The Maruti Baleno RS hot hatchback is currently on sale in India at a price of Rs. 8.69 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). It is Maruti’s first contender in the rising performance hatch segment and competes against the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI and Abarth Punto. The Ford Figo Sport edition is another hot hatch in the market, though the petrol engine of the Figo is no match for the other mentioned competitors.
The Baleno RS in India is powered by a 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder, BoosterJet turbo-petrol engine. It is thus the first car in India to feature this new Suzuki engine. In the Baleno RS, this engine will develop 102 PS of power and a peak torque of 150 Nm. Interestingly, contrary to popular claims, Maruti is offering only the 5-speed MT gearbox with the Baleno RS. We do expect that the automaker will consider adding the 6-speed AT with paddle shifters in the future.
The Baleno RS specification sheet includes disc brakes on all four wheels, where the front gets 14-inchers while the rear is equipped with 13-inch brakes. The tyre size is 16-inches, while the spare tyre is a 15-incher. Another interesting thing to note from the spec sheet is the car’s ride height, which has been lowered to reduce the body roll around corners.
Also Read: A Detailed 6-month Ownership Experience of the Maruti Baleno Zeta Diesel
Maruti Baleno RS Price in India
Maruti Suzuki launched the Baleno RS at a price of 8.69 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). According to our market analysis, this pricing is slightly on the premium side. For around Rs. 40,000 more, one can get the Polo GT TSI, which offers a mighty 1.4-litre, 4-cylinder turbo petrol engine that is mated to a lightning quick 7-speed DSG gearbox. The Baleno RS is simply no match for the performance that is offered by the VW. Heck, even the recently launched Honda City petrol’s base model is priced lower than the Baleno RS. This appears to be one of those rare instances where Maruti has screwed up a product’s pricing!
Maruti Baleno RS Specifications
It was always clear that the Baleno RS will be powered by Suzuki’s new 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine. Fondly referred to as the BoosterJet, this particular engine powers the Baleno in the international markets as well. While the international markets, this engine develops 110 bhp and 170 Nm of torque, the India-spec mode gets a significant detuning of the engine, bringing the power and torque figures down to 102 PS and 150 Nm. Following is the full specification sheet of the Baleno RS.
| Engine | 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, turbo petrol |
| Maximum Power | 102 PS |
| Maximum Torque | 150 Nm |
| Gearbox | 5-speed MT |
Maruti Baleno RS Mileage
The company claimed fuel-economy of the Maruti Baleno RS is 21.1 km/l.
Maruti Baleno RS Top Speed
The Baleno RS top speed is 150 km/h, while the 0-100 km/h sprint takes 10.8 seconds.
Maruti Baleno RS Features on offer
Since the Baleno RS comes at a premium price tag, Maruti has added some more features to make the overall package lucrative for the customers. As a result, following are the major feature additions that come the Baleno RS model in India:
- 16-inch alloys
- 6 Airbags
- Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
- Disc brakes on all four wheels
- Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD)
Maruti Baleno RS vs Baleno: maintenance difference
CV Raman has also mentioned that the new petrol turbocharged engine won’t be that hard to maintain, especially in comparison to the existing naturally aspirated 1.2-litre K Series engine that is found on the regular Baleno. The service intervals will be similar, and so will be the other parts costs. However, owners will need to add some additives in the fuel tank after every 20,000 kms. This is due to the fact that in a naturally injected engine, there is lubrication due to the fuel. This avoids any soot formation in the block. However, in a force injected unit, this lubrication is missing, which is overcome by the secondary additive. Customers can either take the car to a service centre to get the additives, or can add it themselves.
Maruti Baleno RS colours
- Fire Red
- Pearl Arctic White
- Premium Urban Blue
- Granite Grey
- Premium Silver
- Ray Blue
- Autumn Orange
Maruti Baleno RS Exteriors
It takes a keen eye to differentiate the Maruti Baleno RS from the regular Baleno. The only changes made to the exteriors include a new front bumper with a wide black area that joins the two fog lamps and houses an air dam in the middle. Similarly, the rear bumper too gets a larger blacked out area around and below the number plate housing. The Baleno RS also comes with black treatment on the 16-inch alloy wheels, though the design is the same as that of the regular models.