New Maruti Suzuki Ertiga gets CNG-petrol dual fuel kit as dealer-level accessory

India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki launched the second-generation Ertiga MPV in India late last month. The second-gen Ertiga is currently only offered with petrol and diesel options. However, now dealers are now offering petrol variants with a sequential CNG kit as part of the accessories package for the new Ertiga.

According to an Autocar India report, the CNG kit gets a 14-kilogramme capacity and dealers are offering the system for an extra cost of Rs 65,000, which is inclusive of RTO charges and insurance.

However, it is to be noted that the CNG kit offered as an accessory is a dealer-level offering. Maruti has stated that it will be bringing a CNG version directly from the factory in around six months time. Till then, the dealer level kit for the Ertiga offers customers an option to make use of the cheaper CNG fuel wherever it is available provided their local dealership offers the kit.

The Maruti Suzuki Eritga is currently offered with the 1.5-litre petrol engine 103 Bhp that is pared to the carmaker’s mild hybrid system. No details are currently available about the loss in power in the switch to CNG or the benefits in terms of mileage with the switch to natural gas as fuel.

CNG is cheaper than petrol and this makes it a top choice for city commutes in places where CNG dispensing infrastructure is well developed. Also, CNG burns more cleanly than petrol, limiting tail pipe emissions. The two downsides to using CNG in a car are 1. Lower power and torque output from the engine 2. Loss of warranty in cases where the kit is from the after market. This is a reason why it’s always better to opt for cars that come with factory fitted CNG kits. In some cases, the automaker approves kits that can be fitted at the dealer’s end. In such cases, stock warranty remains intact.

The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga is also offered with the 1.3-litre turbocharged diesel engine from Fiat which produces 89 Bhp and 200 Nm of torque. Both petrol and diesel engines are offered with a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard. The petrol engine is offered with a 4-speed torque converter as an option as well.

Prices for the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga start at Rs 7.44 lakhs and go up all the way to Rs 10.90 lakh for the top-spec diesel option. The top-spec petrol variant with the manual gearbox is offered at a price of Rs 9.50 lakh. Maruti usually does not offer its cars with CNG when paired with an automatic gearbox.

The Maruti Suzuki Ertiga rivals the likes of the Mahindra Marazzo and the Renault Logan. The second-gen Ertiga is priced at over Rs 2.5 lakhs cheaper than its newest rival, the Mahindra Marazzo. However, since the Marazzo is only offered with a diesel engine, the entry-level Ertiga variant comparable to it, the LDI, comes in at around Rs 1.15 lakhs less expensive than its Mahindra rival, which any way you look at it is a seemingly win-win situation for the customer opting for the Maruti MPV.