CNG now seen as cleaner, practical choice: Maruti Suzuki
Maruti Suzuki is betting that CNG is no longer just a budget fuel choice. Speaking to The Pioneer during the launch of the updated Brezza, Senior Executive Officer, Sales and Marketing, Maruti-Suzuki Partho Banerjee said demand for CNG vehicles is rising because buyers now see them as cleaner, more practical options, not simply cheaper ones.
Maruti is using underbody CNG packaging to keep the SUV usable while offering lower running costs. The idea is to make CNG feel natural in a compact SUV by not compromising on the luggage space of the vehicle, unlike first-generation CNG vehicles.
Banerjee has also pointed to a broader change in buyer behavior. He said CNG demand is no longer limited to hatchbacks and MPVs, and that SUVs are now becoming a strong part of the story. In Maruti’s latest SUV push, that trend is especially visible, with the new Brezza also featuring underbody CNG.
The company says the response has been strong. Banerjee said more than half of Victoris sales are coming from the underbody CNG variant, and that many of those buyers are switching from diesel. That is a meaningful signal in a market where diesel demand has weakened in several segments, as more manufacturers exit diesel engines due to strict emission norms.
Maruti is also highlighting scale. The company says it holds a 54 percent share of India’s clean and green passenger vehicle market, covering CNG, hybrids and EVs. Banerjee has said Maruti sold over seven lakh CNG vehicles in FY26 and expects about 9 lakh this fiscal year.
The bigger message is clear: CNG is moving from a niche fuel to a mainstream choice. For Maruti, the Brezza is helping show that this demand is now reaching compact SUVs too, where buyers want lower running costs without giving up space, style or everyday usability, Banerjee hinted and said that many CNG customers are not simply buying a ‘cheap’ car but choosing higher and more premium variants as well.
However, certain issues with CNG supplies still remain, especially with a limited number of gas stations as well as the fact that CNG supplies are almost non-existent in some geographies in India, especially in the eastern and north-eastern regions of the country.
