2015 Maruti Baleno review, road test

Unlike the sporty Swift, the Baleno has a gentler nature and that’s reflected in the way it rides and handles. There’s a maturity to the its dynamics and an underlying sure-footedness at any speed. The steering isn’t as quick or sharp as the Swift’s, but it has enough heft to give you confidence at highway speeds. We expected the lightweight Baleno to feel skittish on bad roads and get tossed around, but instead, there’s a reassuring stability on any surface. The suspension feels pliant under normal driving conditions, but when you hit a sharp ridge or rut, it distinctly thuds through. The Baleno’s suspension, because of the large wheels, has limited travel, and it’s easy to hit the bump stops on bad roads. Over most surfaces, however, the suspension works silently and with little vertical movement even on rough roads, to deliver a smooth and flat ride.

The Baleno doesn’t dart into the corners with the eagerness of the Swift either and the steering may not be bristling with feel, but there’s a linearity in the way it weights up, so you don’t have to constantly correct. The handling is all very predictable and failsafe, while the wide 195/55 tyre foot print gives plenty of grip too.