Here Are The 8 Best CNG Cars In India 2021 With Great Fuel Efficiency
Afraid of rising fuel prices and therefore planning to buy a CNG car with good mileage? If yes, then we have something that can be very useful for you.
We have prepared a list of some of the best CNG cars available in India. CNG fuel is not only cheap but it’s also fuel-efficient and produces very low emissions.
However, the biggest obstacle people face in compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles is their installation. In addition to that, there can be some safety and optimizing issues in aftermarket kits. Therefore, we have considered only the factory fitted CNG cars.
Currently, automakers like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai are offering plenty of CNG cars that are great for daily driving as well as long journeys. Anyway, here are the best CNG cars you can buy in 2021 in India.
Best CNG Cars In India (2021)
| Company Fitted CNG Cars In India | Fuel-Efficiency |
| Maruti Suzuki Ertiga CNG | 26.08 km/kg |
| Hyundai Aura CNG | 28 km/kg |
| Hyundai Grand i10 CNG | 28 km/kg |
| Maruti Suzuki Celerio CNG | 30.47 km/kg |
| Maruti Suzuki WagonR CNG | 33 km/kg |
| Hyundai Santro CNG | 30.8 km/kg |
| Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 CNG | 33 km/kg |
| Maruti Suzuki S-Presso CNG | 31.2 km/kg |
In addition to the impressive fuel efficiency, we have sorted these cars considering their build quality, quality of ride, and overall performance.
1. Maruti Suzuki Ertiga CNG: Only MPV With CNG Kit
Maruti Ertiga is one of the most reliable CNG cars. The LXi variant of the car is available with a CNG option and comes equipped with Suzuki’s S-CNG technology with a tank capacity of 60L. Ertiga is the only MPV in the market that comes with an eco-friendly CNG kit. Not only this, but Maruti made this CNG variant a fun-to-drive car with an Intelligent Injection System and dual interdependent ECUs.
Additionally, to enhance the safety of the whole Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) system, Maruti incorporated a leak-proof design and integrated harness.
If we talk about the powertrain, a 1.5-liter four-cylinder bi-fuel engine powers the Ertiga. Now let’s throw some light on the mileage of this MPV, which is one of the main reasons why people switch to CNG cars. On CNG mode, drivers can get a mileage of around 26.08 km/kg and 19.01 km/l with petrol (Manual Transmission).
Speaking of the price, the CNG variant of Ertiga costs Rs 9.46 lakh (ex-showroom).
2. Hyundai Aura CNG
Hyundai Aura is one of the very few sedans that comes equipped with a company-fitted CNG kit. This makes it one of the most demanding CNG sedans on the market.
It’s available in multiple engine options, including naturally aspirated petrol, turbo petrol, CNG, and diesel.
If you consider the CNG variant, then under the bonnet is a 1.2-liter Petrol engine meshed with a five-speed transmission system. And of course, there’s a CNG kit with a tank capacity of 65-liters.
Considering its segment, Aura offers a plush interior, comfortable ride & handling, and with the CNG option, it’s fuel-efficient as well.
In CNG mode, Hyundai Aura can deliver a mileage of up to 28 km/l.
The price for the Hyundai Xcent Prime CNG model starts at Rs 7.67 lakh (ex-showroom).
3. Hyundai Grand i10 Nios CNG
The CNG trim of Hyundai Grand i10 Nios is powered by a 1.2-liter Dual VTVT Petrol Bi-fuel (Petrol with CNG) engine and paired with a manual transmission (MT). It’s one of the very few cars from Hyundai that is available with a CNG option. According to the automaker, the i10 Nios CNG easily churns out a combined mileage of around 28 km/kg in CNG (Compress Natural Gas) mode.
Apart from this, the i10 Nios is one of the most stylish hatchbacks present on the market. Out of all the CNG hatchbacks available, Nios delivers the punchiest performance of all. In addition, a factory-fitted CNG kit leaves you without any worry of tuning or calibration of the setup.
The price of CNG models starts at Rs 6.99 lakh (ex-showroom).
4. Maruti Suzuki Celerio CNG
Maruti Suzuki Celerio is quite popular among CNG cars in India and it’s priced under Rs 6 lakh. Recently cab aggregators have also started using Celerio CNG as a fleet car. Among the hatchbacks of Maruti Suzuki, it’s one of the most stable cars when it comes to highway driving and handling. Also, it’s equally impressive when it comes to maneuvering inside the city.
Similar to its elder sibling Ertiga, Celerio is equipped with dual ECUs and an intelligent injection system for better mileage and performance. Likewise, leakproof designs for enhanced safety.
Anyway, Maruti Suzuki Celerio is powered by a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine that runs from both petrol and CNG. However, only the VXi variant of this hatchback is available with a CNG option. If we talk about its mileage, Maruti claims to provide a fuel economy of 30.47 kg/km with a CNG option (MT).
The price of Suzuki Celerio CNG starts at Rs 5.95 lakh (ex-showroom).
