Tata Tiago Petrol Vs CNG: The Cost Difference May Surprise You

Nitin Gadkari Launches First Flex Fuel Bikes With Hero Splendor+ And HF Deluxe

Somnath Chatterjee — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 21:10:29 +0530

The first flex fuel motorcycles were launched today by Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

Both bikes are Splendor+ and HF Deluxe in the 100 cc segment while both of these bikes are fully compatible with ethanol-blended fuels ranging from E20 to E85.

Where Will Flex Fuel Portfolio Be Launched?

At the moment, the Flex Fuel portfolio will be launched in Delhi and select regions of Maharashtra till July 2026 while later it will be followed by nationwide rollout.

Pricing

The HF Deluxe Flex Fuel is priced at Rs 72,792 (Ex-showroom Delhi), while the Splendor+ Flex Fuel is priced at Rs 82,710 (Ex-showroom Delhi).

Specifications

If we look at the specs, the Splendor+ Flex Fuel has a 97.2cc engine with a power output of 6.3 kW @ 8000 rpm and torque of 8.3 Nm @ 6000 rpm with E85 fuel while the HF Deluxe Flex Fuel is powered by a 97.2cc engine producing 6.3 kW @ 8000 rpm and 8.3 Nm @ 6000 rpm with E85 fuel.

These bikes come with a Revised ECU and upgraded fuel system components which is important for being flex fuel compliant.

This is a big step in making India embrace more environmentally friendly solutions to our increasing fuel usage.

ALSO READ: Maruti Suzuki Sees 40 Per Cent Jump In CNG Bookings, Says Partho Banerjee

The price premium is also not so high for these flex fuel bikes over their standard versions

ALSO READ: Rs 23.6 Lakh Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella: 6 EV Alternatives To Consider

Maruti Suzuki Sees 40 Per Cent Jump In CNG Bookings, Says Partho Banerjee

Somnath Chatterjee — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 12:04:47 +0530

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Sales & Marketing, MSIL, has said that CNG models are seeing an increase of bookings of around 40 percent after our PM's message of conserving fuel. Bookings for CNG models have gone up daily by 40 percent and despite an increase in CNG prices, interest is soaring in CNG versions of small hatchback cars.

The Wagon R CNG for example has 50 percent interest amongst total Wagon R sales. Plus at the higher midsize SUV space, the Victoris CNG for example is also receiving strong traction with its underbody CNG tank concept removing the issue of low boot space.

Maruti Suzuki is also attracting diesel SUV customers and here CNG makes more sense considering issues like Delhi NCR's limited diesel vehicle ownership and more.

Also Read : VinFast’s Green SM Enters India, Takes On Ola And Uber With EV-Only Fleet

Fuel Prices Drive Consumer Shift

Sales of CNG cars have grown up in May with rising fuel prices being the reason for the growth with petrol prices being a strain on the wallet for the car owners. Maruti Suzuki also has a wide range of CNG models in its portfolio including small cars to bigger models like the Victoris.

Going forward, the carmaker will bring many new models to the Indian market from its CNG portfolio and will keep the momentum. Maruti Suzuki has been focussing on the CNG portfolio with many new models while features like an underbody CNG tank add to the convenience factor which helps in increasing consumer interest around CNG cars.

Also Read : Who Won May’s Auto Sales Race? Tata, Mahindra And Maruti Tell Different Stories

Maruti Suzuki Bets on CNG Growth

At the small car end of the segment, higher fuel prices are making car buyers turn to CNG with Maruti Suzuki having the largest market share along with an uptick in sales.

VinFast’s Green SM Enters India, Takes On Ola And Uber With EV-Only Fleet

Somnath Chatterjee — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 11:59:58 +0530

Vinfast will bring its Green SM taxi service to India starting from Delhi NCR. The Green SM is separate from its Vinfast passenger car division while the cars from the Green SM fleet will be the new VF MP7 with a distinct colour scheme.

At the start around 1000 cars would be deployed in Delhi NCR while more cities would be covered later like Bengaluru. Competition to Ola and Uber, Green SM will offer cleaner cars and the rate would be Rs 8/km. Interestingly there would be no surge fees levied.

