Mainstream compact cars of two decades ago were really quite sparse by modern standards.

Maybe if you were lucky, you had the means to pick the model grade with air-conditioning, front electric windows, a sound system, power steering and perhaps even a driver's airbag.

Nowadays, the above items are non-negotiable as are safety features. Anti-lock brakes, dual front airbags, electronic stability control and more, are standard fitment in just about every new car on the market, even entry level ones.

In 2024 we as car buyers are even more discerning. In addition to all those essentials, infotainment capabilities are crucial to complement our ever-connected lives. And it makes the ownership experience that much more pleasant, when you have use of aids like cruise control, as well as park distance control.

The Suzuki Baleno in range-topping GLX trim has all of these goodies. But it ups the ante with kit that was once exclusively the preserve of more high-end vehicles.

Over the last two months with our long-term test example, we found ourselves suitably impressed (and accustomed to) certain creature comforts such as the 360-degree camera.

Once you get used to it, the omission of such a feature in other vehicles becomes glaring. Driving my own car the other day (which is four decades old), I had to pause for a second while reverse parking, remembering that there was no around-view function as in the Suzuki.

The aerial angle of the Baleno is especially handy in tight parking arrangements, allowing you to get into the lines with millimetric precision, in a way that might have the parking attendant thinking you possess psychic abilities.

While the standard Baleno GL has a seven-inch infotainment screen, the GLX comes armed with two extra inches, making for a superior display. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility are part of the mix.

The instrument cluster also has a central colour screen, 4.2 inches in diameter, offering various slides of information that includes a nifty power and torque usage diagram. But you might find the economy meter of greater interest.

Another ace up its sleeve is the inclusion of a head-up display function. Now, the feature in itself is nothing new – but the fact that it is present in a humble B-segment hatchback is worth writing home about. Its visibility is affected by the wearing of sunglasses.

That said, its usefulness comes into play more clearly during night driving, where you want every ounce of focus to be directed right ahead, on the road.

So are the extra goodies in the GLX worth the outlay over GL? Well, in a market like ours, where buyers like rich specification, most would say yes. The price of our GLX manual is R299,900, while the standard GL is R247,900. Over the average repayment term, that is not a massive amount. 

Aside from the goodies mentioned earlier, the GLX also boasts six airbags, keyless-entry (and start), LED headlamps, an automatically-dimming rearview mirror, privacy glass and on the outside, 16-wheels with a diamond-cut finish, plus chrome garnishes.

This is our third update on the Baleno, which has clocked more than 3,000km on its odometer. Fuel consumption is currently sitting at 6.2l/100km.