5. Hyundai Santro CNG
Hyundai Santro is one of the most famous and old family hatchbacks from the South Korean automaker in India. However, due to the increasing competition in the market, the popularity of this hatchback has reduced a bit. Still, Santro is one of the best options when it comes to CNG cars.
Its compact design, effortless driveability, and comfort level make Santro an ideal choice for a CNG car. Under the hood, the company provides a 1.1-liter MPI CNG engine meshed with manual transmission. Santro can churn out an impressive mileage of up to 30.8 km/kg from its CNG variant.
The price of the Santro CNG variant starts at Rs 5.99 lakh (ex-showroom).
6. Maruti Suzuki WagonR CNG: Car With Best CNG Mileage
Back in 2019, Maruti Suzuki WagonR received a generation upgrade. Unlike the previous models, the new WagonR is quite spacious and provides comfortable journeys. Additionally, its suspension is made soft mainly for enhanced comfort; however, this makes the car vulnerable to body roll if it goes around the corner at high speed.
Under the hood, there is a 1.0-liter 3-Cyl BS6 Petrol + CNG engine with manual transmission. Though this engine might not provide a punchy performance, it’s extremely fuel-efficient. The CNG variant of WagonR delivers a mileage of up to 33 km/kg.
Furthermore, it will cost you a bit less than its sibling Celerio. With a price tag of Rs 5.70 lakh (ex-showroom), it’s one of the most affordable hatchbacks in its segment.
7. Alto CNG: Best Mileage CNG Car
Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 is one of the cheapest and best-selling cars of the company. Maruti has already sold more than 38 lakh units of Alto 800. It’s one of the initial cars of the automaker in India.
Maruti 800 is a small city car with excellent driveability and fuel efficiency. The small size of this car allows it to wander even in the most congested areas in town.
In addition, it’s very easy to maintain and has a good resale value. However, the interior of the car is small and of inferior quality due to its low price.
Speaking of the powertrain, a 0.8-liter 3-Cyl BS6 Petrol + CNG (MT) engine equipped with S-CNG technology powers Alto 800. Moreover, all Maruti Suzuki CNG cars are incorporated with the same S-CNG technology.
Anyway, the 0.8-liter engine is the smallest one here; however, it’s sufficient for a small car like Alto. Additionally, with a mileage of around 33 km/kg in CNG mode, it’s quite efficient.
The price of its Alto 800 CNG variant starts at Rs 4.66 lakh (ex-showroom).
8. Maruti Suzuki S-Presso CNG: Best CNG Car Under 5 Lakhs
S-Presso is a mini SUV from Maruti Suzuki. It shares the same CNG engine as its other siblings: 1.0-liter three-Cyl BS6 Petrol + CNG (MT). However, in terms of design, we might say S-Presso is a unique car from outer appearance. From inside, the interior of the car is similar to that of Celerio except for the center console and placement of the instrument cluster.
Its instrument cluster is integrated with the infotainment screen at the center console. This is quite unusual and irritating as it can lead to difficulty for drivers in reading the information while the car is moving.
Anyway, if we talk about CNG, similar to all its cousins, it is equipped with Suzuki’s S-CNG technology. In terms of mileage, it’s around 31.2 km/kg in CNG, which is a bit higher than Celerio and Santro. Unlike its siblings, both of its and LXi and VXi variants come in CNG options.
The price of CNG variants of this mini SUV starts at Rs 5.06 lakh (ex-showroom).
Maruti has effectively incorporated CNG technology into its cars and offers the maximum number of vehicles with alternative fuel options.
So, Which CNG Car Is Best For You?
Buying a CNG vehicle depends on a user’s personal choice, given the trade-off between fuel economy and performance compared to petrol cars. If you want to buy a seven-seater car for maximum passengers, then Ertiga is the only option for you.
However, there are various options for a five-seater car. Maruti Celerio is quite impressive in ride quality at cheap prices and meanwhile is the most affordable.
However, we believe the Hyundai i10 is the best all-around package among the hatchbacks and other CNG compact cars. Similarly, if you need a sedan then Hyundai Aura would be a suitable choice.
Furthermore, there are only subtle differences in all the cars when it comes to features. Anyway, which CNG car would make the most sense for you, do share your views in the comments section below.
CNK kit can be installed in petrol as well as diesel cars. However, it’s most common in petrol cars as gasoline vehicles have relatively low mileage. Also, in case of petrol cars the installation is much simpler and you can easily find mechanics who have expertise in installing CNG kits. Fortunately, you can also get factory fitted CNG cars nowadays which is a far better option.
However, in case of diesel there isn’t a need of one because diesel engines are already made fuel efficient. Moreover, the installation process is quite complicated and can be unsuccessful.
Well, there are factory fitted CNG cars that you can simply buy from the respective company showrooms, for example Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai both sell company fitted CNG models.
Apart from this, you can also install an after market CNG kit from a good mechanic in any petrol car.
It depends on different aspects. If your daily commute is long and you need a fuel efficient car while compromising a bit of driving pleasure, then sure go ahead. It’ll save you a lot of bucks.
However, if your daily travelling distance is low and you can easily manage fuel expenses then maybe a CNG car won’t be very useful for you.