In its home market in Vietnam, Green SM runs across more than 60 cities and this taxi service is also available across Indonesia, Laos and more.

Fleet, Pricing and Expansion Plans

The cars would have a Turquoise paint job and being an MPV, the cars would be spacious on the inside too. Unlike Ola or Uber, the company has a dedicated fleet which could mean more control over the cars maintenance.

While Vinfast as a brand is new, it has been selling more than 1000 evs a month while this Green SM will expand the company's footprint while the way it operates is different to the other ride-hailing operators.

Green SM will be launched on the 5th of June in Delhi NCR while more cities would be added later. It remains to be seen whether more cars would be added later or the VF MPV 7 would be used mostly for the Green SM operations in India.

Unlike Ola or Uber, Green SM would be electric only while the cars for the fleet would be different from the VF MPV7 sold to private buyers.

Who Won May’s Auto Sales Race? Tata, Mahindra And Maruti Tell Different Stories

ABP Live Business — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 16:10:22 +0530

India’s passenger vehicle market carried its momentum into May 2026, but beneath the headline growth numbers, a fascinating battle is unfolding among the country’s biggest carmakers.

While Maruti Suzuki continued to dominate the charts by a considerable margin, the contest for second place remained intensely competitive.

Tata Motors managed to stay ahead of Mahindra for another month, though the gap narrowed significantly as both manufacturers posted healthy growth. Meanwhile, Hyundai, Toyota and Kia consolidated their positions, while Honda emerged as one of the fastest-growing brands of the month, reported Autocar.

The latest sales figures also reveal how changing consumer preferences, rising SUV demand, electrification and new model launches are reshaping India’s automotive landscape.

Maruti Suzuki Remains In A League Of Its Own

At the top of the leaderboard, Maruti Suzuki continued to demonstrate why it remains India’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer.

The company sold 1,90,337 units in May 2026, marking a 40 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. Month-on-month sales also edged up by 1.4 per cent from April's 1,87,704 units.

SUVs remained a key growth driver, contributing 79,267 units during the month, while small cars such as the Alto K10, Wagon R and S-Presso accounted for 81,555 units.

The company is also preparing to showcase India’s first flex-fuel passenger vehicle on June 4, signalling its intention to diversify beyond conventional powertrains. At the same time, Maruti Suzuki has announced a price increase of up to Rs 30,000 across select models from June, citing rising input and operational costs.

Tata And Mahindra Continue Their Battle For Second Place

The closest contest in the market remains the fight for the No. 2 position.

Tata Motors retained second place with domestic passenger vehicle sales of 59,090 units in May, up 42.2 per cent year-on-year. However, Mahindra was not far behind, recording SUV sales of 58,021 units, reflecting growth of 10.7 per cent from a year ago.

The difference between the two manufacturers narrowed to just over 1,000 units, making it one of the most closely watched rivalries in the industry.

Tata attributed part of its performance to strong retail demand, with Vahan registrations increasing by more than 50 per cent year-on-year. The company also crossed a significant milestone during the month, with electric vehicle sales exceeding 10,000 units for the first time.

Fresh momentum from the updated Tiago and Tiago EV, both of which recently received design, feature and safety upgrades, also supported volumes.

Mahindra, meanwhile, continued to benefit from strong demand across its SUV portfolio. Popular models including the Scorpio, Thar, XUV 3XO and the newer XUV 7XO remained key contributors to sales.

The company noted that volumes could have been even higher were it not for supply-chain constraints affecting certain suppliers.

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Hyundai Looks To Regain Momentum

Hyundai retained fourth position with sales of 47,837 units, up 9.1 per cent compared to May 2025.

However, the company recorded a month-on-month decline of 7.8 per cent from April's 51,902 units, making it one of the few major manufacturers to report sequential weakness.

Despite that, Hyundai highlighted that sales during the first two months of FY2027 reached 99,739 units, representing growth of 13 per cent year-on-year.

The brand continues to draw strength from its SUV portfolio, led by the Creta, Venue and Exter, while hatchbacks such as the Grand i10 Nios and i20 continue to attract buyers.

Like several rivals, Hyundai has also announced price increases across select models from June amid rising production costs.

