Maruti Victoris CNG Vs Strong Hybrid: Running Cost and Financial Breakdown

With the stringent emission norms and concern regarding E20 fuel, car buyers in India are looking at alternate options with fuel economy on priority. The Maruti Suzuki Victoris is one such product that offers two distinct high-efficiency powertrains, including a 1.5L S-CNG and an advanced 1.5L Strong-Hybrid (e-CVT) system.

While CNG comes with lower upfront cost, the Strong Hybrid Victoris offers the effortless automatic convenience. Here is a comprehensive financial breakdown based on the running costs and fuel economy of these two variants.

Price and Variant Comparison
 

 
Note: Fuel Prices for calculations: Petrol at Rs 96 per litre and Rs 76 per kg for CNG.

Per-Kilometer Running Cost Breakdown

Maruti Victoris CNG

Claimed Efficiency - 27.02 km/kg
Estimated Real-World Mileage - 24 km/kg
Running Cost Per Km: Rs 76 divided by 24 = 3.16 per km

Maruti Victoris Strong Hybrid

Claimed Efficiency: 28.65 kmpl
Estimated Real-World Mileage: 23 kmpl
Running Cost Per Km: 96 divided by 23 = Rs 4.17 per km

Fuel Economy: The CNG variant has a per-kilometer running cost benefit of around Rs 1 per km over the Strong Hybrid due to lower CNG fuel prices per unit.

Financial Payback Period & Mileage Threshold

If a buyer pays around Rs 4.20 lakh more on-road for the strong hybrid (Comparing Similar Features/Trims)

Price Difference - Rs 4.20 Lakh
Running Cost Difference - Rs 1 per KM (CNG savings)
Break-Even Distance - 4,20,000 divided by Rs 1/km = 4,20,000 km

At 10,000 km/year: CNG saves Rs 12,000 annually
At 20,000 km/year: CNG saves Rs 24,000 annually

Considering financial payback standpoint, the CNG variant will remain cheaper to purchase and run over a typical 5 to 7 year ownership cycle.

Other factors

Boot Space & Utility

CNG variant: the underbody CNG tank fitment helps Maruti to free up usable boot space in the Victoris, that's around 320-litres.

Strong Hybrid: the compact battery pack is placed in the boot, which keeps the usable boot space around 373+ litres.

Driving Experience

CNG Variant: the engine is paired exclusively with a 5-speed manual gearbox. Engine output drops to 87bhp on CNG mode, and requires frequent gear shifts in heavy traffic.

Strong Hybrid: It is offered with an e-CVT automatic gearbox. Instant torque availability from the electric motor provides good performance in stop-and-go traffic. The SUV runs in pure EV mode at low speeds, resulting in higher fuel efficiency.

Verdict

Buy the Victoris CNG if you want to spend less upfront and achieve the lowest per-kilometer running cost. It is ideal for daily city commuters comfortable with a manual gearbox, and requires higher fuel efficiency.

Buy the Victoris Strong Hybrid if you want automatic convenience, a premium feature set, long-range flexibility and silent cabin without compromising on the fuel economy.