Suzuki Baleno (1995 - 2002)

Models Covered: 4-door saloon, 5-door estate: 1.6, 1.8 (estate only), [GS, GLX, GLX SE]

BY JONATHAN CROUCH

With the Baleno, Suzuki was keen to prove that it was capable of making a sensible compact family car. It wasnt exciting but it was carefully priced, solid, reliable and well equipped. A three-door hatch was offered but most bought either the saloon or the estate. Since most first owners will have been older drivers, used buyers can be sure their cars will have been well looked after.

A sensible Escort or Astra alternative then, provided driving dynamics are not high on your priorities.

Build
Comfort
Depreciation
Economy
Equipment
Handling
Insurance
Performance
Styling
Value

The Baleno contrives to be a cheap car without feeling like one. For a start, there's enough space inside to satisfy customers who might be considering slightly larger cars like the Honda Civic 5-door or the Rover 400. Though there's no five-door hatchback alternative (a bit of a drawback), all three bodystyles (three-door, four-door and estate) come complete with split folding rear seats. In addition, the boot in all cases is conveniently cut low to bumper level - in other words, there's no need to hump heavy suitcases over a high sill. Better still, it doesn't take long to realise that this car has far greater build integrity than almost anything Suzuki have built in the past. The thickened side impact beam-protected doors shut with a quality thunk. On the road, the designers' efforts in making this an extremely rigid car are also evident. It certainly feels solid. In addition, the range has been engineered to take a whole list of luxury features that you'd normally expect to find on much larger cars. The standard provision of full sized dual airbags is one example, the option of a four-speed automatic gearbox with `standard`, `power` and `winter` modes is another.

The earliest M-reg three-door hatchbacks start at around £1,200 and youll be asked to pay about the same for the first M-reg saloons. A P-reg estate costs from around £1,500, while 99T-reg hatches and saloons cost from around £1,900. A GLX estate on a 1999 T plate will require around £2,100 to see your name on the registration document.

Build quality is good however and few faults have emerged so far. Most previous owners are likely to have treated the car well and examples without service histories are rare.

(approx based on a 1.6 saloon - ex Vat) A clutch assembly is around £105 and an exhaust system about £550 with a catalytic converter, £225 without a converter. Front and rear brake pads will be in the vicinity of £30-40 a set. A radiator is about £100 reconditioned or £250 new, an alternator is about £215 reconditioned, or £200 to 500 new, a starter motor £105 reconditioned or £200-300 new and a replacement headlamp about £125.

Competent but not much fun. As reliable, comfortable A to B transport, the Baleno has much to commend it but if you want to enjoy your driving, its best to look elsewhere.

For many, the Baleno will be the ideal reliable, comfortable compact family car. If thats all you want, then this is something you can buy and be almost certain it will never go wrong.