Toyota And Kia Keep Building Scale

Toyota and Kia continued to strengthen their positions among India’s leading passenger vehicle manufacturers.

Toyota sold 30,574 vehicles during May, up 4.4 per cent year-on-year. The company also crossed a major milestone, surpassing 3,00,000 cumulative strong-hybrid vehicle sales in India.

Models such as the Innova Hycross, Urban Cruiser Hyryder and Glanza remain central to Toyota’s growth strategy.

Kia, meanwhile, delivered one of its strongest performances yet.

The Korean carmaker reported its highest-ever May sales at 27,586 units, reflecting a robust 23.6 per cent increase over the previous year.

The Seltos and Sonet remained volume leaders, while newer products including the Carens Clavis and Syros helped expand the company’s footprint.

Honda Emerges As A Surprise Performer

Although its overall volumes remain modest compared to larger rivals, Honda delivered one of the strongest growth rates among mainstream manufacturers.

The company sold 5,111 vehicles in May, up 29.4 per cent from 3,950 units a year earlier.

Demand remained driven by the Amaze and Elevate, while the updated City sedan contributed additional momentum following its recent refresh.

Honda also showcased the ZR-V as its flagship SUV offering, signalling its intent to strengthen its premium positioning in India.

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MG Faces Headwinds, Nissan Sees Triple-Digit Growth

Lower down the sales rankings, MG Motor and Nissan experienced sharply contrasting fortunes.

JSW MG Motor reported sales of 6,048 units, a marginal decline of 4.1 per cent year-on-year. The company said it maintained volumes despite global supply-chain disruptions, elevated commodity costs and higher freight expenses.

During the month, MG launched the Majestor SUV at a starting price of Rs 40.99 lakh. Positioned above the Gloster, it now serves as the company’s flagship internal combustion engine SUV.

Nissan, meanwhile, emerged as the fastest-growing manufacturer among major players.

The company recorded domestic wholesales of 2,948 units, representing a remarkable 117.7 per cent increase over the previous year.

The Magnite continued to drive volumes, while the recently launched Gravite added further support. Nissan is also preparing to unveil the Tekton SUV on July 9 as it seeks to strengthen its position in India’s increasingly competitive SUV market.

SUVs, EVs And New Launches Drive The Market

The May sales figures underline several themes shaping India’s passenger vehicle industry.

SUVs continue to dominate buyer preferences across segments, helping brands such as Mahindra, Hyundai, Kia and Toyota maintain momentum. Electric vehicles are gaining traction, with Tata crossing the 10,000-unit EV sales milestone. Meanwhile, a steady stream of product launches and upgrades is keeping competition intense across price points.

For now, Maruti Suzuki remains comfortably ahead of the pack. But the battle behind the market leader, particularly between Tata Motors and Mahindra, is becoming one of the most intriguing contests in India’s automotive industry.

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India’s EV Market Hits New Peak Amid Rising Fuel Prices

Somnath Chatterjee — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 12:24:31 +0530

Relentless price hikes in fuel and CNG has forced customers to look at other alternatives including EVs with highest ever sales for them. May 2026 had the highest ever 26,221 units sales which surpassed the April sales at 25,250 units. Year on year sales grew by a whopping 80 percent.

It seems that EVs are now attractive with lower running cost, no fuel issues and better performance.

Tata Leads as Maruti, Mahindra and MG Gain Momentum

Tata Motors which have the highest range of EVs record it's sales at above 10,000 units followed by Mahindra and JSW MG at more than 6,000 units and just below 5000 units.

Maruti Suzuki also had its best ever month with only one EV being on sale with the eVitara having sales of more than 1500 units closely followed by Vinfast which has been maintaining a steady 1200 units plus sales. Others like BYD, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz and Kia are in the three digits.

Also Read : New Honda City Facelift Hybrid Review And Real Mileage

More Launches Boost Demand

While charging infrastructure still has many issue, the price hikes in petrol as well as diesel has increased EV demand along with numerous launches in this space.

Even Toyota entered the EV space recently with the Urban Cruiser Ebella while more carmakers will soon come as well.

