Buy the Vitara Brezza if:

Your driving involves a lot of rough roads

The Brezza gets a 198 mm ground clearance, and rides on 16 inch tyres, and is built to indulge in the occasional foray off the road. The Baleno on the other hand, is built out and out for well paved surfaces, and offers a ground clearance of 170 mm. So, if you drive regularly on rough roads, the Brezza is what you need to pick. Then there’s the added advantage of the higher seating position.

You want better street presence

The Brezza is a much taller car than the Baleno. In fact, Maruti markets it as a compact SUV, and the styling cues this vehicle features makes it look butch. So, as far as street presence is concerned, the Brezza has its bases covered. If you want a more imposing vehicle, the Brezza is the one for you. It has more street cred, and will stand out from the crowd, especially because it’s newer than the Baleno.

You want a compact SUV

Now, this is an intensely aspirational thing. Many buyers want, as opposed to need, a compact SUV. If you belong to this set of buyers, the decision will be easy. Go ahead, and buy the Vitara Brezza as it offers everything that the Baleno does, in a similarly sized package. The only difference is that you’ll need to pay about 80,000 rupees extra for that “compact SUV” tag.