Tata Nexon iCNG Launched At Rs 8.99 Lakh: India’s First Turbo CNG SUV

The much-awaited CNG variant of Tata’s popular SUV, the Nexon, has finally been launched in the market. The price for the newly launched iCNG variant starts at Rs 8.99 lakh (ex-showroom). The iCNG version of the Nexon is available in eight trims, with prices going up to Rs 14.59 lakh (ex-showroom).  The SUV is expected to reach dealerships in coming days and the deliveries are also expected to commence soon after that.

The Nexon iCNG stands out in its segment as it is the first CNG SUV or car in the country to feature a turbo petrol engine. In addition to the turbo petrol engine, the SUV uses Tata’s twin-cylinder technology, which frees up significantly more boot space compared to regular CNG cars. The two cylinders have a combined capacity of 60 liters, and despite the twin cylinders, the Nexon offers a usable boot space of 321 liters.

Since Tata offers the Nexon iCNG in eight variants, the higher variants come with premium features such as ventilated seats, a voice-assisted panoramic sunroof, a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with navigation, and a touch-based climate control unit. This is the first time a CNG vehicle in India has been offered with ventilated seats.

The Nexon iCNG is powered by the same 1.2-liter, three-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine that generates 100 PS and 170 Nm of peak torque. Compared to the petrol version, the CNG variant produces 20 PS less power, which is common in CNG vehicles. This detuning is typically done to improve fuel efficiency.

In terms of fuel efficiency, the Nexon iCNG boasts a claimed figure of 24 km per kg of gas. It is currently offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox only, making it the only CNG vehicle in the country to feature a 6-speed manual transmission. Tata might launch the AMT version at a later stage.

Like other Tata iCNG models, the Nexon also comes with features such as direct start in CNG mode, seamless switching between petrol and CNG modes, a fire protection device, leak detection, and thermal incident protection. In the event of a leak, the system releases all the gas from the cylinder into the atmosphere immediately to prevent fire incidents.

The SUV also includes features like a 360-degree camera, automatic headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, six airbags, and more. The Nexon iCNG is available in the following trims: Smart – Rs 8.99 lakh, Smart + – Rs 9.69 lakh, Smart +S – Rs 9.99 lakh, Pure – Rs 10.69 lakh, Pure S – Rs 10.99 lakh, Creative – Rs 11.69 lakh, Creative + – Rs 12.19 lakh, and Fearless + PS – Rs 14.59 lakh (all prices are ex-showroom).

In addition to the Nexon, Tata also offers factory-fitted CNG options for models like the Tiago, Tigor, Punch, and Altroz. The Tata Nexon iCNG will directly compete with the Maruti Brezza, which also comes with a factory-fitted CNG kit.

CNG models account for 21 percent of Tata’s sales. Tata recently launched their Coupe SUV, the Curvv, in the Indian market and is planning to introduce a CNG version of the SUV. The recently launched Curvv is available with two petrol engines and one diesel engine option. There is a possibility that the turbo petrol engine in the lower variant of the Curvv will also be offered with CNG.

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