Maruti Victoris CNG or strong hybrid: which costs less to run per kilometre

Buyers planning a new car this Diwali have two options in Maruti Suzuki's Victoris: the 1.5-litre S-CNG and the 1.5-litre strong hybrid (e-CVT). With strict emission norms and concerns over E20 fuel, fuel savings have become the main criterion for car buyers in India. Both models are drawing strong interest among customers.

The question is whether it makes sense to save Rs 4 lakh by buying the CNG model, or to pay lakhs more for the comfort of the hybrid. For that, the cost per kilometre has to be worked out first. The calculation assumes petrol at Rs 96 a litre and CNG at Rs 76 a kg.

The company claims a mileage of 27.02 km per kg for the Victoris CNG. On the road, the car gives 24 km per kg. Rs 76 divided by 24 works out to Rs 3.16 per kilometre.

The company's claim for the strong hybrid is 28.65 km per litre. In practice it runs 23 km per litre. Rs 96 divided by 23 gives a running cost of Rs 4.17 per kilometre. Because of the lower fuel price, the CNG car is about Rs 1 per km cheaper to run than the hybrid.

Now the price. Comparing trims with similar features, the on-road price of the strong hybrid is about Rs 4.20 lakh higher than the CNG. At a saving of Rs 1 per km, the car would have to be driven 4,20,000 km to recover the difference. At 10,000 km a year, CNG saves Rs 12,000 a year; at 20,000 km a year, the saving is Rs 24,000. If the car is used for roughly 5 to 7 years, the CNG variant is cheaper both to buy and to run.

There are other differences between the two. The CNG model uses petrol and CNG as fuel, while the hybrid uses petrol and an electric battery. In CNG mode the engine makes 87 bhp, while the electric motor gives the hybrid better performance.

Boot space also differs. With the CNG tank fitted at the bottom, the boot space is about 320 litres. Because the hybrid's battery pack is smaller, it offers more than 373 litres of boot space.

The driving experience differs as well. The CNG variant comes only with a 5-speed manual, so gears have to be changed often in city traffic. The hybrid has an e-CVT automatic gearbox. At low speeds it runs entirely in EV mode, which keeps the cabin quiet and makes driving comfortable even in traffic.

So which car suits you? The Victoris CNG is the better choice for those who want the lowest budget and the cheapest running cost and are ready to drive a manual car in the city. The Victoris hybrid suits those who want the comfort of an automatic gearbox, premium features, a quiet cabin and trouble-free long-distance travel with good mileage.