News & Top StoriesDiscover Why It Taken So Long to Have a CNG Automatic Option Now Available
In India, people who wanted lower operating costs for their cars have had the option of CNG technology available since the early 2000s, but it was only available as a retrofit. It was only made available as a factory-fitted option for a range of reasonably priced Maruti and Hyundai models in 2010. It wasn’t until February 2024 that any brand provided an option to pair an automatic transmission with a CNG powertrain.
Tata has been leading the CNG segment with its innovations, beginning with the dual-cylinder setup that permits a usable boot, despite the Indian automaker’s relative youth in the industry. By offering the option of an AMT with the Tiago CNG and Tigor CNG, they have once again advanced the game.
Issue Of Price Premium
Today’s CNG cars have advanced significantly from being primarily economical utilitarian vehicles to being equipped with some of the most important convenience and technology features. Fundamentally speaking, however, a buyer of a CNG vehicle is still anticipated to be more cost-conscious than the average car buyer, and the convenience of an automatic transmission—even an AMT—comes at a reasonable premium.
The Tiago CNG AMT is one example of this, where the CNG kit alone is worth Rs 95,000 more than the base petrol model. When the AMT gearbox is added, the price increase of about Rs 50,000 brings the total cost up to almost Rs 1.5 lakh more than the standard petrol version.
CNG and AMT: An Intricate Combination
The difficulty of establishing a trustworthy and harmonious relationship between an automatic transmission and a CNG powertrain is another reason contributing to the delay in the release of a CNG-automatic option. Adding a CNG powertrain to the mix only complicates matters, as the latter requires multiple sensors to shift gears based on data such as engine load and RPMs. An existing CNG model has two different fuel-dependent states of tune: one for gasoline-powered operation and another for CNG-powered operation, which results in reduced power and torque. The data from each of these sensors will need to be returned so that it is compatible with both CNG and gasoline tunes to achieve the CNG-automatic configuration.
Variants and Specifications of Tiago CNG AMT
XTA and XZA+ are the two versions that are offered. It has the same 1.2-liter gasoline engine as the hatchback but with a reduced power output (73.5 PS/95 Nm). Options include 5-speed MT and AMT for the Tiago CNG.
Prices And Competitors
From Rs 7.90 lakh to Rs 8.80 lakh (ex-showroom, nationwide), the Tata Tiago CNG AMT is priced. Although they are limited to manual transmissions, Maruti Wagon R and Maruti Celerio are their rivals.
News & Top StoriesLaunched Are The Tata Tiago And Tigor CNG AMT, With Prices Beginning At Rs 7,89,900
- Tata Tiago Cars NRG receives the CNG automated powerplant on the top-spec XZA, while the Tiago is equipped with it on the XTA and XZA+ variants of the higher specification.
- This engine is available for the Tata Tigor’s higher-spec XZA and XZA+ models.
- A 1.2-liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine with a 5-speed AMT powers each of these vehicles.
- This CNG engine produces 95 Nm and 73.5 PS.
Tata, which is now the first car brand in India to offer CNG automatic cars on the market, has released the prices of the CNG AMT variants of the Tata Tiago, Tata Tiago NRG, and Tata Tigor. The features, engine, and transmission options are the same for both variants. Let’s look at the prices of different models.
Tiago NRG CNG AMT & Tata Tiago CNG AMT
| Ex-showroom Price | ||
| Variant | CNG Manual | CNG AMT |
| Tiago XTA | Rs 7.35 lakh | Rs 7.90 lakh |
| Tiago NRG XZA | Rs 8.25 lakh | Rs 8.80 lakh |
| Tiago XZA+ | Rs 8.25 lakh | Rs 8.80 lakh |
The Tiago and Tiago NRG’s comparable CNG manual models are priced Rs 55,000 less than the CNG AMT variants. You can purchase the Tiago NRG CNG AMT or the top-spec Tiago CNG AMT for Rs 8.80 lakh; the top-spec model comes with a greater feature set. In addition, the Tiago XZA+ CNG AMT has a dual-tone option, which costs Rs 10,000 more than the XZA+ CNG AMT version. The AMT gearbox is not available for the entry-level XT trim of the Tiago NRG CNG or the lower-spec XE and XM CNG versions of the Tiago.
Tata Tigor CNG AMT
| Ex-showroom Price | ||
| Variant | CNG Manual | CNG AMT |
| Tigor XZA | Rs 8.25 lakh | Rs 8.85 lakh |
| Tigor XZA+ | Rs 8.95 lakh | Rs 9.55 lakh |
The CNG AMT variants of the Tata Tiago are priced Rs 60,000 more than the corresponding CNG manual variants. Nevertheless, Tata isn’t providing the AMT option for the base XM CNG version of the sub-4 million sedan.
Additionally, Tata has added new color options for all three models. The Tigor now has an exterior color choice called Meteor Bronze, the Tiago NRG receives Glassland Beige, and the Tiago gets a new hue called Tornado Blue.
Powertrain
A 1.2-liter normally aspirated petrol engine with 86 PS and 113 Nm of output powers the Tiago, Tiago NRG, and Tigor; in CNG mode, the engine produces 73.5 PS and 95 Nm of power. The fuel efficiency of all three of these models, as disclosed by Tata, is 28.06 km/kg.
Features & Safety
These Tiago and Tigor versions come equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, electrically adjustable ORVMs, push-button start/stop, automatic climate control, and a driver seat that can be adjusted in height.
They have dual front airbags, corner stability control, ABS with EBD, rain-sensing wipers, TPMS, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and a rear parking camera as standard safety features.
Rivals
These vehicles can be viewed as more practical substitutes for the CNG versions of the Maruti Celerio, Maruti Wagon R, Maruti Dzire, and Hyundai Aura because there aren’t any other CNG automatic models available in India as of now.