Suzuki has gone ahead and surprised us all. Suzuki has launched the Baleno Cross in the Colombian market. You read it right. A Baleno Cross. A product that wasn’t even spoken about or spied before. While it seems a one-off for that market only, it cannot be ignored that this Baleno Cross was made in India. Suzuki makes the Baleno in India and exports it to other countries. This explains why the Baleno, in spite of being first showcased globally in 2015, was launched in India.
The Suzuki Baleno Cross, from the look of it, has got no newness to it. It has, as Suzuki Colombia puts it, front as well as rear mudguards, side moulding and roof racks. The latter looks very crude but perhaps the Colombian market demands one. While the car is based on the updated Baleno we have here, it certainly looks like a mid-spec trim. Halogen headlights coupled with alloy wheels. Inside, there is no change and even the upholstery is the same as what we get here.
Suzuki harps on the 1,505mm height. Think of it, the Indian Baleno boasts 5mm more. The Suzuki Baleno Cross boasts a 1.4-litre K14B engine that makes 95hp of power and 130Nm. A 5-speed manual or 4-speed AT can be paired with this engine.
Does India need the Baleno Cross? A quick poll at work showed that it will be outright rejected. Traditionally, apart from the Hyundai i20 Active, none of the so-called “cross” models have worked well for their makers. The idea behind building a cross model is to give the customer an SUV experience with a trusted brand name and lower price tag. However, more often than not, manufacturers end up just cosmetically enhancing their products with very little done to make them look SUV-like. There will be faux skid plates, plastic cladding all around and roof rails. These though don’t give the customer the much-needed additional ground clearance or high seating position that a traditional SUV will. India has seen models like the Fabia Scout, Cross Polo and the Etios Cross sink without a trace. In fact, the hatchbacks on which these stilted models were based, sold more. Ironically, Maruti is the only one that sells such a product in the Indian market right now – Celerio X.
In short, the Baleno Cross is better off in Colombia. It is being reported that the regular Baleno (gets an Esteem moniker to go with it), sells less than 1,000 units there. In contrast, the Baleno and its Toyota cousin, the Glanza sell in large numbers here. Perhaps the Baleno Cross might be a shot in the arm for the Colombian operations?