New Suzuki Baleno confirmed for SA

Suzuki South Africa has unveiled its new-generation Baleno that is earmarked to hit dealership floors in June.  

Unveiled at a special Suzuki Auto SA event, the new Baleno ushers in a new design language dubbed Crafted Futurism that further sharpens the brand’s philosophy, thanks to a wider front air intake, new three-dimensional design and flowing body lines. 

It further spawns fresh new taillights as well as new-look 10-spoke 16” alloys. 

The new Suzuki Baleno is available in five new exterior shades; Celestial Blue Pearl Metallic, Luxe Beige Pearl Metallic, Opulent Red Pearl Metallic and Splendid Silver Pearl Metallic and Grandeur Grey Metallic. These add to the Arctic White Pearl and Midnight Black Pearl colours. 

Inside, the GL model comes equipped with a 7” touchscreen infotainment system as standard with a total of three USB ports. It further features cruise control hill-hold assist and climate control with rear-mounted air vents as standard.

The GLX variant adds a leather-clad multi-function steering wheel, electric windows and mirrors, a 9” high-definition infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as a 360-degree view camera system.

A full-colour Head’s Up Display is offered as standard and up to six airbags for the GLX. 

Under the new bonnet, a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine replaces the 1.4-litre powerplant and increases power to 77 kW and 138 Nm – a 9 kW and 8 Nm increase compared to the outgoing unit. 

The transmission comes in 4-speed auto and 5-speed manual varieties that drive the front wheels. The new Suzuki Baleno weighs only 955 kg and that has resulted in a power-to-weight ratio of 81 kW per tonne. This should help in performance and fuel economy. 

Production of the new Suzuki Baleno is scheduled to start in April and local deliveries will start in June. More details on the range, pricing, service plan and warranty information will be made available at the time of launch.