Maruti Baleno RS To Get A Facelift Too

• Baleno RS facelift to get redesigned front bumper, aggressive looks.

• Will also get LED projector headlamps instead of HIDs.

• To get an updated Smartplay infotainment system as well.

• Will retain its 1.0-litre Boosterjet turbo-petrol engine.

It is well known that Maruti Suzuki is bringing a mid-life facelift of its popular premium hatchback, the Baleno, by the end of this month. Now, it has been confirmed that the hot-hatch RS guise of the Baleno will also be refreshed soon.

Just like the standard version of the hatchback, the new RS will also get minor cosmetic tweaks while retaining the 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol motor under the bonnet. Amping up its sporty quotient even more will be a redesigned front bumper, which will make it look much sharper than the standard Baleno.

The Baleno facelift’s bumper will feature a more upright fog lamp housing which is also segregated from the air dams now. It will also use a different fog lamp housing from the one on the Baleno facelift.

In other cosmetic changes, the Baleno RS will get LED projector headlamps instead of the HID projector lamps on the outgoing model. The Baleno facelift will get the same lighting package as the RS, but only on the top trims.

Adding more bling to the updated hot hatch will be all-new machined alloys from the Baleno facelift, but in black. The outgoing model also gets the same alloy wheels as the standard hatchback, albeit with a black finish.

On the inside, the current silver accents around the aircon controls and the AC vents in the Baleno RS’ cabin will be replaced by dark grey ones to set it apart from the regular hatch, to match the overall dark theme. Like the Baleno facelift, the Baleno RS will also get an updated SmartPlay infotainment system. It will continue to feature Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there will be smartphone-enabled Navimaps navigation app as well.

Both the Baleno and Baleno RS will remain mechanically unchanged and will feature the same powertrains as before. This means the RS will continue to be equipped with the 1.0-litre BoosterJet turbo-petrol engine and 5-speed manual gearbox. This engine produces a maximum power of 102PS and is claimed to return a frugal 21.1kmpl. Meanwhile, the standard Baleno facelift will continue to be powered by the old Fiat-sourced 1.3-litre diesel engine and the K-series 1.2-litre petrol motor.

The outgoing Baleno RS is priced at Rs 8.53 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). We expect the prices to go up slightly when the facelift is launched in the last week of January. The Baleno RS facelift will go up against its old foe Volkswagen Polo GT TSI and the Ford Figo 1.5 petrol in India.

Source: zigwheels.com