Suzuki Baleno 1-FL

The Baleno I-FL is the 2019 facelift and differs from the early Baleno I mainly under the bonnet: gone are DualJet and Boosterjet, in comes the plain K14B naturally aspirated engine with a mild hybrid (ISG). That makes the cheap Indian even simpler and more frugal — data stays thin, which on a car this undemanding is rather a good sign.

The engine: The K14B (1.4 NA, 68 kW) is a long-proven multipoint port-injection unit with a timing chain — no belt interval, no intake-valve carbon, because fuel sprays in front of the valve and washes it. The chain is a lifetime part; with neglected oil changes, though, the tensioner can develop play and rattle on cold starts. Other items: dirty injectors, a possible oil leak at the crankshaft seal (sev3) and, at high mileage, slightly raised oil consumption past the piston rings. Plus a belt-driven starter-generator (ISG) for the mild-hybrid function. No torque marvel, but dumb-simple and tough.

Year note: If you want the perkier K10C Boosterjet, you'll need the early Baleno I — it's gone here. The facelift is the dutiful, low-maintenance variant.

Whole car: Three recalls take centre stage and should all be done: the brake-booster vacuum pump, the ISG charge control (97CM) and the ISG serpentine belt (97CL, sev4) — that last one matters, as a snapped belt kills the mild-hybrid function and the generator drive. As on the predecessor, the suspension is too soft (bottoms out when fully loaded) and the steering barely talks back — both by design, not a fault.

Test drive: Listen for cold-start rattle (chain), check the service book for the three recalls (97CM, 97CL, brake pump), visually inspect the ISG belt, look for oil traces at the crank seal, check the oil level for consumption.

Market 2026: I-FLs run around €8,000–12,000. Insider pick: one with the 97CL belt recall provably done and a clean oil history — on the K14B, care matters more than miles, and then it lasts more or less forever.