Maruti Suzuki Baleno Cross (YTB) and Jimny launch timeline revealed

In all likelihood, Maruti Suzuki will be expanding its lineup of SUVs with two new offerings – Baleno Cross and five-door Jimny, by introducing them to the world at the 2023 Auto Expo. Now, we have got some details about the tentative timelines for the arrival of these two new SUVs from Maruti Suzuki in the Indian car market.

In a recent development, it is said that Maruti Suzuki will be launching the new Baleno Cross in India in April 2023, while the carmaker will launch the five-door Jimny sometime in August, before the commencement of the festive season according to ACI. Also, both these new SUVs from Maruti Suzuki will be retailed through the NEXA chain of premium outlets.

Codenamed YTB for the time being, the car will receive a new name, once it makes its debut at the 2023 Auto Expo. Based on the Baleno premium hatchback, the Baleno Cross has been spied several times doing trial runs on the roads of India. The Baleno Cross will be heavily inspired by the recently launched Grand Vitara in the way it looks, especially with the wide front grille, split headlamp design and LED light bar on the boot lid. Even the side profile will be tweaked with raised ground clearance, new alloy wheels and roof rails.

The side profile of the Baleno Cross gets the same alloy wheel design, door-mounted rear view mirrors and door panels as the Baleno hatchback. However, it differentiates itself with slightly squared wheel arches.

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Maruti Suzuki Baleno Cross

The new Maruti Suzuki Baleno Cross is expected to mark the comeback of the 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which was available in the Baleno RS before the BS6 emission norms killed it. In the Baleno RS, this engine claimed 100 PS of maximum power and 150 Nm of maximum torque output – figures which are expected to get replicated in the Baleno Cross as well. In another possibility, it might also retain the current 1.2-litre 90 PS K12C Dualjet engine from the Baleno hatchback.

On the other hand, the Maruti Suzuki Jimny will be a five-door version of the globally-available three-door Suzuki Jimny, with stretched wheelbase and two additional doors to make it more practical for the Indian context. Rest assured, it will retain the upright, boxy design of the global-spec Jimny, including the retro-themed front profile with rounded lights, tailgate-mounted spare wheel and angular body panels and doors.

This new five-door Jimny will continue to come with a three-spoke multi-functional steering wheel and an old-school instrument console with dedicated housings. It will also get a touchscreen infotainment system, controls for the air conditioner in the centre console and rounded AC vents. The model in the pictures has an automatic transmission lever as well.

The Maruti Suzuki Jimny will share its 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder K15C Dualjet petrol engine with the Grand Vitara and XL6. To be available with both a 5-speed manual and 6-speed automatic gearbox, this engine will claim 103 PS of maximum power and 136 Nm of maximum torque in the five-door Jimny.

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