Read This If You Are Planning To Buy A CNG Vehicle In 2025!

Compressed Natural Gas, popularly known as CNG, is now being offered with many cars across various automakers. Earlier, the CNG option was mainly used by cab services, but now we see many private car buyers opting for the eco-friendly powertrain. You might already be aware of most of the benefits of CNG, but there are drawbacks too. 

In this report, we will be taking you through all the things that you need to know before buying a CNG vehicle! So, if you are in a dilemma and confused about whether you should go for a CNG car or not, then you have come to the right place. Let’s begin: 

Higher Initial Cost 

CNG cars are usually around Rs 1 lakh more expensive than the petrol powertrains offered with the same car. The cost includes multiple things like installing the CNG kit during production, the cost of the CNG tank and the special CNG-compatible components. 

Let’s understand this with an example- Consider the Grand i10 Nios’ Magna variant, which is the entry-level CNG trim. The petrol option with the same variant costs Rs 6.84 lakh (ex-showroom), while the CNG option for the Magna trim costs Rs 7.75 lakh. So you end up paying almost Rs 1 lakh extra to get the CNG option. The premium you pay for CNG vehicles will vary based on the variant and model you opt for. 

While budgeting your purchase, you should calculate the initial premium vs the fuel savings you would make on a day-to-day basis. It is important to have an idea of the break-even point. 

You Will Save Money If…

You are someone who drives their car daily and drives it for around 30 km or more per day. So if you clock 1000 km or more on a monthly basis, then a CNG car would help you save significantly. Lower fuel expenses and cheaper maintenance will play a crucial part in saving money. 

Let us understand how you could save money: 

As of April 2025, the average CNG cost in Maharashtra is Rs 86.95 per kg, and the average petrol cost is Rs 104.33 per litre. Let’s now take the Tata Punch’s example, which offers 26.99 km/kg mileage (claimed) with CNG and 20.09 kmpl with petrol. 

If you drive 1000 km in a month, you would pay Rs 5,193 if you choose the petrol option and Rs 3,222 if you go with the CNG powertrain. 

Please note that this is a Maharashtra-specific example and based on a 1000 km monthly run. Your cost of fuel and monthly savings will differ based on the car model, the city you live in, and many other factors. Also, note that these are claimed efficiency numbers that have been used for calculations. However, we hope that you now have a rough estimate of how much you would be saving. 

You Should Buy A CNG Car Only If… 

Extracting performance from your car or driving fast is NOT your priority. If you are planning to buy a CNG car, your aim should be to minimise fuel costs. In CNG mode, the car produces less power and torque. Additionally, even if you drive it in the petrol mode, the performance won’t be as good as a petrol-only version of the same car due to the added weight of the CNG tank. 

Also, if you use your car only for short distances and drive less than around 800 km in a month, then a CNG car won’t really help you save a lot, and it might take a lot of time to recover the initial cost of purchasing it. All this, while missing out on performance…

Moreover, one should also be aware of the long lines at most fuel stations for CNG refuelling. 

Another important thing to consider is that if you only use your cars for highway travel or in hilly areas, then you should stay away from CNG cars. The sole reason would be that you would need to be in the petrol mode most of the time to extract sufficient performance while going uphill or at higher speeds (up to 120 kmph). However, if you still want a CNG vehicle, you should go for the most powerful CNG vehicles. For example, the Tata Nexon CNG produces 100 PS, providing enough performance for all types of roads. 

Should Be Factory-Fitted! 

Consider this as the most important point! We recommend that you avoid aftermarket CNG kits and compulsorily go only with factory-fitted CNG cars. There have been many instances where the aftermarket CNG kits have completely destroyed the car’s engine and other mechanicals. Furthermore, it also voids the car’s warranty in most cases. One should also avoid second-hand CNG cars, especially the older ones. 

A Compromised Boot Space? 

CNG cars usually have lesser boot space when compared to ICE-powered vehicles. The main reason for this is the presence of the CNG cylinder, which takes up space in the boot. The good thing is that a few automakers have started using the dual-cylinder technology, which frees up space in the boot. However, the boot space is still not as large as what you would get from the non-CNG variants. 

Let us take a look at the example of the Tata Punch:

As seen in the table above, the Punch offers significantly greater boot space with the petrol engine. 

So if you need that extra space and you go for frequent outstation trips, then a petrol or diesel car would be better for you. 

Lower Resale Value 

In the second-hand market, you get to see many CNG cars for sale. However, the resale value for CNG cars are lower compared to cars of other powertrains. The main reason is that there are high chances of the mechanicals failing, and the authenticity of the CNG kit cannot be trusted. 

Moreover, older CNG cars come with a single CNG cylinder which takes up a lot of boot space and reduces the practicality of the car. Furthermore, most of the CNG cars are offered with lower or mid-spec variants, and that becomes another reason for their lower selling price. 

Diesels Are An Alternative

If you are not living in the Delhi NCR region, where there are strict scrappage policies for diesel vehicles, then you could actually consider opting for diesel cars. Their initial cost and running costs are similar to CNG cars, and you also do not have to compromise on performance. Yes, you might end up saving some bucks with a CNG car, but it wouldn’t amount to much, especially if you compare it with most petrol cars. 

There are similarities between CNG and diesel cars, but both are very different in nature. Diesel cars are known for their gruntful performance and higher emissions (not in all cases), while most CNG vehicles lack performance but are eco-friendly. 

Limited Automatic Options…

CNG cars are mostly offered with manual transmission options only. This limits your options if you want the convenience of an automatic gearbox. Save for a few cars like the Tata Tiago, Tigor and Nexon which offer the option of opting for an automatic transmission; most carmakers offer CNG only with a manual gearbox. 

Automatic transmissions are becoming more and more popular, and with the growth of CNG as well, the combination of the two could actually prove to be the preferred choice of buyers in the future.  

Final Thoughts

By now, you might have gotten a fair understanding of what you would be getting into. Good or bad, that totally depends on your usage and personal requirements.

The good thing is that CNG car sales have gone up by a significant margin, and what’s even better is that car manufacturers are taking sincere efforts to offer the latest technology with CNG cars, more powerful powertrains and offer them with top-spec variants as well. 

So a CNG car should be on your list if you want a car to travel in the city, and if your usage involves 30+ km on a day-to-day basis. 

The growth in the number of CNG vehicles is also a good thing for the country because it is a more eco-friendly powertrain, producing significantly lower harmful emissions. 

What do you think about CNG cars? Would you consider it over a petrol or diesel vehicle? Let us know in the comments section.