The Maruti Baleno has clocked a cumulative 40,000+ bookings since its launch and is averaging over 1000 bookings every day, much to the worry of its rivals.

2016 Maruti Baleno Front
The new Baleno is compensating well for the older version which was a sales dud

The Baleno is turning into one of Maruti Suzuki’s super successful vehicles to be launched, clocking in highly appreciable numbers ever since its arrival in October this year. The premium hatchback garnered 4229 units in its maiden month while November 2015 saw the sale figure escalate to 9074 units. Keeping things positive, the demand for the Baleno won’t be going down anytime soon as certain reports claim the hatchback has clocked over 40,000 bookings.

The number seems completely plausible considering Maruti Suzuki had previously revealed that it already was sitting over 21,000 bookings from pre and post launch. This really is exciting considering the hatchback is sold exclusively via NEXA dealerships that have limited reach compared to other outlets. Reports further suggest that the model is receiving an average of 1000 bookings every day with prospective Hyundai Elite i20 buyers moving to the Maruti camp while those who were initially opting for the Swift are moving up to the Baleno given the marginal difference in pricing.

In addition to being loaded with features like the SmartPlay infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, projector lamps, LED DRLs, 16-inch alloys and much more on the top variant, the Maruti Baleno is loaded optimistically on the lower trims as well with the Delta and Zeta getting the essentials. In fact, the Zeta trim turns out to be a lucrative buy for those looking at all the necessary goodies and can do away with some creature comforts.

Then there is an abundance of safety features right from the base trims which are laden with ABS and airbags while the frugal engines return a segment leading 21.4 km/l on the petrol and 27.39 km/l on the diesel. The aggressive pricing on the Maruti Baleno starting at Rs. 4.99 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi) also pumps up its value proposition. Reports have been rife of Maruti planning to introduce the 90 PS version of its diesel motor on the Baleno that will keep the enthusiasts happy as well and will help the car take on the Fiat Punto and Volkswagen Polo TDI in the segment.

Maruti Baleno Interiors
It will be interesting to see how the Baleno fares in the European market