The best selling EVs continue to be the Punch EV, Nexon EV and Harrier EV while Mahindra has seen strong demand for its XEV 9e and 9S along with the MG Windsor being the best selling car for them.

Also Read : Rs 23.6 Lakh Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella: 6 EV Alternatives To Consider

Rs 23.6 Lakh Toyota Urban Cruiser Ebella: 6 EV Alternatives To Consider

Somnath Chatterjee — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 17:56:58 +0530

Toyota recently launched the new Ebella as its first EV for India while the pricing is out for the top-end variant which is Rs 23.6 lakh ex-showroom. Here, we take a look at the alternatives available for the same price.

EV Alternatives Under Rs 24 Lakh

We start with the Mahindra XEV 9s which comes with the Pack One Above with a 79kwh battery pack which is Rs 21.9 lakh. The XEV 9S comes with 286bhp with this battery pack and has a claimed range of 679km.

The Vinfast VF7 Earth Model is available from Rs 21.8 lakh while it gets 438km range and 175bhp of power.

The MG Windsor Pro has a price tag of Rs 18.5 lakh and comes with a range of 449km and a power of 134bhp.

Also Read : New Honda City Facelift Hybrid Review And Real Mileage

The Hyundai Creta electric LR comes with a price-tag of Rs 22.18 lakh while having a range of 473km and a power of 169bhp.

The Maruti Suzuki eVitara comes at Rs 20.01 lakh and has a range of 543km and a power of 172bhp.

The Tata Harrier EV Adventure S65 can be had at Rs 22.4 lakh while having a range of 538km and power of 235bhp.

Also Read : Maruti Suzuki Fronx Flex Fuel Car To Be Unveiled By Nitin Gadkari On 4th June

Value Proposition

Hence, you can get a lot of EVs for the price of the Urban Cruiser Ebella across many variants with bigger EVs like Harrier EV, Vinfast VF7 and XEV 9s being available at a lesser price.

We expect to get the full price list of the Urban Cruiser Ebella soon while for now it feels a bit expensive for what it offers.

JSW Motors’ First India SUV To Cost Over Rs 35 Lakh, Jetour T2 Likely

Somnath Chatterjee — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 11:55:58 +0530

JSW Motors is all set for its India launch with the first product being expected to be unveiled around November with the brand starting it's launch plans by Diwali. JSW Motors will focus on new energy vehicles and will bring in hybrids or EVs.

The first car as we have said before would be the T2 from Jetour which is a popular car sold abroad in other markets. The T2 would be sold in India with a plug in hybrid powertrain only. JSW Motors will exist as a seperate brand from JSW MG.

As stated before the first car would be on the premium side with an estimated price tag of Rs 35 lakh plus while later products would be in the more mass market space.

Also Read : New Honda City Facelift Hybrid Review And Real Mileage

Brand Centres, Deliveries And Future Plans

JSW Motors will also open new brand centres before starting sales and deliveries. The brand centres would to showcase new cars before showrooms come up. Deliveries will happen for their first car would be around December or early next year.

The T2 is a big SUV and features a boxy styling theme while for India, the car would be sold with a different name along with the JSW Motors badge. All cars will have a JSW Motors badge and will also be adapted for our markets with styling changes as well.

JSW Motors will launch many new cars and the next car would be below Rs 20 lakh being an electric SUV. The carmaker will bring only SUVs to the Indian market being NEVs or new energy vehicles.

Also Read : Maruti Suzuki Fronx Flex Fuel Car To Be Unveiled By Nitin Gadkari On 4th June

New Honda City Facelift Hybrid Review And Real Mileage

Somnath Chatterjee — Sat, 30 May 2026 11:51:30 +0530

The City is the longest running midsize sedan and it is a name as popular as Honda itself. Hence, the City has been the backbone for the brand but recently faced intense competition in this segment. Now, the City is back and this time it means business.

Design And Styling

There is updated styling, more features and it carries forward it's hybrid and petrol engines. Clearly the new City looks much more attractive with its sleeker stance with the slimmer LED headlights plus the light bar along with the sharply cut bumper. There are new alloys too and in this black shade, the City is a head turner for sure.

