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
Denne historien er fra March 2022-utgaven av Motoring World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 2022-utgaven av Motoring World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
DESTINI REWRITTEN
With a pretty major design overhaul, has the Hero Destini 125 found a new footing altogether?
OLDIE'S GOLD?
History makes yet another comeback with the BSA Gold Star 650. Is it what you were hoping for?
THE HIGH OF THE TIGER
Triumph's big cat is in its most ferocious avatar yet
LAUGHTER HOURS
This! This is the greatest single of all time!
BULL'S EYE?
Audi's new flagship SUV — or a budget Lamborghini Urus?
DARK HORSE
The Alcazar is now available in a new avatar, and the multi-faceted SUV deserves more attention than it got in the past
CURVV-BALL!
Tata's new mass-market SUV coupe may have more than a few tricks up its sleeve
GIVEN A RAISE
The EQS SUV looks like an EQS sedan on stilts but it offers a lot more than that
FOR MUCK'S SAKE!
No scooters, commuters or old bikes... this year's Pune Off-road Expedition was serious work
ALL THE WAY UP!
Exploring the vast landscape of Ladakh with Renault India's lineup - why would we say no?!