Our Suzuki Baleno long-termer has been a solid addition to the fleet. From its multitude of creature comforts to frugal sensibilities, our team has been delighted to pilot it as we wrangle around test cars and the like. You can read our many Baleno articles here.
Related: Suzuki Baleno 1.5 GLX (2024) - Long Term Quick Review
When launched, the sales mantra for the Baleno was "Others will follow", and it subsequently followed to set a bar for compact hatchbacks priced within the R300 000 range at the time. This was done along with its mechanical sibling, the Toyota Starlet, which both came out of the same factory. Needless to say, the compact hatchback segment is hotly contested, so the Baleno has to be a strong contender. For this comparison, we picked direct competitors like the ever-popular Volkswagen Polo Vivo and a bit more of a premium hatch in the form of the Renault Clio. We'll look at the power trains, standard equipment, safety, practicality and, of course, price and value.
Suzuki Baleno 1.5 GLX Manual - from R316 900
Powertrain
The tried and trusted K15B 1.5-litre non-turbo petrol engine propels the Baleno, making a swift 77kW and 138Nm. In this trim, a 5-speed manual gearbox sends that power to the front wheels, but you can also pick a variant with a 4-speed automatic gearbox.
Suzuki claims an average fuel consumption of 5.4 L /100km for this trim, which, in theory, should yield 685km from the 37-litre tank. In our testing, we managed those consumption figures in a combined cycle.
Standard equipment
In the GLX variant, you'll find the following notable standard equipment
- 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with 6 speakers
- Heads-Up display
- Start/Stop Engine Button
- 4.2 TFT Instrument Cluster Display
- 16 Inch Diamond cut wheels
- Cruise control
Safety
The Baleno comes comprehensively equipped with safety kit.
- 6 airbags
- ABS, EBD, ESP
- 360-degree Around view monitor
- ISOFIX Child seat anchors in the rear seats
Practicality
The Baleno has a 314-litre boot with 60:40 split rear seats, extending the cargo area to 1057 litres. It has seating for 5 and a space-saving spare wheel in the boot.
Price and value
The Baleno's purchase price (from R316 900) includes a 4-year /60 000km service plan, a 5-year /200 000km promotional mechanical warranty with road assistance, and a 6-year /Unlimited km anti-corrosion warranty.
Volkswagen Polo Vivo 1.6 Style - from R318 000
Powertrain
Another trusty power unit that has found its place in many Volkswagens is the 1.6 MPI engine. In this format, the Vivo makes 77kW and 153Nm, and that power is sent to the front wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox. There is also a Tiptronic variant.
The Vivo's claimed fuel consumption is 6.2 L/100km, but we managed around 7.0 L/100 km from the 45-litre tank, which has a theoretical range of 726km.
Standard equipment
In the 1.6 Style variant, the Polo Vivo comes with the following notable standard equipment:
- 9.0-inch Mirgor touchscreen infotainment with 6 speakers
- Central locking with remote
- Front power windows
- Cruise Control
Safety
The Polo Vivo was recently rewarded with a 4-star NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) safety rating. You'll see the following notable standard safety equipment.
- 4 airbags
- ABS
- Stability Control
- Traction Control
- Engine Drag Torque Control
- ISOFIX Child seat anchors
Practicality
The Polo Vivo's boot area is rated from 280-952 litres, depending on whether you keep the rear seat bench up or down. There's a spare wheel in the boot and seating for 5.
Price and Value
The Polo Vivo's purchase price (from R318 000) includes a 3-year /120 000km warranty, a 5-year /150 000km engine warranty, and a 6-year anti-corrosion warranty.
Service plans are optional with the Vivo, though. You can choose an EasyDrive service or maintenance plan to suit your budget, needs, and driving distances.
Renault Clio 1.0 Turbo Zen - from R327 999
Powertrain
The Clio is powered by a 1.0-litre, turbocharged, 3-cylinder petrol engine. It produces 74kW and 160Nm and is sent to the front wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox.
Claimed fuel consumption is rated at 5.7 L/100km, and our testing yielded 6.4 L/100km.
Standard Equipment
The following notable standard equipment is listed here:
- Electric front windows, with flick-shift function
- 7-inch touchscreen infotainment with 6 speakers
- Cruise Control
- Height-adjustable driver's seat
- LED head and taillights
Safety
Here are the notable safety features of the Renault Clio:
- 6 airbags
- ABS, ESC, EBA, HSA
- Rear Parking sensors
Practicality
The Renault Clio has 391-1069 litres of boot space, which you can use to experiment with the 60:40 split rear seats. There's also seating for 5 and a 15-inch spare wheel.
Price and value
The purchase price of the Renault Clio in Zen trim (from R327 999) includes a 2-year/30 000km service plan, a 5-year/150 000km mechanical warranty, and a 6-year/Anti-Corrosion warranty.
Who wins?
It's hard to beat the value that the Baleno GLX offers with its comprehensive list of standard features. It's the cheapest of the bunch with the best value. You can search AutoTrader for the latest Baleno, Polo Vivo, and Clio offerings and sell your car, too.
