Chennai: Maruti Suzuki India on Saturday launched the new Baleno premium hatchback with prices starting at Rs 6.09 lakh (ex-showroom), adding Level 2 advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), ventilated front seats and a new engine as it seeks to strengthen the model’s position in the premium hatchback segment.Bookings are open at ₹11,000 through Maruti Suzuki’s NEXA outlets, according to a statement.The new Baleno gets a redesigned front fascia with a wider NEXWave grille, a new bumper, chrome-finished fender garnish and LED daytime running lights. It is available in seven colours, including a new enigmatic teal shade.The biggest upgrade is the introduction of Level 2 ADAS, using a radar-camera system. The car also gets six airbags, electronic stability programme, ABS with EBD, hill-hold control and a tyre-pressure monitoring system.The new Baleno is powered by Maruti Suzuki’s Z12E petrol engine, which produces 61 kW (82.9 PS) and 112.4 Nm of torque. It is offered with a five-speed manual and automated manual transmission (AGS).The manual version delivers a claimed fuel efficiency of 23.80 km/litre, while the AGS version returns 24.77 km/litre. The company said these figures represent improvements of 6.4% and 7.9%, respectively, over the previous model.The Baleno S-CNG, powered by the same Z12E engine and paired with a five-speed manual transmission, delivers a claimed 33.61 km/kg, a 9.8% improvement over its predecessor.
