CNG cars are becoming more popular in India, as rising petrol and diesel prices, as well as teething problems in the electric vehicle segment, make them an appealing option for buyers of entry-level vehicles. As long as the fuel prices remain high, running a CNG vehicle will be at least 40-50% cheaper, in comparison to a petrol vehicle. The main reason for the increase in sales of CNG cars over standard petrol cars is the low operating cost. Keeping this in mind, the carmakers have begun introducing a diverse range of CNG car options to the market, whether it is from the well-known Maruti Suzuki or the Indian car manufacturer Tata Motors.
So, here are some of the best CNG cars under 10 lakhs available in the market, that are designed specifically for the customers seeking a low-cost entry-level vehicle for day-to-day drivability.
1. Maruti Suzuki Swift S-CNG
Maruti Suzuki has just introduced CNG variants of its popular Swift hatchback, with prices starting at Rs 7.77 lakh. It is only available in two trim levels and is the ninth vehicle in Maruti Suzuki’s current lineup to receive the S-CNG treatment. According to the manufacturer, it is now the most fuel-efficient premium hatchback in the country.
Under the hood is the same 1.2-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine that churns out 90hp and 113Nm of torque. However, in CNG mode, it produces 77hp and 98.5Nm of torque and Maruti Suzuki claims that the hatchback can achieve a fuel economy of 30.90km/kg. It comes only with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
2. Maruti Suzuki Swift Dezire S-CNG
The second one is the Dzire S-CNG, it is powered by the same 1.2-litre K12M DualJet engine that powers the Dzire petrol. However, in CNG spec, this engine now produces 77hp and 98.5Nm of peak torque. That’s 13hp and 14.5Nm lesser than the Dzire petrol that produces 90hp and 113Nm. The Dzire CNG is offered only with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
The Dzire CNG is now available to private customers for the first time previously, it was only available to fleet operators in the previous-generation Tour S model.
3. Maruti Suzuki Celerio CNG
Another Maruti vehicle with a CNG option is the all-new Celerio CNG, which is priced at Rs 6.58 lakh (ex-showroom) Unlike most other CNG models, Maruti Suzuki’s factory-fitted CNG kit is available in the mid-spec VXi trim rather than the base LXi variant. This CNG-powered hatchback costs Rs 95,000 more than the petrol-powered Celerio.
Under the hood, the CNG Celerio retains the same 1.0-litre K10C DualJet engine as the petrol-powered model. The engine produces 57hp and 82.1Nm of peak torque in CNG form, which is 10hp and 6.9Nm less than the petrol-powered Celerio. The engine is only available with a 5-speed manual transmission, whereas the petrol-powered Celerio is also available with a 5-speed AMT. Maruti Suzuki claims a fuel efficiency of 35.60km/kg for the new Celerio CNG, up from 30.47km/kg for its predecessor (ARAI-certified).
4. Tata Tiago/ Tigor
The Tiago and Tigor from Tata Motors are the other pair of CNG vehicles available in the market. The Tata Tiago CNG costs Rs 6.09 lakh, while the Tigor CNG costs Rs 7.69 lakh (both prices, ex-showroom). With the Tiago CNG and Tigor CNG, Tata Motors joins Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai as the third mass-market carmaker to offer factory-fitted CNG kits on its passenger vehicles. These two models are the first in a series of Tata Motors CNG-powered vehicles.
Under the hood, both, the Tiago CNG and Tigor CNG are powered by Tata’s 1.2-litre, three-cylinder Revotron petrol engine. While in petrol guise, this engine produces 86hp and 113Nm of peak torque, in CNG spec, the engine produces 73hp and 95Nm of peak torque. That means there’s a difference of 13hp and 18Nm between the respective petrol and CNG versions of the Tiago and Tigor. Additionally, despite the increased weight (around 100kgs), the Tiago has a ground clearance of 168mm while the Tigor’s is 165mm.
5. Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS CNG
Moving on, Hyundai has introduced the new Grand i10 NIOS Asta CNG variant, which costs Rs 8.45 lakh (ex-showroom). The Asta CNG variant is Rs 92,000 more expensive than the petrol variants. Aside from Asta, CNG variants of the Grand i10 NIOS Magna and Sportz are available for Rs 7.16 lakh and Rs 7.70 lakh (both prices are ex-showroom). Both CNG variants cost Rs 1 lakh more than petrol variants.
In terms of features, the new Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS Asta CNG variant is similar to all the other variants. Mechanically, powering the Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS CNG is a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine that churns out 68 bhp power and 95.2 Nm torque. The engine comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The CNG variant generates lesser power and torque compared to the petrol variants.
6. Hyundai Aura S 1.2 CNG
The Hyundai Aura S 1.2 CNG Petrol is the CNG variant in the Hyundai Aura lineup and is priced at 7.87 Lakh for the sedan version of the Grand i10 NIOS. It has a certified mileage of 28km/kg The S 1.2 CNG Petrol variant has an engine that produces 68 bhp @ 6000 rpm and 95 Nm @ 4000 rpm of maximum power and torque, respectively. The Hyundai Aura S 1.2 CNG Petrol is available in five different colours along with a manual transmission. Talking about the features, then it has the same features that comes loaded on the Grand i10 NIOS.
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