Swift Dzire petrol is cheaper to own than the i20 diesel hatchback!

CarToq Diesel Decider has another nugget for you. The analysis using this tool suggests that a compact sedan, Maruti Swift Dzire VXI might make more sense than premium hatchback Hyundai i20 Asta CRDi. The operating costs will be lower and you get a sedan. Yes, the compact petrol sedan will be a cheaper buy for you than the diesel hatchback!

The key here is the lower usage assumed—about 750 km per month, or less than 25 km daily. At this usage level, the lower fuel cost of diesel and higher mileage are not enough to offset the higher purchase price of diesel i20.

Hyundai i20 Asta CRDi costs Rs 697,761 and returns a (claimed) mileage of 22 kmpl. EMI on a 5-year loan for i20 (85% of total cost) works out to about Rs 13,148. The cost of running the car for a month (assuming 750 km) works out to Rs 1,295. Hence, the total monthly spend will be Rs 14,443.

Now, calculate the numbers for Swift Dzire VXi which costs Rs 547,227 and returns a (claimed) mileage of 16 kmpl. EMI on a 5-year loan for Swift Dzire VXi (assuming 85% of total car price is taken as loan) works out to about Rs 10,312. The cost of running the car for a month (assuming 750 km) works out to Rs 3,000. Hence, the total monthly spend will be Rs 13,312.

That’s a saving of Rs 1,131 per month—or Rs 67,860 over five years. Plus, the down payment for Swift Dzire too is lower by Rs 22,580. Add the two and you end up with hefty savings of Rs 90,440 while driving away in a sedan—admittedly a more prestigious option!

You can use the CarToq Diesel Decider for more comparative analysis between diesel and petrol car options.