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2025 Suzuki Baleno

Hatchback · 1.2L I4 · FWD

66/100

AutoVault's overall score, weighted for what a hatchback is actually for — performance, technology, comfort, reliability, safety and value.

Specifications

Engine1.2L I4
Horsepower89 hp
Torque83 lb-ft
0–60 mph11.8 sec
Top speed103 mph
DrivetrainFWD
Seats5
Combined MPG30 mpg (27 city / 35 hwy)
Range499 miles
MSRP$13,000
Body styleHatchback

The verdict

What's good

  • Remarkably low entry price makes ownership costs genuinely minimal
  • Upright hatchback packaging offers more headroom than equivalent sedans
  • Suzuki reliability keeps long-term costs well below segment average
  • Nimble urban dimensions suit dense city environments well

What's not

  • Highway wind and road noise intrude loudly on longer drives
  • Cabin materials are noticeably low-grade even versus other budget hatchbacks
  • Limited power makes motorway merging feel effortful and anxious
  • Safety rating falls below Euro NCAP targets for 2025

The engine

Dualjet

1.2L I4

A compact, frugal naturally aspirated four built for efficiency above all, content to spin smoothly at low load while sipping fuel rather than chasing performance. Its character is unobtrusive and economical, the workhorse of Suzuki's small cars.

Part of Suzuki's long-running K-series, the Dualjet versions are built in large volume by Maruti Suzuki in India, where they power the brand's best-selling Baleno and Dzire.

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