Paying heed to the rising threats brought about by global warming, India is embracing its newly found love for eco-friendly alternatives to traditional fuel-powered vehicles. Moreover, car buyers in India also love the cost-efficiency of alternative fuels like CNG.
With India moving more towards reducing carbon emissions and using eco-friendly materials, two of the biggest car brands in the Indian automotive industry, Tata and Maruti Suzuki, are locking horns with each other to capture the CNG segment with their own premium hatchbacks. Both companies wish to capture the growing market for eco-friendly vehicles with their blend of practicality, fuel efficiency, and modern features. It’s a face-off between the premium hatches Tata Altroz iCNG and the Maruti Suzuki Baleno S-CNG
Let’s dive deeper into this blog to find out which one stands tall as the green champion.
Tata Altroz iCNG vs Maruti Baleno S-CNG: Dimensions
Dimensions | Tata Altroz iCNG | Maruti Baleno S-CNG |
Length (mm) | 3,990 mm | 3990 mm |
Width (mm) | 1,755 mm | 1745 mm |
Height (mm) | 1,523 mm | 1500 mm |
Wheelbase (mm) | 2,501 mm | 2520 mm |
Boot Space (L) | 210 liters | Not Available |
Ground Clearance (mm) | 165 mm | 170 mm |
Both brands have ensured to design of a CNG vehicle that offers a spacious and comfortable interior. Although both the vehicles are pretty much identical in terms of length, the Altroz iCNG is wider by 10mm and taller by 23mm. However, the Baleno S-CNG has a longer wheelbase of 19mm at 2,520mm and higher ground clearance of 5mm at 170mm as against the 2,501mm and 165mm of the Altroz iCNG.
Both cars offer ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room for passengers, but the fundamental difference between the two CNG hatchbacks is in their boot space. This is where Tata wins the battle in terms of dimension.
Thanks to its innovative twin-cylinder CNG tank setup, where you have two 30 kg CNG cylinder tanks laid side in the boot floor instead of one large 60 kg tank that takes up your entire boot space, the Altroz iCNG comes with a staggering boot space of 210 litres. While Maruti Suzuki has not disclosed the boot space of its CNG-powered hatchback, the Maruti Baleno S-CNG’s boot space must be smaller than that of the Tata Altroz iCNG, owing to its conventional CNG tank setup.
Tata Altroz iCNG vs Maruti Baleno S-CNG: Engine & Transmission
Parameter | Tata Altroz iCNG | Maruti Baleno S-CNG |
Engine | 1.2-litre, Revotron Engine, 3-cylinder | 1.2-litre, K-Series Dual Jet Dual VVT Engine, 4-cylinder |
Transmission | 5-speed Manual | 5-speed Manual |
Power | 73.5 PS | 77.4 PS |
Torque (Nm) | 103 Nm | 98.5 Nm |
Mileage | 26.2 km/kg | 30.61 km/kg |
Powering the Altroz iCNG is the reliable 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, Revotron engine that produces a maximum power output of 73.5 PS and a peak torque of 103 Nm. Coming to the transmission, you’ll find a five-speed manual gearbox, which offers smooth gear shifts and impressive fuel efficiency.
In comparison, the Baleno S-CNG employs an advanced 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, K-Series Dual Jet Dual VVT engine that produces marginally better 77.4 PS of power output than the Altroz iCNG but less torque at 98.5Nm. The Baleno S-CNG is also mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.
As far as fuel efficiency is concerned, Baleno has Altroz beat with an outstanding mileage of 30.61 km/g. The Altroz iCNG, on the other hand, offers a sub-standard mileage of 26.2 km/kg.
In short, the Maruti Baleno S-CNG has the Altroz iCNG beat, especially in terms of fuel efficiency and power output. This makes the Baleno S-CNG an attractive option for car enthusiasts seeking a more powerful and fuel-efficient CNG car.
Tata Altroz iCNG vs Maruti Baleno S-CNG: Features and Comfort
Features | Tata Altroz iCNG | Maruti Baleno S-CNG |
Infotainment System | 7-inch Touchscreen Infotainment System with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay | 7-inch Touchscreen Infotainment System with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay |
Music System | 8 Speakers | 6 Speakers |
Climate Control | Automatic | Automatic |
Ventilated Seats | Not Available | Not Available |
Adjustable Steering | Tilt | Tilt and Telescopic |
Drive Modes | Not Available | Not Available |
Instrument Cluster | 7-inch Large Display | MID (TFT Colour Display) |
Sunroof | Electric Sunroof | Not Available |
Adjustable Seats (Manual or Electric) | Height Adjustable Driver Seat (Manual) | Height Adjustable Driver Seat (Manual) |
Rear AC Vents | Yes | Yes |
60:40 Rear Seat Split | No | Yes |
Cruise Control | Yes | No |
Tata Altroz iCNG comes loaded with a bunch of top-of-the-line features and modern amenities that will make your ride way more comfortable. The good-to-have features in the CNG-powered hatchback include an air purifier, a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment by Harman, an electric and voice-assisted sunroof, eight speakers and rear AC vents, among others. Some of the industry-first features that set the CNG-powered hatchback from Tata on top of the others include a direct start in CNG mode, a single advanced ECU for seamless shifting between CNG and petrol and twin-cylinder technology.
