Hyundai Grand i10 Nios CNG vs Tata Tiago CNG Comparison Review

While pure performance may take a back seat around town, the need of the hour is to save on running costs. Which of these choices is the best?

Not so long ago, CNG cars were considered cheap, unreliable and frankly too basic for most of us. And although the price of CNG was as low as 20 rupees per kg in 2010, almost two and a half times cheaper than gasoline, its image has kept it from being widely used. In 2022, rising gasoline prices have forced automakers as well as buyers to consider CNG. And with better technology and ever-increasing demand, cars have become much more sophisticated.

Today we are comparing the fully charged CNG variants of the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios and Tata Tiago. Both are similarly priced and also offer similar running costs. But which one offers the best space, practicality, performance and fuel economy? Let’s find out.

Engine specifications

The Nios gets a 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, rated at 83PS and 113Nm. When using CNG you will get 69PS and 95.2Nm, which compared to petrol is down 14PS and 18Nm.

By comparison, you have the Tiago with a 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine, delivering 86 hp and 113 Nm on petrol and 73 hp and 95 Nm on CNG. The Tiago offers a bit more power (+4PS) but with the same torque figures. Both are offered with a standard 5-speed manual transmission.

fuel consumption

Thanks to our city fuel efficiency tests, we were able to achieve an efficiency of 20.24 km/kg with the Grand i10 Nios. The Tiago CNG delivered 17.81 km/kg, about 3 km/kg less. Both cars fill approximately 8 kilograms of CNG, depending on the filling pressure of the CNG pump. On this calculation, the Nios should offer a range of around 160 kilometers in the city, while Tiago should offer around 140 kilometers. Again, this will vary depending on your driving behavior.

Fuel running costs

The Nios CNG demands a premium of Rs 93,000 over the corresponding petrol variant. With a running cost of Rs 3.81 per km on CNG, it is around Rs 4 cheaper than petrol. For a run of 22,000 kilometers, you will save around Rs 90,000 with CNG. In the case of the Tiago, the running costs are slightly higher, but you will save nearly Rs 85,000 over the same period.

boot space

The presence of the CNG tank leaves virtually no boot space in either. While the Nios reservoir is longer, it is wider in the Tiago. As a result, you have relatively less boot space in the Tata. You can still fit 1-2 small sports bags or a few laptop bags in the Nios, but the Tiago can’t pass with anything other than a thin laptop bag.

Performance

On the papers, there is a small power difference between the Nios and the Tiago CNG, but when driven, you hardly feel any difference. First you fire up the engines and there’s a huge sighting. The Tiago receives strong vibrations at startup, while the Nios starts quietly.

Both offer ample low-end torque, making them suitable for the city. Getting off the line is effortless and the same goes for traffic jams. Thanks to a powerful mid-range, the Nios and Tiago CNG are comfortable navigating urban spaces in second or third gear.

Acceleration is linear and takes its own time. Overtaking needs to be planned systematically and more importantly, you need to be on the right gear. In the case of both cars, if you are near the 1500-2000 rpm mark and need to close a gap or pass, you will need to downshift. But with a smooth gearbox and rather light clutch, shifting shouldn’t sweat.

Engine refinement is always an issue with the Tiago. When you cross 2,500 rpm, its typical coarse three-cylinder note can be easily heard. Fine tuning and less engine noise in the cabin would be appreciated. In Nios, refinement is better mastered and most of the time you can’t even feel if the motor is on or off.

Now, leaving the city limits, we venture onto the highway. Hitting triple-digit speeds seems like child’s play in the i10, but that’s not the same with the Tiago. With the Tata, we feel that there is just a little more effort. Sailing at 100-120 km/h is also not a difficult task.

Once the rpm increases and the speed increases, you will notice a difference between gasoline and CNG tunes. We turn it into gasoline and we can see that the acceleration is much better and the CNG melodies fall short at higher revs. That said, you won’t cringe when overtaking and sprinting at high speeds (in CNG).

Ride and handling

The Tiago is the better of the two here, with its comfortable ride quality. Its suspension can soak up potholes well when you’re going through city speeds. As the speed increases, the harshness of the undulating roads seeps in, but that doesn’t bother you much. During highway trips, we felt the ride was well planted and composed.

Steering feedback isn’t too good, but the light wheel should make running around town easier. It is easy to maneuver around turns. Cornering isn’t exactly its forte, but body roll is well maintained.

Heading to the Hyundai, the Nios’ spring is well dialed on bumpy roads, hard surfaces, or even slightly rough roads. Once strong ripple and there is a thud felt in the cabin. There are vertical and horizontal movements on the potholes. It gets worse when you go through those tricky areas at high speed.

In terms of maneuverability, the Nios is a charm. The light and direct steering wheel makes city commuting a charm. It’s easy to cut corners or take turns. That said, the Nios does not like sharp turns (even when overtaking).

Verdict

We compared the i10 Nios Sportz CNG and Tiago XZ+, which have a price difference of just Rs 2,000. With more fuel efficiency, a bigger cabin and better performance, the i10 is the clear winner here. The Tiago shines with its ride quality and industry-first feature of starting on CNG rather than gasoline. However, another aspect of the Tiago is that if you are willing to give up features then you can go for the cheaper XE and XM variants a lakh and 50K. Compared to gasoline, you’re technically just giving up trunk space. Less fuel or no trunk space, which is your choice?