If your petrol bills are giving you sleepless nights and you’ve always dreamt of owing a car that runs on a cheap fuel, it’s time to wake up. India’s top two passenger car manufacturers, Maruti Udyog Ltd and Hyundai Motor India, have introduced alternative fuel variants—Wagon R Duo, powered by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and Santro propelled by compressed natural gas (CNG). The two hatchbacks, which probably provide the best value for money in their class, not only ensure significant savings on petrol bills but also provide high fuel economy. Both the cars are powered by 1.1-litre engines and run on petrol or LPG The Wagon R has to be revved up in petrol mode before being switched to gas, otherwise the engine dies out. The Santro, on the other hand, can be switched on in the CNG mode directly. In both the cars, the button for toggling between petrol and LPG/CNG modes is located on the right, next to the steering wheel. There are also green LEDs next to the button, which indicate the amount of LPG/CNG in the tank. The Wagon R, in the LPG mode, has a very good pick-up and the power loss, compared to the petrol variant, is marginal. Overtaking cars is not a painful affair. Even with the AC switched on, the first two gears have enough power to pull the car, but in the third gear, the Wagon R becomes a bit sluggish. But one must not forget that it is carrying a 22-kg LPG cylinder in the boot where the spare wheel was normally placed. Now the spare is mounted on the left above the cylinder, leaving enough space for a suitcase or a couple of airbags. There is a tiny lid on the rear right on the outside from where the cylinder can be refilled. The Santro, unlike the Wagon R, is quite sluggish. The pick-up is not very good, especially at low revs. With the AC on, the car slows down further and overtaking cars or driving up a flyover is an effort. Santro’s alternative fuel variant does not have any luggage space at the back as the 12 kg CNG tank takes up the entire space. So if you’re planning to go on a vacation, pack light. For refilling, the bonnet has to be opened and a knob at the right is used for refuelling. However, all is forgiven when you consider that both the cars are cheap on the wallet. LPG is available at Rs 27 per litre and CNG for Rs 19.20 per kg, almost half to one-third the price of petrol. Though the LPG is more expensive than CNG, it is litre vs kg and it does not inhibit engine performance as much as CNG does. But refilling is never a problem with CNG: there are about 144 CNG stations in Delhi compared to 11 LPG stations. Both the cars have virtually the same fuel economy. Santro returns 14 km per kg, while the Wagon R gives 15 km per kg. Where Hyundai scores over Maruti is in price: the Hyundai CNG starts at Rs 3.25 lakh and the Wagon R costs Rs 3.49 lakh. Both the cars have lower maintenance cost compared to their petrol variants. Due to the burning of cleaner fuels, unlike petrol and diesel, the engine’s wear and tear is less. The alternative fuel variants are not about revving to the finish line or attempting to break speed records. Both the Santro and Wagon R are for city limits and battling chaotic traffic. Buy them only if CNG or LPG is available close to where you stay and if you travel at least 40-50 km a day.
