CNG fuelling is becoming significantly more popular
in India these days with electric vehicles tagging along on a close second.
Rising petrol prices means more and more automobile users are turning to
alternate fuel sources, and CNG cars are a prime option due to the exceptional
fuel mileage they offer. While Maruti
Suzuki and Hyundai had a
monopoly in terms of factory-fitted CNG cars in India, Tata Motors joined the competition this year as well. Keeping the
new competition and offerings in mind, here's a list of our five
recommendations regarding CNG cars in
India you should seriously consider buying in 2022, especially from a
mileage and features perspective.
Maruti Suzuki Celerio CNG
Are top-class efficiency and fuel economy what you
desire? Then look no further than the first offering in this list. Maruti Suzuki recently launched the
Celerio this year, just ahead of Tata's launches. Not only is the Celerio an
efficient petrol offering, but its CNG variant straight off the bat has claimed
the highest mileage among its peers currently. Offering a fuel efficiency of
35.6km/kg, the Celerio is the most bang for the buck you can get. The Maruti Suzuki Celerio CNG is priced at
₹6.58 lakhs (Ex-Showroom) and gets a single variant.
Maruti Suzuki Ertiga CNG
On this list, as well as in the Indian market, the Ertiga is currently the only large car
offering that gets a CNG system. While the other cars on this list are mostly
mid-sized sedans and small hatchbacks, the Ertiga is a seven-seating MPV that
gets a factory-fitted CNG kit. It seems over time, having the largest CNG
fueled portfolio in the country has done Maruti Suzuki well concerning
perfecting the technology. The Ertiga
CNG claims a mileage of 26.08kms/kg and is priced at ₹9.87 lakhs
(Ex-Showroom) with one variant on offer.
Tata Tiago iCNG
Tata entered the CNG market this year and the Tiago is its CNG hatchback offering.
While the hatch's 26.49kms/kg mileage isn't class-leading, it is definitely a
compelling offering due to what Tata has done differently. Unlike its competitors
that usually equip the base variant of their offering with CNG to save costs
due to the premium, Tata has made a bold move and equipped its higher,
creature-comforts enabled trims with the cost-saving fuelling system. Not just
that, but the Tata Tiago CNG gets
several compelling trims and state-of-the-art CNG technology that makes the
whole system a lot more user friendly. Prices for the Tata Tiago CNG hatch start at ₹6.09 lakhs (Ex-Showroom) for the
base XE in CNG and gets four other variants including the top-variant in a
dual-tone finish.
Tata Tigor iCNG
The Tata
Tigor is Tata's mid-sized sedan offering in CNG format. But from a listing
standpoint, the sedan is as premium as a CNG offering can get. While its
drivetrain and mileage figures are identical to its hatchback sibling, it earns
a spot of its own on this list due to what Tata's done differently. The Tigor CNG is offered only in the car's
XZ and XZ Plus trim, which means it gets all of Tata's bells and whistles,
including rain-sensing wipers, DRLs, infotainment system and more. Prices for
the Tigor CNG start at ₹7.69 lakhs
(Ex-Showroom)
Maruti Suzuki WagonR CNG
It was a close battle between the Alto CNG and the WagonR CNG to be on this list. While the Alto CNG would have been
the cheapest car on the list, the WagonR
knocked it off the edge since it's the second most fuel-efficient CNG offering
in the Indian market, even more so than the Alto. The WagonR offers a mileage of 32.52km/kg compared to the Alto CNG's
31.59km/kg. While the difference is marginal, it is noteworthy. Like its Maruti
Suzuki siblings, the WagonR CNG is
offered only in the base LXi trim and is priced starting at ₹6.13 lakhs
(Ex-Showroom).
Verdict
Maruti
Suzuki's CNG offerings continue to take the efficiency cake, so
to speak. That isn't to say that the rest on the list aren't efficient, they're
some of the most efficient cars money can buy. Tata Motors definitely changed
the game a bit, however, by offering more creature comforts and ease of
usability. So, whether you require a fuel-efficient family MPV, a
fuel-efficient premium offering, or just the most fuel-efficient car, period.
This list offers a little bit of everything. For more information on CNG cars in India, such as their
on-road price, check out autoX.
