2026 Maruti Suzuki Baleno Facelift: Old vs New Compared

Maruti Suzuki Baleno is India's best-selling car. This premium hatchback has held that title for years. Now, it has received a major facelift. Since the core structure and principal design stay the same, the new Baleno doesn't look dramatically different at first glance. However, the changes run deeper than the surface.

Under the bonnet, the 2026 Baleno facelift brings a new Z-Series engine. Additionally, it adds features that are firsts for the segment. In this comparison, we look at what's new in the Baleno facelift and what carries over from the outgoing model.

2026 Maruti Baleno

Starting with the front fascia, the new Maruti Suzuki Baleno gets a massive chrome-slatted grille that takes over the front completely. It has three horizontal strips finished in chrome, and inside it, the design elements feel plasticky. The LED headlamps with a projector setup remain unchanged from before. Meanwhile, the Suzuki logo has moved above the grille, which is unusual for a Maruti Suzuki car design. The bumper design, however, is all new, giving the car a sporty feel, and even the fog lamp design is different from the outgoing model. Overall, this premium hatchback gets a sharper, louder front.

Moving to the side profile, the only change is a chrome fender garnish beneath the A-pillar. It's so small that you'll notice it only on close inspection. Additionally, the 16-inch machined-finish diamond-cut alloy wheels are carried forward, and the windows get UV-cut glass. That said, a new addition is the shark fin antenna, which was not present earlier. The rear profile remains exactly the same as before, with no changes at all.

Coming to the colour options, the Baleno is offered in seven shades. The latest addition is Enigmatic Teal Green, while the rest are carried forward.

2026 Maruti Baleno Interior

The new features in the 2026 Maruti Baleno are limited to front ventilated seats and a wireless charger. The rest of the dashboard layout and features carry forward as before. However, the biggest talking point is the arrival of the Level 2 ADAS safety suite, a first-in-segment feature. To take control of this, the steering wheel gets dedicated control buttons. Other cars in this space, like the Tata Altroz or Hyundai i20, don't offer this feature set. The Baleno now gets seven core ADAS features, and they are:

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• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Lane Keeping Assist
• Lane Departure Prevention
• Vehicle Sway Warning
• Advanced Emergency Warning
• Forward Collision Warning

2026 Maruti Baleno Engine

Here is the most important change in the 2026 Maruti Baleno: a new 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine, first introduced with the fourth-generation Maruti Swift. This replaces the outgoing 4-cylinder 1.2-litre engine. The new unit makes less power and torque, but fuel efficiency has increased. The claimed fuel efficiency now stands at 23.80 kmpl with the manual gearbox and 24.77 kmpl with the AMT gearbox.

With the CNG powertrain too, fuel efficiency has improved. The 5-speed manual now has a claimed figure of 33.61 km/kg. Now, on to the table to better understand the figures.

2026 Maruti Baleno powertrain specifications:

From the outgoing model

Compared with the outgoing Baleno's fuel efficiency figures, the new engine gains around 1 kmpl on petrol and 3 to 4 km/kg on CNG. The outgoing model uses a 1.2-litre, 4-cylinder engine producing 89.7 PS and 113 Nm, paired with the same 5-speed manual or AMT options.

The trade-off here is straightforward. Losing a cylinder brings a noticeable drop in power and refinement. But the gain in fuel efficiency is significant, and that's the core reason most people buy a Baleno, or a Maruti Suzuki car in general, in the first place.