried forward from the current
Baleno’s cabin. The RS’s cabin is otherwise identical and doesn’t
sport any Rs. identifiers. But the Baleno’s cabin was already a good
jump in fit and finish quality
PERFORMANCE
It doesn’t take much time to realise what this car is capable
- Shift into first gear, release the clutch and press the
accelerator in under a second you might start to feel that everything
around you is being fast-forwarded. The car touches a speed of 100kph
in a little over 10 seconds, and has a top speed of 180kph. The
Boosterjet pulls strongly from 2000rpm onwards, and keeps pulling
beyond 5000rpm, so you never feel the car is running out of power,
except when the rev limiter kicks in at above 6000rpm.
Now it’s a powerful engine, yet it is frugal. The claimed
fuel-efficiency is a high 21.1kpl. The car has a fuel tank of 37
litres and an ideal range of over 700km on a full tank.
(Part of the reason the Baleno RS is so quick is that it’s built on a
lightweight platform – its weight is just 950kg.)
SAFETY
Maruti is offering the Baleno RS in a single variant and
hence the car is loaded with top spec safety features as standard such
as dual front airbags, ABS, EBD and ISOFIX child seat provision.
Additionally, the Baleno RS comes with all-four discs for better
stopping power. In terms of after sales, we all know that Maruti has a
very renowned and wide network across the country. The NEXA channel is
growing with each passing day and the ownership cost of the Baleno RS
will definitely be the lowest compared to the other performance
hatchbacks in this segment.
DRIVING
On the track, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS. feels much quicker than the
regular Baleno. There is no turbolag and power is delivered quick…
well, for a hatch in the mass market segment. The comparison can’t be
with real performance cars and that is also the reason why Maruti
isn’t offering a 0 to 100 kmph time for the Baleno Rs. But, getting to
three-digit speeds is quick and on the long back straight in the
circuit, I could reach 160 kmph or thereabouts before having to brake
hard to take the fourth turn. Speaking of braking, the Rs. gets discs
on all four wheels, and the brakes offer decent bite and consistent
stopping force. The steering is typical hatchback style with not much
feedback, though, putting the Rs. on the desired spot on tarmac isn’t
so much a problem. However, the stock tyres we drove on weren’t that
helpful at high speed cornering; they squealed and slipped quite a bit
after a few lap
CONCLUSION
If you are looking for a quicker family hatchback, the
Baleno RS won’t disappoint. With better acceleration, steering and
brakes, the performance is an improvement over the standard petrol
version. But this comes at a price. The Baleno RS commands a Rs 1.4
lakh premium over the standard petrol car and does not have any
additional kit. Yes, along with the more powerful engine and rear disc
brakes, you also get a stiffer chassis, improved steering and
suspension. However, our sources tell us that all Balenos will get the
stiffer chassis soon, anyway. That being the case, the Rs 1.4 lakh
premium does seem like a lot. But performance has never come cheap.
So, does the car do justice to its RS badge? Yes it’s quick, but out
here on the F1 track it didn’t seem a quick hot hatch. Then again,
this circuit has made many a sportscar look slow. Guess it’s time to
put the Baleno back to back with the Abarth Punto and the Polo GT to
find out.
Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS Ex Showroom Price in New Delhi ranges 8,69,000/- (Baleno RS 1.0L) .Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS has 1 Variants of Petrol are available in India. Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS comes in 7 colours, namely Fire Red,Premium Silver,Autumn Orange,Urban Blue,Grey,Pearl Arctic White,Ray Blue.