Maruti Baleno RS gets a MASSIVE price cut: Rs. 2 lakh cheaper than VW Polo GT TSI

Maruti Suzuki has just slashed prices of the Baleno RS, the high performance trim in the premium hatchback’s line up. A screenshot from a Maruti dealer uploaded by a Team-BHPian shows just this. While Maruti has cut prices of almost all its cars by Rs. 5,000, in an attempt to pass on some of the benefits of the corporate tax cut to customers, the Baleno RS is the car that gets the maximum benefit with the massive price drop of Rs. 1 lakh.

The car now costs Rs. 8.89 lakhs, on-road Delhi, which makes it more than 2 lakhs cheaper than the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI. When compared to the Tata Tiago JTP, the Baleno RS is still about Rs. 1.2 lakhs costlier. However, it’s a much larger car than the Tiago JTP, and also offers more features. All in all, the price cut should do its bit to boost sales of the Baleno RS, which has been a slow seller compared to the regular variants.

But why has Maruti cut prices so drastically?

Rumours suggest that it’s due to the upcoming Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) norms! Maruti Suzuki may not make the 1 liter-3 cylinder turbo petrol engine of the Baleno RS compliant with BS6 norms. What this means is, dealers will have to liquidate stocks of the car by April 1st 2020, following which the Baleno RS will no longer be registered at any RTO in India. To make sure that the car looks attractive enough to buyers, the automaker seems to have gone in for the steep price cut.

The Baleno RS is powered by a 1 liter-3 cylinder turbo petrol engine that puts out 101 Bhp-150 Nm. This is the only turbo petrol engine in Maruti Suzuki’s line-up. The gearbox on offer with this engine is a 5 speed manual unit. The Baleno RS is a light weight car that can hit the 100 Kph mark from standstill in about 10 seconds. This also makes it the quickest car in Maruti Suzuki’s Indian line-up. ABS and twin airbags are standard, and the car is based on the top-end Alpha trim of the Baleno. What this also means is that a slew of creature comforts are standard. From automatic headlamps, rain sensing wipers and projector headlamps to automatic climate control and a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, the Baleno RS is a feature-rich car. The car is aimed at buyers who want a very quick, spacious family hatchback that’s backed by excellent after sales service.