Suzuki Baleno review (2016-2019)
The little-known Suzuki Baleno should be more famous - mainly for its roominess and reliability. Instead, it’s a rare sight on our roads. The small five-door supermini has a smart understated design and a roomy, practical, and well-equipped cabin – it’s a well-built and sensible car. Read our full Suzuki Baleno review below.
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Pros
- Spacious interior
- Cheap to buy and run
- Comfortable around town
Cons
- Cabin feels cheap
- Rivals drive better at speed
Interior
Our rating: 6/10
Driving position
Suzuki designed the interior of the Baleno cleverly.
The Japanese supermini offers more space than you’d expect from the small exterior.
It also rivals bigger cars for roominess, particularly in the back seat where these can feel cramped in rivals.
In the Baleno, there’s plenty of head- and leg-room – even behind a tall driver.
The driver grasps a chunky little steering wheel with multi-functional buttons on the spokes.
In many versions, the wheel and driver’s seat adjust in various ways to allow the driver to create a perfect position, whatever their shape and size.
Tech and features
Overall, the cabin is a simple, practical and durable environment.
There are few luxuries and don’t expect plush soft-touch materials as Suzuki saves money by using basic plastic where it can.
Instead, the car comes with a very healthy list of kit.
All models get air-con, Bluetooth, DAB and sat-nav as standard.
Top-spec versions have keyless operation and climate control.
The maps appear clear and bright on a large colour touchscreen that’s high and easy to see in the centre of the dashboard.
Up-spec models get an additional colour display between the instruments.
It all helps keep the array of buttons and switches to a minimum.
Because of this, the Baleno’s dashboard appears neat and uncluttered.
Performance
Our rating: 6/10
Suzuki is world-class at building small cars.
They have a long record of impressive, long-lasting and reliable diminutive vehicles.
Engines and power
The Baleno fits right in with that sequence.
It comes with a choice of two small petrol engines and the option of manual and automatic gearboxes (which have paddle shifters on the steering wheel).
In a lightweight car, these punchy engines make the Baleno a nippy, agile little performer.
Keep in mind the mild hybrid engine trades great fuel economy for a slightly more sluggish acceleration.
Handling and ride comfort
The car is very easy to drive though, with light steering and a soft suspension that cushions most of the worst bumps and potholes on our roads.
There’s little for sporty drivers to get excited about.
Most occupants will find it at least as comfortable as other superminis.
Safety-focused drivers may appreciate sophisticated optional extras like adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking.
Practicality
Our rating: 8/10
Boot space
Lift the tailgate and you’ll find an impressive boot for this size of car. The Baleno will easily swallow a pushchair, great for family days out.
It also has a two-level floor so you can choose to bring the floor up to the lip for easier loading or to maximize the space by lowering the boot floor.
Fold the 60/40 rear seats for maximum loading space and you’ll enjoy a well-shaped, flat area too. Generally, the Baleno interior is a hard-wearing, if not plush, environment.
Safety
The Baleno scored fairly low marks in the Euro NCAP safety tests, between three and four out of five. Note that these tests prioritise the fitment of expensive safety gadgets.
The option of a reversing camera is, however, a major practical boost for many drivers.
Running costs
Our rating: 7/10
Fuel economy
The Suzuki supermini should be easy and economical to own and run. The hybrid Baleno model can reach fuel economy of 71mpg, the other petrol engines have official combined figures of up to 63mpg.
Tax, insurance and servicing will be well below average.
The verdict
Interior
6/10
Performance
6/10
Practicality
8/10
Running costs
7/10
Not everyone wants to burn rubber, skid round corners and make passers-by gawp.
Some motorists just want sensible, reliable transport.
The Suzuki Baleno doesn’t try to be anything it isn’t.
You’ll get a very spacious, economical and well-built supermini.
There’s lots of equipment, few luxuries or gimmicks – plus not many others will have the same car as you.
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