The new Maruti Suzuki Baleno premium hatchback, when it is launched in India on October 26, will try and accomplish what its namesake, the Baleno sedan, couldn’t. That is, successfully challenge the premium cars in the segment it is entering - the Hyundai Elite i20, Honda Jazz or even the beleaguered Volkswagen's Polo. Over a decade ago, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno sedan tried to take on Honda City, the by now discontinued Mitsubishi Lancer and Opel Astra, but with little success - it's old world charm did not stand a chance against the other, fancier, cars. Now, the Baleno hatchback will take on the current premium hatchbacks. The competition is tough. But Maruti appears to be better prepared this time around. Reason being the Baleno's styling, stance, premiumness and reliability. (Image: Car Dekho)
So, forget the sedan, check out the premium Maruti Suzuki Baleno hatchback's top 5 highlights:

1. Maruti Suzuki Baleno India-specific USPs:
While the Baleno in India will have similar attributes as the global model unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, there will be some differences. a) Diesel engine - in line with customer demand, a diesel engine is being offered in the India-bound Baleno, in addition to petrol; b) CVT - India-bound Baleno gets the Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) fully automatic gearbox. CVT will be offered for the first time on a car manufactured by Maruti Suzuki; c) Apple CarPlay - the Baleno will be the first car in India to have Apple CarPlay, which is the best way to use your Apple smartphone in a car. In fact, Maruti Suzuki will be the first OEM in India to offer Apple CarPlay for its customers. It will be sold exclusively through the company’s premium dealership range, the Nexa.

2. Maruti Suzuki Baleno interior:
The Baleno appears to have the best cabin quality among all Maruti vehicles. The instrument panel is flared at each end for a sense of breadth and there is a large, high-definition LCD display in the centre. It is the first car in India to be equipped with Apple CarPlay. The luggage space, at 355 litres, is very impressive. (Image: Car Dekho)

3. Maruti Suzuki Baleno new platform:
Compared to the platform currently used in the same vehicle class, the company says that, in the Baleno, body rigidity has been enhanced by 10% and total vehicle weight reduced by 15%. This not only keeps vibration and noise in check but also leads to better fuel-efficiency. (Image: Car Dekho)

4. Maruti Suzuki Baleno engine:
Like its competitors, the Baleno will get both petrol and diesel engines — the 1.2-litre K12 petrol and the 1.3-litre D13A diesel. It will also get the Continuous Variable Transmission fully automatic gearbox variant. At a later stage, the new 1.0 BoosterJet direct-injection turbo petrol engine may also be introduced in the car. (Image: Car Dekho)

5. Maruti Suzuki Baleno Styling:
The Maruti Baleno comes across as a harmonious combination of design that “flows”, and has an elegant and grown-up character. The company says it has been styled using Suzuki’s “Liquid Flow” design theme. (Hyundai calls its design language “Fluidic Sculpture”.) (Image: Car Dekho)