The Suzuki Baleno was the name used in Asia, Australasia, Europe and Latin America for the car Suzuki called the Cultus Crescent at home. Introduced in January 1995, it was the company’s first serious attempt at the compact class, and it stayed in production in South Asia long after it left Europe.
Suzuki Baleno at a glance
| Introduced | January 1995 in Japan, first half of 1995 worldwide |
|---|---|
| Also called | Cultus Crescent, Esteem, Maruti Baleno, Chevrolet Cassia |
| Bodies | three-door hatchback, four-door sedan, wagon |
| Platform | stretched Suzuki Cultus |
| Engines | 1.3 and 1.5 litre G series, later 1.6 and 1.8 litre |
| Four-wheel drive | with the 1.6-litre engine from February 1996 |
| Wagon | Cultus Crescent Wagon GT, Suzuki’s first non-kei estate |
| Diesel | 75 PS 1.9 XUD9 from Peugeot in Europe |
| Renamed in Japan | Cultus, mid-1998 |
| Production | to 2002 in Japan, to 2007 in South Asia |
History of the Suzuki Baleno
Launch
The Cultus Crescent arrived in Japan in January 1995 and reached world markets in the first half of the year. It was built on a slightly stretched Cultus platform for more cabin room and shared most of its internals with the smaller car, but was marketed as a separate model. The first range had a three-door hatchback and a four-door sedan with belt-driven 16-valve G-series engines of 1.3 and 1.5 litres and 85 to 97 PS.
More engines and bodies
In February 1996 a four-wheel-drive version appeared with a 1.6-litre engine related to the one in the Suzuki Escudo, now with 115 PS, and a chain-driven 1.8-litre J18A of 135 PS joined the range. The wagon body, called Cultus Crescent Wagon GT, was Suzuki’s first estate car outside the kei class. Europe did without the 1.5 and got the 1.8 only in the GTX sport model, rated at 121 PS, plus a high-roof commercial van.
Names around the world
In North America, the Philippines and Thailand the car was the Suzuki Esteem; in India it was built by Maruti Suzuki as the Baleno, including the Baleno Altura wagon; in Indonesia and Pakistan it was a Baleno sedan; and in Colombia GM assembled it as the Chevrolet Esteem. The facelifted Philippine model of 2000 was sold as the Chevrolet Cassia.
Facelift and the end
In mid-1998 Suzuki restyled the car and renamed it Cultus for Japan. The 1.8-litre engine was extended to the sedan and wagon, a limited Baleno GSR used it in the European hatchback, and a Peugeot-supplied 1.9 turbodiesel of 75 PS was offered in Europe. A minor grille facelift came in 2001. The Aerio/Liana replaced the car from 2001, and the last European and North American cars were sold in 2002, though Indian and South Asian production continued to 2007.
Design and features
- One car, many badges: Cultus Crescent, Esteem, Baleno, Maruti Baleno, Chevrolet Esteem and Chevrolet Cassia.
- Stretched Cultus platform: more cabin room than the smaller hatchback.
- Four-wheel drive: available with the 1.6-litre engine from 1996.
- Wide engine range: from a 1.3 to a 1.8-litre twin-cam and a Peugeot turbodiesel.
Suzuki Baleno versions
- Hatchback and sedan (1995): 1.3 and 1.5-litre G-series engines.
- Four-wheel-drive 1.6 (1996): Escudo-related engine with 115 PS.
- Wagon GT: Suzuki’s first non-kei estate, also built in India as the Baleno Altura.
- Baleno GSR: a limited European hatchback with the 1.8-litre engine.
- Chevrolet Cassia (2000): the facelifted Philippine version.
The Baleno was replaced by the Suzuki Liana and grew out of the Cultus. More Suzukis are in the Suzuki collection.
Video: Suzuki Baleno 4×4 test
Video by Radek Polák on YouTube.
Sources
- Suzuki Cultus Crescent, English Wikipedia: history, engines, market names
