With the rise in petrol prices and the availability of more CNG refueling stations across India, there is a growing demand for CNG-powered vehicles. For electric vehicles, although they are gaining a foothold in the Indian automotive market, concerns over range limitations and the availability of charging infrastructure put them in a less preferred place for many buyers. In contrast to electric vehicles, CNG cars readily offer the option of switching from CNG to petrol and vice-versa.
Given that CNG infrastructure is evolving slowly while petrol stations are already more established, these vehicles are a reasonable and economical option for consideration. Here is a quick introduction to five CNG cars available in India, costing less than ₹10 lakh.
Maruti Suzuki Alto K10
The Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 currently holds the title of the most affordable CNG car in India. It comes in two variants: LXI (O) CNG and VXI (O) CNG, with ex-showroom prices of ₹5,83,499 and ₹6,04,501, respectively. It is powered by a 998cc naturally aspirated petrol engine that delivers 56 bhp at 5300 rpm and a peak torque of 82.1 Nm at 3400 rpm. The transmission option for the CNG is a 5-speed manual. Maruti Suzuki mentions that the fuel efficiency of the Alto K10 CNG will be up to 33.85 kg.
Maruti Suzuki S-Presso
The Maruti Suzuki S-Presso is offered with two trims, LXI (O) and VXI (O), and is priced at ₹5.91 lakhs and ₹6.11 lakhs respectively. The 998cc naturally aspirated petrol engine generates a maximum power of 56 bhp and is rated at 5300 rpm. Torque is rated at 82.1 Nm at 3400 rpm. A five-speed manual gearbox comes as standard. Maruti Suzuki claims the S-Presso CNG delivers a mileage of 32.73 km/kg.
Tata Tiago iCNG
The Tata Tiago iCNG starts at ₹6 lakh (ex-showroom), and the features it offers include the twin-cylinder CNG tank, direct CNG start, and an AMT, making it the most affordable CNG car with an automatic transmission. It is offered in five manual and three AMT variants. The manual variants are priced between ₹5.99 lakh and ₹8.19 lakh, ex-showroom and those of AMT vary between ₹7.84 lakh and ₹8.74 lakh (ex-showroom). The Tiago iCNG comes with a 1.2-litre engine that produces 72.3 bhp and 95 Nm of torque under the hood. Its fuel efficiency is rated at 26.49 km/kg for manual and 28.06 km/kg for automated mechanical transmission models.
Maruti Suzuki Wagon R
The Maruti Suzuki Wagon R CNG has two variants, the LXI (O) CNG and VXI (O) CNG; the ex-showroom prices vary from ₹6.54 lakh to ₹6.99 lakh, ex-showroom. It gets a 998cc naturally aspirated engine that puts out 56 bhp at 5300 rpm, and offers torque of 82.1 Nm at 3400 rpm. This engine is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. As per Maruti, this CNG model returns a fuel efficiency of 33.47 km/kg.
Maruti Suzuki Celerio
The Maruti Suzuki Celerio CNG is the most fuel-efficient CNG car in India, claiming a mileage of 34 km/kg. It is priced at ₹6.90 lakh, ex-showroom, and is available only on the mid-spec VXi variant. Engine-wise, it is similar to the other Maruti Suzuki cars on the list, with a 998cc naturally aspirated petrol engine. It churns out 55.92 bhp at 5300 rpm and a maximum torque of 82.1 Nm at 3400 rpm in the Celerio.
