A little while ago, if someone wanted to buy a CNG vehicle, they would have to compromise and get the manual gearbox option. However, things have changed now, and today there are multiple cars in the market which are offering CNG with automatic gearboxes. So, if you are someone who is planning to buy a CNG automatic car today, here is the list.
The first and most affordable CNG automatic car in India is the Tata Tiago iCNG AMT. Its pricing starts at Rs 7.13 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 8.62 lakh for the Creative CNG AMT. The vehicle is offered with a 1.2-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated Revotron engine that produces 73.4 PS and 95 Nm in CNG mode. As for the gearbox, it comes paired with a 5-speed AMT.
Tata claims that it offers a fuel efficiency of 28.06 km/kg. One of the biggest advantages of the Tiago is Tata’s twin-cylinder CNG technology, which places the cylinders underneath the luggage floor and keeps the upper boot area more usable.
It can also start directly in CNG mode and, depending on the variant, features include an 8-inch or 10.25-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other highlights include cruise control, automatic climate control, a 360-degree camera and paddle shifters.
The next affordable hatchback with the CNG automatic combination is the Swift CNG AMT. It starts at Rs 7.92 lakh (ex-showroom) and uses Maruti Suzuki’s new 1.2-litre three-cylinder Z12E engine. In CNG mode, it produces 69 PS and 102 Nm and comes with a 5-speed AGS transmission. What is interesting is that the automatic version has a claimed efficiency of 35.34 km/kg, which is higher than the 32.85 km/kg claimed for the manual version.
The CNG system uses a 55-litre water-equivalent single tank, which takes up a significant portion of the boot. As a result of this, the car does not get a traditional spare wheel. The VXi, VXi (O) and ZXi variants get features such as a 7-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone connectivity, Suzuki Connect, automatic climate control, LED headlamps and wireless charging, depending on the variant. Six airbags, ESP, Hill Hold Assist and ABS with EBD are standard.
The newly launched premium hatchback from Maruti Suzuki, which is the Baleno, is another car to get the combination of CNG and AMT. Priced from Rs 8.32 lakh (ex-showroom), it gets the same 1.2-litre three-cylinder Z12E engine as the Swift CNG AMT. The engine makes 69 PS and 102 Nm in CNG mode. Meanwhile, the gearbox duties are carried by the 5-speed AMT.
Maruti Suzuki claims an efficiency of 34.47 km/kg. The CNG system uses a 55-litre water-equivalent single cylinder. So, like the Swift, the boot space is one of the compromises of this factory-fitted setup. The Baleno CNG AMT is offered in Delta and Zeta variants, priced at Rs 8.32 lakh and Rs 9.32 lakh, respectively. Equipment on the higher variant includes a 9-inch touchscreen, wireless charger, ventilated front seats, LED lighting and Type-C charging ports.
If fuel efficiency is your main consideration, the Dzire CNG AMT is the vehicle for you. It offers the highest claimed figure among the cars listed here. It is priced from Rs 8.53 lakh (ex-showroom) and uses the same 1.2-litre, three-cylinder Z12E engine, making 69 PS and 102 Nm in CNG mode. And the 5-speed AMT-equipped version claims to offer 36.47 km/kg. It is 2.74 km/kg more than the manual version.
The CNG setup uses a 55-litre water-equivalent single tank like the Baleno and the Swift. The VXi CNG AMT gets a 7-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone connectivity, rear AC vents and power-adjustable mirrors. Meanwhile, the higher ZXi variant adds 15-inch alloys, full-LED headlamps with DRLs, automatic climate control, wireless charging and a reverse camera.
Last on the list, the Tata Punch iCNG AMT takes the same CNG-automatic formula into the micro-SUV segment. It starts at Rs 8.77 lakh (ex-showroom) and comes offered with a 1.2-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated Revotron engine. It makes 73 PS and 103 Nm in CNG mode. And it is offered with a 5-speed AMT. The vehicle also gets paddle shifters on the relevant variants.
The real-world testing figures of the Punch iCNG are 18.87 km/kg in the city and 25.36 km/kg on the highway. What makes the Punch iCNG special is that Tata’s twin-cylinder setup helps the Punch to retain 210 litres of boot space, and its direct CNG starting is another useful feature. Prices go up to Rs 10.54 lakh for the Accomplished+ S CNG AMT, which gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen, 360-degree camera, automatic climate control and alloy wheels.