Sporting an array of updates, including a new engine option, Suzuki has whipped the wraps of the refreshed Baleno…
While featuring a redesigned front end, perhaps the biggest news is the adoption of a new engine option. Indeed, the updated Suzuki Baleno was revealed with the Japanese automaker’s (Z12E) 1.2-litre, three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol motor – the same unit employed by the third-generation Swift, which claimed top honours in the ‘Budget Car’ category at CAR magazine’s 2026 Top 12 Best Buys awards, and Dzire compact sedan.
The Z12E produces 61 kW and 112 N.m of torque – the former and latter available from 5 700 and 4 500 r/min, respectively. Power is delivered to the front wheels via either a five-speed manual transmission or five-speed automated manual transmission (AMT). The company claims average fuel consumption figures of 4.2 and 4.0 L/100 km for the manual and AMT models, respectively.
As a reminder, the current local Baleno lineup is powered by Suzuki’s familiar (K15B) 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine, which also does duty in such products as the Jimny, Fronx, and Grand Vitara. In the Baleno, the K15B powertrain – available with the choice of either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox – is endowed with 77 kW and 138 N.m. Equipped with the former and latter transmissions, the K15B returns a claimed 5.4 and 5.7 L/100 km, respectively.
Model-dependent, the refreshed Baleno features such niceties as 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment, replete with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone screen mirroring, a four-speaker audio system, and 360-degree surround-view camera array supplemented by park distance sensors. Across the board, safety items such as six airbags, Isofix child-seat anchorages, and electronic stability programme (ESP) are included as standard. The range-topping model also gains adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning and prevention, emergency braking, and forward collision warning.
Suzuki Auto South Africa has yet to announce local introduction for the updated Baleno.
