Can Suzuki’s second supermini add anything to the mix its Swift doesn’t already, asks Al Suttie
1 – Two superminis from one car maker? Has Suzuki gone mad? Um, no, as it turns out.
2 – Suzuki reckons people buy the Swift with their eyes and heart, but the Baleno is for those using their heads. Like fleet managers.
3 – That’s not to say the Baleno is ugly, though it missed the taut lines of its Swift sister. But then the Baleno compensates elsewhere.
4 – That elsewhere is in the cabin where this supermini is supersized. At a shade under 4.0-metres long, there’s loads of room in the front and back.
5 – It also enjoys a massive boot with double floor and seat backs that tip 60-40 to free up more than 1000-litres of cargo capacity.
6 – So, it’s big on space, what else? Well, the Baleno is well fitted out with luxury and safety kit, including autonomous emergency braking in all models.
7 – There’s also air con, sat nav and a natty touch screen in the centre console.
8 – Are we avoiding talking about the drive? Nope: it’s decent without being as nimble as a Ford Fiesta.
9 – The three-cylinder 1.0-litre turbo Boosterjet engine in our test car was surprisingly perky, making the Suzuki feel distinctly warm hatch-ey.
10 – Okay, the steering doesn’t offer much feel and more front end grip would be good, but with our rational heads on, this is a good, though not great, supermini.
