The Indo-Japanese car marque has been increasing its focus on safety in the last couple of years
The Maruti Baleno and Ertiga have become much safer with 6 airbags as standard across the range. This update has been implemented on July 16, 2025, onwards. The largest carmaker in the country didn’t have a great image when it came to the safety prowess of its products up until a couple of years ago. Recognizing this, Maruti Suzuki worked on this aspect and fixed the problems. The latest Dzire is a great example of that with a full 5-star rating at the Global NCAP and Bharat NCAP.
Maruti Baleno and Ertiga Just Got a Lot Safer
Note that the higher variants of both these cars already come with 6 airbags. However, the entry and mid-level trims only offered 2 airbags. That has now been changed. Needless to say, there has also been a slight increase in the prices of the two cars because of the added airbags. To be specific, the Ertiga has witnessed an average price hike of 1.4% in the ex-showroom prices, whereas this number is a more modest 0.5% for the Baleno. Therefore, potential car buyers will need to be prepared for this.
Apart from the addition of airbags, there are no changes to either of the two cars. Hence, the interior features, tech and connectivity amenities and mechanical components remain unchanged. The Baleno continues to draw power from the familiar 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol mill with mild hybrid tech or with a CNG mill with manual and automatic transmissions. Similarly, the Ertiga uses a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, also with a CNG option. One can choose between manual and automatic gearbox alternatives.
My View
I believe modern customers take into consideration the safety ratings and equipment before making a purchase decision. They have become quite safety-conscious, which has forced carmakers to take concrete measures. Hence, we see many cars from various carmakers with 6 airbags becoming standard. I am sure that this step will make our roads much safer. We know that Indian roads are some of the dangerous in the world. We can really use all the active and passive safety features we can get.
Also Read: Tata Altroz Facelift vs Maruti Baleno – Which One To Buy?
