Suzuki Baleno GLX 2016 Review

Like night follows day, automotive journalists get asked the same question – what's the best car you've driven!? Ferrari, Porsche, Tesla maybe?

My answer is often unexpected... much to the chagrin of the questioner. Sports cars? Bah! How about an affordable, small mainstream car?

It's always an honest answer, because while an Audi A4 might have the sophistication of a young Joan Collins, there's an improving range of entry-level vehicles to raise eyebrows via impressive safety features, cool smartphone connectivity, clever interior packaging and low running costs.

The new Suzuki Baleno is definitely one of these, a car that leaves few boxes unticked and delivers remarkable value for money. And it starts with a beguiling design.

It's rather small at under four metres (3995mm) long, making it significantly shorter than popular small cars like the strong-selling Hyundai i30 (4300mm). Its pigmy size makes it a great city car, because it's easy to park – helped by a large, clear reversing camera – and it executes U-turns in impossibly tight laneways thanks to a tidy 9.8-metre turning circle.

Despite its compact dimensions the Baleno has a big boot, yielding almost as much space as the Hyundai i30, so you can still cram a fair bit of gear in there. For the record Baleno has 355 litres of boot space, compared to the Hyundai's 378 litres.

If you fold down the rear seats you can liberate even more room, up to 1085 litres. That's probably not enough for a Malm flatpack bed from Ikea, but maybe a small Kallax shelf.

There's ample room for a couple of strapping Aussie blokes in the front seats, and class-leading rear seat leg room that's adequate for individuals long of limb.

The cloth seat upholstery is about as pretty as a Nick Nolte mug shot, but appears hard wearing and the cushions provide good support.

The view from the driver's seat is pleasant and the field of vision is acceptable front, side and rear, the pillars not blocking the view too much.

There's a clean, curved dashboard that spreads window to window; the instrument display has a blue tone and the seven-inch touch screen looks good. Suzuki has employed the Ford SYNC 'quandrant' layout here and the satnav is effective. But it's all academic if you've got an iPhone, because Apple CarPlay is way better. Just plug in your iOS device via USB and it mirrors relevant apps from the phone and is dead easy to use.

You can connect a device via Bluetooth too, and the touch screen and infotainment systems have been thoughtfully executed, not unlike the beheading of Marie-Antoinette. That said, one thing I didn't like about the setup was the volume control via virtual slider (I used the steering wheel buttons instead).

Driving convenience features such as cruise control and automatic headlights are welcome additions, but the stumpy radio antenna wasn't brilliant, with some stations sounding crackly. The trip computer – while pretty – was confusing too.

Low-quality plastics take some of the sheen off the interior, as does the dated-looking heating/cooling controls.

Incidental storage cubbies are useful. There are deep door pockets with bottle holders, a small centre console bin and an average-sized glovebox. The squared-off cup holders in front of the gearstick left me flummoxed though. Perhaps the designers were rectangular bottle aficionados?

Some of the features the Baleno GLX adds over the entry-level GL model include a push-button start and door access, LED headlights, 16-inch alloy wheels, climate control, height and reach adjustable steering wheel, and disc brakes – replacing the GL's drum brakes.

The GLX also gets steering wheel paddle shifters to tell the six-speed auto whether to shift up or down, and the extra control this affords over the energetic 'Boosterjet' 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is handy in a pickle.

And before you scoff at the new engine's tiny size and direct-injection three-cylinder warble, the Baleno GLX is highly entertaining off the line. Like the growling of a tiny, withered, asthmatic pooch whose testosterone hasn't waned yet, the Baleno's gravelly engine note is endearing and adds a touch of drama to full-throttle acceleration.

The engine is willing and able, developing 82kW at 5500rpm and 160Nm from 1500rpm, and gives the Suzuki more than enough poke around town. Gassing it on freeway entrances sees it reach 100km/h promptly (we recorded a 0-100km/h time of just under 11 seconds) but in-gear acceleration is the winner here, the car easily overtaking slower moving vehicles on the freeway.

It's also a confident and quiet freeway cruiser and with a kerb weight of just under 1000kg the engine's 82kW doesn't have much mass to pull. The six-speed auto is best described as diligent rather than remarkable, and is slower to react than more expensive twin-clutch autos.

Fuel economy is rated at 5.2L/100km, so with a tank of fuel (37L) you could theoretically travel 711km. I could only muster 6.2L/100km, over a mix of inner-city, suburban and freeway driving, but that could have easily dipped much lower if I wasn't so gung-ho with the accelerator.

But how could I resist its Chihuahua-like battle cry?

The car's handling doesn't have the dynamic edge of the engine, and is a bit roly-poly in the corners, but ride comfort is good, which makes commuting and cruising as peaceful as watching a rainbow during a sun shower. The combination of independent McPherson struts up front and torsion beam suspension at the rear deals with lumps and bumps in the road easily, absorbing most divots without protest.

Safety systems in the Indian-built Suzuki include six airbags that cover front and rear passengers, anti-lock brakes, electric stability control and high tensile steel in its construction.

However, the Baleno lacks AEB (autonomous emergency braking), where rivals including the Skoda Fabia get this proven safety aid as standard fitment. Even European versions of the Baleno get AEB, but Australia misses out, which may harm the car's chances of attaining a five-star safety rating from ANCAP.

Other blemishes on the car's report card include a semi-auto electric window for the driver. It lowers with one touch but doesn't automatically rise. A full-sized spare tyre would be preferable to the space-saver spare, and you can have any exterior colour you want... as long as it's white, grey or blue.

Suzuki has a three-year, 100,000km warranty for the car which can be upgraded to five-years (for a cost) in conjunction with Suzuki's capped price servicing program. But the warranty still can't match Hyundai's five-year unlimited kilometre warranty.

Servicing intervals fall due every six-months or 10,000km, whichever occurs first. Again, not class-leading but the Suzuki's long term ownership costs are likely to be low.

The Suzuki Baleno is a surprise package. Sure, it's cheap and cheerful, but it comes with heaps of standard features, loads of practicality and space, and is charming to drive.

What's the best car you've ever driven? It's probably not a Porsche or a Lamborghini, but something that will comfortably fit four adults, navigate the shopping centre carpark and commute to work each and every day without popping a valve.

Okay, so perhaps the Baleno isn't the best car I've driven lately, but it offers impressive value for money in a delightful package.

2016 Suzuki Baleno GLX