By Otsile Kadiege

Suzuki’s recently unveiled Baleno has arrived in South Africa and units are already making their way to local dealerships. The Japanese automaker’s local arm will introduce four models of the all-new Baleno, with a high level of safety and premium fit and finish in all models as well as the option of manual or automatic transmissions in both specification levels.

New Baleno specifications

For the all-new model, Suzuki has added even more specifications to both the GL and GLX range. In the Suzuki Baleno GL manual and automatic versions, the following specifications are added as standard: 7-inch Touchscreen infotainment system, smartphone connectivity with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, reverse camera with rear park sensors, 3 x USB ports (1 x front, 2 x rear including USB Type-C), automatic climate control with rear air vents, cruise control, leather covered steering wheel with audio controls, remote central locking, electrically adjustable and foldable side mirrors, halogen projector headlamps, LED front fog lamps and a 12V accessory socket.

Safety and security in the GL specification level are also very well taken care of with ABS, EBD, dual front airbags, electronic stability programme (ESP), ISOFIX child seat anchors and an alarm and immobiliser as standard.

In the Suzuki Baleno GLX, the number of standard features are boosted by a digital head-up display, full 360-degree view camera featuring four external cameras, 9-inch Touchscreen infotainment system, smart vehicle alerts and connectivity with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic LED Projector headlights, LED daytime running lights, 2-inch full-colour vehicle information display in the instrument cluster, keyless entry with a Start/Stop button, interior footwell and puddle light illumination, automatically dimming rear-view mirror and polished 16-inch alloy wheels.

Suzuki will also boost the safety features with the addition of curtain and side airbags for a total of six airbags.

New engine

Powering the new Baleno is a new K15B power unit which is a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine that produces 77kW and 138Nm of torque (9kW and 8Nm bump over the previous generation Suzuki Baleno). According to Suzuki Auto SA, the Baleno has an average fuel consumption rating of 5.4l/100km for the manual transmission models and 5.7l/100km in the automatic transmission models.

Pricing and warranty

Pricing for the new Baleno is as follows:

Baleno 1.5 GL MT        – R225,900

Baleno 1.5 GL AT         – R245,900

Baleno 1.5 GLX MT      – R275,900

Baleno 1.5 GLX AT       – R295,900

All pricing includes VAT and a 4-year / 60 000 km service plan and an anti-corrosion warranty of 6 years and unlimited kilometres. The Baleno has a 15 000 km service interval.