Features And Cabin Experience

Inside, the changes are less but you see a new larger touchscreen which kind of looks a bit aftermarket but the display is better now. There is also a new 360 degree camera which offers a decent resolution. Other features include ventilated seats which cover a large part of the front seats and a powered handbrake while it continues to have features like ADAS and climate control.

However, powered seats should have been provided along with rear sunshades. The rear seats have good legroom and ample width along with a middle headrest too but the headroom is in short supply.

Performance And Driving Experience

Start the car and it's silence as the hybrid City moves along in electric power while gentle throttle inputs bring the EV mode on. The engine and electric power blend very well and you don't realise when the petrol engine comes on.

The 126bhp/253Nm hybrid powertrain is smooth and cruises very well along with a light steering. It is perfect for city traffic and a gentle cruise suits it. Drive it hard though and the eCVT gearbox becomes noisy. It's not the muscular power delivery of a turbo petrol but instead is smooth for gentle cruising.

You will also get 17-20kmpl in the real world while more too on the highway. The driving experience is also comfort oriented with a soft suspension but with a very nice ride quality while there is some body roll.

Verdict

Priced at Rs 21 lakh the City hybrid is now more expensive than before but is now more recommended due to the new looks, added features and the excellent fuel efficiency during these times of sky rocketing fuel prices.

If your running is huge and you need a comfortable plus efficient car, the new City is an appealing alternative to an SUV.

Maruti Suzuki Fronx Flex Fuel Car To Be Unveiled By Nitin Gadkari On 4th June

Somnath Chatterjee — Fri, 29 May 2026 21:10:58 +0530

Maruti Suzuki will unveil it's first flex fuel car in India and it will be unveiled by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Hardeep Singh Puri.

It would be the first flex fuel car from Maruti Suzuki and it is likely to be the Fronx which was earlier showcased as well.

Flex Fuel Car

A flex fuel car can run upto E100 ethanol fuel and Maruti Suzuki earlier had unveiled the Flex Fuel cars at global motor shows.

We expect the Fronx Flex fuel to be showcased.

It will be India's first E100 compatible car and augurs with Governments push for a lower fuel import bill along with a cleaner environment.

Flex fuel cars have to be extensively modified and use a different system altogether to be able to use E100 fuel which a standard car cannot run on.

These cars have an entirely different fuel system and would be more expensive over a standard car but the environment benefits would be higher.

The Fronx from Maruti Suzuki isn't the only car as more manufacturers are also working on flex fuel cars and it will also increase once a roll out of the E100 fuel would be there or a much higher blend.

Maruti Suzuki previously showed a flex-fuel Wagon R prototype at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024, while a Fronx compatible with E85 fuel was shown in Japan.

Tata Tiago Petrol Vs CNG: The Cost Difference May Surprise You

Somnath Chatterjee — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:17:48 +0530

The new Tiago comes in petrol and CNG avatars while in this article we will see which one makes more sense for you. The new Tiago comes with an EV powertrain, petrol and CNG while the CNG and petrol versions would confuse buyers in terms of running costs.

With petrol prices sky high, CNG is now the new diesel. In the Tiago petrol you get the 1.2-litre 3-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol with 86bhp. In the CNG version, there is direct start and the power on offer is slightly less at 75bhp.

Interestingly the CNG and petrol versions come with manual and AMT options with even paddle shifters on offer on the CNG AMT. The petrol has an efficiency of under 20kmpl while the CNG has 26.49 km/kg.

Also Read : Tiago EV Facelift Launched Under Rs 5 Lakh: Time To Skip Petrol Cars?

Running Costs, Features and Verdict

In terms of running costs, the new Tiago CNG is much cheaper than the petrol while you can get it in AMT now as well. Price wise you do end up paying more than a lakh over the petrol model but you will make up the cost with the CNG quickly.

In terms of features, the new Tiago now comes with a 360 degree camera, blind view monitor, 6 airbags, rear ac vents and more. That said, you cannot get the CNG on the topend trim which is Creative+ as it is limited to Creative only.

With the CNG, the performance is less than petrol but you will get a much cheaper running cost which is crucial for a car like this especially during times like these.

Also Read : ABP Live Exclusive: Honda Gears Up For New EV Launch, More Imported Cars Coming To India