Selwyn Times: July 01, 2020

SELWYN TIMES Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Wednesday July 1 2020 27
Engine options for trendy Suzuki Baleno
I’VE ONLY been to India once,
but once was enough to gauge the
organisational skills that country
needs to manage such a huge
population.
It’s that prowess that has
filtered down to automotive
manufacturing, Jaguar and
Land-Rover are operated under
Indian ownership and the Suzuki
Motor Corporation is one of
several manufacturers that has
seen the value in manufacturing
cars using Indian labour and
technology.
One model that comes off the
Manesar manufacturing plant is
Baleno, a mid-size hatchback that
has been sold in New Zealand in
its latest iteration since 2017.
The Baleno lands here in
two variations, effectively
there are two engine options,
there’s a four-cylinder 1.4-litre
naturally-aspirated engine and
a turbocharged 1-litre threecylinder
unit. Both variants
– GLX and RS – have just had a
mid-cycle makeover.
The changes are only minor
and mostly cosmetic, there’s a
new grille and front bumper, new
seat upholstery and minor trim
changes. Suzuki also claims ride
comfort enhancements and lower
noise levels.
The evaluation car was the RS
variant, it also gets new wheels
and LED headlamps. The RS is
priced at $25,490 which makes
wallet-friendly buying, but if you
really want a Baleno and that was
just a touch out of reach, the GLX
variant sits at $20,750 ($21,990
auto).
For my money I’d be an RS
buyer, not only are the power
outputs higher – 82kW and
160Nm against 68kW and
130Nm – but I’ve got a penchant
for three-cylinder engines. I
once had a Star Media pool car
for personal use and it was an
Alto, the car that essentially
started Suzuki’s three-pot engine
programme.
However, today’s engine is a
far different proposition, it’s a lot
smoother than ever before, and
the harmonics which characterise
the layout are all but engineered
out of the vehicle.
One of the reasons I like the
configuration is the hearty
torque structure, and if you add
in turbocharged boost there is
FUNCTIONAL: Under the Baleno’s liftback lies a healthy load
space.
SUZUKI BALENO RS: Honest, turbocharged three-cylinder engine.
decisive throttle response from
all points in the rev band. A lot
of that is to do with the area at
which torque is delivered, all
of the way from 1500rpm to
4000rpm, and it stops not that
far distant from the point of peak
power at 5000rpm.
All those figures considered,
there is a feisty feel underfoot,
and with the Baleno weighing
in light at just one tonne,
the power-to-weight ratio is
substantial.
It’s enough to propel the Baleno
to 100km/h in 10.5sec, and it
will scamper through a highway
overtake (80-120km/h) in 6sec.
Drive is channelled to the
front wheels through a six-speed
automatic transmission, and it
is a beauty with quick, smooth
shifts. For those who like to
be involved in the gearchange
process, steering wheel-mounted
paddle shifters provide a little bit
more of that sporty feel.
While the Baleno RS
excites with its under-bonnet
performance, it is still the fuel
miser you would expect from
Suzuki. It claims a 5.2-litre per
100km (53mpg) combined
cycle average. During my time
with the test car the fuel usage
readout constantly listed around
• Price – Suzuki Baleno RS,
$25,490
• Dimensions – Length,
3995mm; width, 1745mm;
height, 1470mm
• Configuration – Threecylinder,
front-wheeldrive,
998cc, 82kW,
160Nm, six-speed
automatic
• Performance –
0-100km/h, 10.5sec
• Fuel usage – 5.2l/100km
6l/100km (47mpg), while an
instantaneous figure of 4l/100km
(70mpg) is achievable on a
highway cruise with the engine
turning over at just 1950rpm at
100km/h.
At all speeds the Baleno is
comfortable and feels controlled.
Steerage is informative while
body balance in a corner is
controlled. The suspension is
relatively simplistic, but it does
contain the ruts and bumps well
and equips itself when loaded if
a corner is presented a bit on the
quick side.
There’s been a lot of talk lately
about vehicle safety, and I’m
pleased to report that the Baleno
has a five-star Australasian New
Car Assessment Program rating.
My wife always asks me how
many air bags does any particular
car have, and in the Baleno’s case
there are six.
The Baleno also gets a high
level of kit for convenience.
There’s satellite navigation,
cruise control and speed limiter,
keyless entry and ignition. Many
of the control systems can be
navigated through a central
screen display, it also functions as
rear view camera and will allow
smart phone capability through
Apple Car Play and Android
Auto.
That’s a lot of kit for a $25k car,
and with the changes Suzuki has
made through the facelift makes
it even more appealing.
The Baleno is just one car in
a raft of fuel-friendly, affordable
cars from the brand. Suzuki has a
high-profile here in Canterbury
with the cost-free motoring
programme offered through the
Christchurch dealership.
Many Selwyn Times readers
will be Suzuki owners, and for
those thinking of trading up,
choosing between the two Baleno
models may be a difficult choice,
but either would be a rewarding
experience once behind the
wheel.
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