Although the top-spec Maruti Baleno S-CNG comes with a range of features, such as LED headlights, rear defogger, auto headlamps with Follow Me, a seven-inch SmartPlay Pro touchscreen infotainment system, and more, it’s definitely outclassed in comparison to the Altroz iCNG.
Tata Altroz iCNG vs Maruti Baleno S-CNG: Safety Features
Features | Tata Altroz iCNG | Maruti Baleno S-CNG |
GNCAP Safety Ratings | 5 Stars | Not Available |
Airbags | 2 Airbags | 6 Airbags |
ABS with EBD | Yes | Yes |
ESC | No | No |
Traction Control | Not Available | Not Available |
Automatic Headlamps | Yes | Yes |
Rain-sensing Wipers | Available in the Top-end Variant | Yes |
Hill Hold Assist | No | No |
Hill Descent Control | No | No |
Rear Sensors | Yes | Yes |
Rear Parking Camera | Yes | Yes |
ISOFIX Child Seat Anchor Points | Yes | Yes |
ADAS | No | No |
Irrespective of whether it’s a petrol, diesel or CNG vehicle, Tata never compromises when it comes to safety features. And the saga continues, even with the Altroz iCNG, as it’s arguably the safest hatchback in India with a 5-star safety rating from Global-NCAP.
Built on Tata’s ALFA architecture, the Altroz iCNG offers a robust body and includes a multitude of safety features like ISOFIX anchorage for child seats, voice alerts, a rearview camera with sensors, rain-sensing wipers, fog lamps with cornering function and parking assistance. The Altroz iCNG also comes with a first-in-class smart safety feature—Auto Park Lock. This safety feature automatically prevents the vehicle from making unwanted movements when it is stopped in the neutral position. Furthermore, the iTPMS (Intelligent Tire Pressure Monitoring System) feature alerts when the car is on low tire pressure.
The Baleno S-CNG, on the other hand, doesn’t flaunt NCAP ratings, but it still offers decent safety features to safeguard the occupants in case of a collision. The new-age Baleno S-CNG’s platform is built on Suzuki’s signature platform—Heartect—which uses high-tensile and ultra-high tensile steel to ensure the required strength in the body.
The eco-friendly car from Maruti offers safety features like an electronic stability program with a hill hold assist, six airbags, a head-up display and a 360-degree camera. Similar to its counterpart from Tata, Baleno S-CNG also provides ISOFIX child seat anchorage for improved child protection in case of an accident. The assurance of the NEXA safety shield ensures increased safety for both the driver and the passengers.
The Altroz iCNG has the upper hand in this aspect, too, all thanks to its 5-star Global NCAP rating.
Tata Altroz iCNG vs Maruti Baleno S-CNG: Prices & Variants
Variant | Tata Altroz iCNG | Maruti Baleno S-CNG |
Base | Rs. 7.55 Lakh | Rs. 8.35 Lakh |
Mid | Rs. 8.40 - 9.52 Lakh | Not Available |
Upper-Mid | Rs. 9.99 Lakh | Not Available |
Top | Rs. 10.55 Lakh | Rs. 9.28 Lakh |
The decision to buy a car more often than not comes down to value for money. Tata offers the Altroz iCNG in 6 variants, priced between Rs 7.55 lakh to Rs 10.55 lakh. The base version of the Altroz iCNG costs approximately Rs 80,000 lower than the base variant of the Baleno S-CNG, which is priced at Rs 8.35 Lakh.
While Maruti Suzuki released the Baleno S-CNG in only 2 variants, the top model is priced at a relatively budget-friendly price of Rs 9.28 lakh. It is, in fact, Rs 73,000 less than what the top model of Tata Altroz offers. Hence, if you sit down and compare the top-models, the Maruti Suzuki Baleno S-CNG takes the cake.
Summary
Both the Indian giants have brought out their A-game with their premium CNG hatchbacks—the Tata Altroz iCNG and the Maruti Baleno S-CNG.
But, in the CNG hatchback segment, Tata Altroz iCNG appears to have a marginal edge over its counterpart, Maruti Baleno S-CNG. All thanks to its first-in-the-industry features, aggressive starting price, innovative twin-cylinder technology and bigger boot space, the Altroz iCNG proves to be a smarter choice for people looking for a safe, feature-rich, and spacious CNG hatchback.
On the other hand, nobody can deny the radical difference in the mileage. In the Indian car market, where buyers check the car’s mileage before even getting into the safety features, Maruti Suzuki presents itself as a compelling choice.
Basically, it comes down to a choice between fuel efficiency, safety and luxury features. Irrespective of the premium hatchback you go for, you can rest assured that you are making a conscious effort towards a greener and more sustainable future on the roads.
