Maruti Suzuki launches Dzire CNG

Maruti Suzuki has launched the Dzire CNG with prices starting from ₹ 8.14 lakh for the VXi variant, going up to ₹ 8.82 lakh for the ZXi (ex-showroom, India). The new Dzire CNG will also be offered under Maruti’s subscription scheme, with monthly fees starting at ₹ 16,999 (this includes vehicle registration, maintenance, insurance and road-side assistance).

This is the first time the Dzire CNG has been made available for private customers; it has so far only been available to fleet operators in previous-gen Tour S guise. This takes Maruti’s count of CNG vehicles up to nine models.

The Dzire CNG is powered by the same 1.2-litre K12M DualJet engine that powers the Dzire petrol. However, in CNG spec, this engine now produces 77hp and 98.5Nm of peak torque. That is 13hp and 14.5Nm lesser than the Dzire petrol that produces 90hp and 113Nm. The Dzire CNG is offered only with a 5-speed manual gearbox.

While this 1.2-litre K12M engine is also offered on the new Baleno, Wagon R and the Swift, it has been meted the CNG treatment for the first time on the Dzire. Maruti claims a class-leading fuel efficiency figure of 31.12 km/kg with the Dzire CNG.

There are, however, no cosmetic changes to the Dzire CNG, and the equipment list also remains identical to the petrol equivalent variants. The Dzire CNG, however, gets dual interdependent ECUs, retuned suspension and an improved injection system for better air-fuel mixture in the engine. Safety, too, has been enhanced with new stainless steel pipes and joints to prevent leakage in the CNG structure and safety switches to cut off the engine while refuelling.

The Dzire CNG is available in six colour options — white, silver, grey, blue, brown and red.