5 CNG automatic cars under Rs 10 lakh in India
Tata and Maruti Suzuki now offer CNG cars with automatic (AMT) gearboxes, ending the manual-only trend, at prices under Rs 10 lakh
Buying a CNG car in India has so far meant putting up with constant gear changes, since CNG vehicles came only with manual gearboxes. That is changing fast, with automatic, or AMT, CNG cars now in the market. Given city traffic and rising fuel prices, five CNG-AMT cars from Tata and Maruti Suzuki, priced under Rs 10 lakh, could be a good option.
The Tata Tiago CNG AMT is considered India's cheapest CNG-AMT car. Its starting ex-showroom price is around Rs 7.13 lakh, going up to Rs 8.62 lakh depending on the variant. It gets Tata's 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine on CNG paired with a 5-speed AMT gearbox. It uses Tata's twin-cylinder CNG technology, which gives more boot space than a conventional single-cylinder design. The car delivers a claimed mileage of up to 28.06 km per kg.
Maruti Suzuki has also offered an AMT option with CNG in its popular hatchback, the Swift. The Swift CNG AMT has a starting ex-showroom price of Rs 7.92 lakh and is available in VXi, VXi(O) and ZXi variants. It comes with a 1.2-litre Z-series petrol engine and a 5-speed AMT, with the company claiming a mileage of 35.34 km per kg. Its compact size and automatic gearbox make it a good option for city driving.
In the premium hatchback segment, the Maruti Baleno is also now available with an AMT option. This automatic CNG model has a starting price of Rs 8.32 lakh, with a 5-speed AMT and a 1.2-litre Z-series engine. The Baleno CNG AMT has a claimed mileage of 34.47 km per kg. Compared with the Swift, the Baleno has a bigger cabin and more features, making it a good choice for buyers who do not want an SUV but want a spacious car with good mileage.
The Tata Punch is a popular CNG-AMT SUV in this segment. The Punch i-CNG AMT has a starting ex-showroom price of Rs 8.77 lakh, while higher variants cost more than Rs 10 lakh. It gets a 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine and a 5-speed AMT gearbox. Two CNG tanks are fitted under the boot floor, which saves considerable boot space. The CNG-AMT version also gets paddle shifters and the car can be started directly in CNG mode. It delivers a mileage of 26.99 km per kg.
The Maruti Suzuki Dzire, a popular compact sedan, is also now available in a CNG-AMT version. Its starting ex-showroom price is Rs 8.53 lakh. It comes with a 1.2-litre Z-series engine, S-CNG technology and a 5-speed AMT gearbox. The Dzire CNG AMT delivers a claimed mileage of 36.47 km per kg, making it the highest-mileage car among Maruti's three new CNG-AMT models. For buyers who want a sedan's comfort along with good mileage, the Dzire is a strong option.
All prices mentioned above are ex-showroom, and mileage figures are as claimed by the respective companies.
