Baleno has been a star for Maruti Suzuki in India and in many ways a trailblazer for the premium hatchback segment. But over the years, it has started showing its age. Remember we are in 2022….. and with this new Baleno, Maruti Suzuki announced, technology has gone bold! Maruti Suzuki has already done 25,000 pre-bookings for this new car. So waiting for this technology-filled update. Has it lived up to expectations?
The answer is subtle, but broadly yes. Maruti Suzuki has focused on the fundamentals; On the features that will affect the lowest common denominator. Not on such great features, which most Baleno users will not be able to take advantage of.
Read also: 2022 Maruti Suzuki Baleno Review
The cabin comes with an assortment of new technologies
photo credit: Pawan Dagiya
It all starts with features that are not on any other hatchback in this segment. For the Baleno, considering the powertrain, gearbox and price points – the Tata Altroz has to be higher than the Hyundai i20 to rival that. And yet, the car offers features that the i20 doesn’t even have – a customizable 5.5-inch heads-up display (HUD) and a 360-degree parking camera system that combines sensors and cameras to give a surround view Is. Easy parking capable car.
It is the first car in the segment to feature HUD
photo credit: Ameya Naikoo
The HUD is interesting because it’s not integrated into the windscreen, rather you get this dedicated panel. It offers loads of customization options and also offers great resolution. The best part is that you don’t have to bend down to see the instrument cluster. But at the same time, it will be jarring in the beginning because of the 3D effect which is right in your vision. Thankfully you can also decide not to use it or you can set your angle according to your height and seating position for optimum visibility.
The 360-degree view camera system is simply fantastic. It provides excellent visibility in low light and you are further strengthened at all angles along the grid lines. It will really make parking smooth and will also help during bumper-to-bumper traffic situations. Maruti Suzuki was so confident about the feature that it even had a dedicated activity for journalists at the time of its launch where it turned off the lights and showed how to park the car even in harsh light by taking advantage of cameras, sensors and object detection technology. May go. in vehicle.
The new display is bigger, clearer and more responsive than the previous model
photo credit: Pawan Dagiya
All this is of course seen on the new 9-inch infotainment screen which also has an HD resolution. This is a bigger screen than the 7-inch screen of the old Baleno. This is easily the best screen that Maruti Suzuki has implemented on their cars. And it’s actually a pretty responsive panel with good color reproduction and viewing angles. The only issue here is that in very sunny conditions, its brightness levels are not optimal. And if you’re wearing sunglasses there’s no recourse to upping the glare and legibility becomes extremely problematic.
Read also: Maruti Suzuki Baleno 2022 launched in India
There is also a new user interface which is the heart of this new infotainment system. Maruti Suzuki calls it Smartplay Pro+ infotainment system. It is only available on the top-of-the-line Alpha model while the other variants get the smaller SmartPlay studio system that has been on the older Nexa Experience cars. But this new Pro+ system which is truly a mouthful comes with a bag full of tricks of its own. It may greet you with your name, which can be inputted manually. It supports natural language support which comes through Suzuki Connect Skill. In this, apart from recognizing the user, a wake-up command is also available.
Maruti Suzuki introduces a new widget-based user interface for the infotainment system. It is cleverly designed, customizable, and also very intuitive to use. The software is smartly designed so that the animations are not overbearing and this makes it one of the most responsive systems that I have used in a car under Rs 10 lakh. It also comes with games that are fun to play as long as they are used to pass the time, not while driving. Maruti Suzuki also offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but out of the gate, you have a wired experience. At a later date, the Baleno will also get wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability, which will be pushed out via a software update.
There are three USB ports in total, two of which support fast charging on the back
photo credit: Pawan Dagiya
There is no wireless charging which is touted by the Hyundai i20, but it does come with two USB ports that enable fast charging individually, I prefer fast charging over wireless charging as it will be something that will be almost Happens in every phone while wireless charging is slow. The phone may overheat, and is not compatible with most devices. One is USB A, the other is USB Type C, so you get options for both new and old devices. There’s also a USB Type-A port on the front for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connections, but that will be free when the car gets a software update for the wireless experience.
It also gets Suzuki Connect, its connected car platform that comes built-in to the Baleno. It comes in a brand new avatar with 40+ features that offer features like geo-fencing, SOS, telematics and analytics, remote unlocking and climate control operation. It even integrates maps from MapMyIndia. It works with an embedded SIM which is already preloaded in the car, however after a limited period (3 years for free) the user will have to pay for the SIM card. The carrier of the SIM card cannot be selected by the customer.
There’s also a new “Surround Sense” sound system tuned by ARKAMYS. In total, 6 speakers are available in it. 4 full-range speakers and 2 tweeters, and while it’s not as numerous as the system on the Hyundai i20, it certainly sounds sweet. Maruti Suzuki has really pleasantly surprised me for once. Thanks to ARKAMYS tuning, it gets this faux 3D effect which is impressive. It sounds great, though on the bass-heavy side of things, but anyone can dial in their sound and it will sound great with everything under the sun, whether it’s rock, indie, pop, electronic music and of course. From Bollywood.
Overall Maruti Suzuki has made practical choices
photo credit: Pawan Dagiya
Overall, it should be noted that most of these tech features are only available on the top-of-the-line “Alpha” trim which comes with HUD, Armamis sound system, SmartPlay Pro+ UI, 9-inch infotainment system, and 360-degrees. Surround Camera.
Safety is also a big element in this vehicle as it now gets 6 airbags, hydraulic clutch with ESP, hill hold assist and AGS gearbox with ABS as on the top-end model. Maruti Suzuki has clearly received the memorandum that the modern consumer wants more technology and consumer electronics grade gadgetry inside the car and has provided a holistic and practical update while the Moon hasn’t offered.
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