Petrol vs Diesel vs EV vs CNG: Which Tata Nexon to buy? Feature | Autocar India

Key product: Tata Nexon lineup (Petrol vs Diesel vs EV vs CNG) — “which one to buy”

The video frames the Tata Nexon as a highly successful, continuously evolving compact SUV. The main differentiator versus rivals is its wide powertrain variety, while retaining strong safety credentials.

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What makes the Nexon notable (overall)

• Sales milestones
  • Crossed 2 lakh sales in the outgoing financial year
  • Crossed 1 million units sold earlier in the year
• Safety highlight
  • Became the first Indian car to receive a 5-star crash safety rating from Global NCAP
• Lineup diversity (main buying angle)
  • Multiple powertrains and transmissions across petrol, diesel, EV, and CNG

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Available powertrains & pricing mentioned

Engines / transmissions

• Petrol (1.2L turbo): 5MT, 6MT, 6-speed AMT, 7-speed DCT
• Diesel: 6MT or 6-speed AMT
• EV: two battery options — 30 kW and 45 kW
• CNG: 6-speed manual

Price ranges (ex-showroom stated)

• Petrol manual: starts at ₹7.4 lakh
• Diesel manual: starts at ₹9.15 lakh (~₹1 lakh higher than equivalent petrol manual)
• Petrol DCA (7-speed DCT): up to ₹13.90 lakh
• Diesel AMT: up to ₹14.4 lakh
• CNG: ₹8.35 lakh to ₹13.6 lakh
• EV: ₹12.49 lakh to ₹17.49 lakh

Sales mix (as stated)

• Petrol: 42% (widest variety + lowest starting price)
• Diesel: 13%
• EV: 14%
• CNG: ~one third of sales despite only one powertrain option

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Reviews by variant (features, pros, cons, experience)

1) Turbo Petrol (1.2L) — cheapest & most choices

User experience

• Offers decent drivability with selectable Eco/City/Sport drive modes
• Ride quality: described as pliant (comfortable)
• Chassis/handling: taut and confident on bad roads; rock-solid stability at high speeds
• Steering: described as too sharp/eager
• Performance/refinement: not “class-best” (especially versus segment expectations)

Pros

• Lowest entry price and most variant choices
• Practical, confident road manners; good comfort

Cons

• Fuel efficiency described as the weakest area (details appear later for comparative running cost)

Special petrol highlight: 1.2L turbo + 7-speed DCT (DCA)

• Called the smoothest and nicest combination in the ICE lineup
• Tuned for smoothness/seamless shifting
• Pros: smoother experience; helps hide inconsistencies in power delivery
• Cons: not sporty; hesitates to downshift; not quick
• ADAS availability: top-spec DCA mentioned with ADAS

Performance and efficiency references

• Petrol real-world running cost referenced later: ~₹9.46/km

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2) Diesel (BS6, with lean NOx trap approach)

Market context / shift

• Pre-2020 diesels outsold petrol, but post-2020 preferences shifted toward petrol (diesel ~20% of sales mentioned)

Engineering approach

• Instead of urea/AdBlue SCR, Tata uses a lean NOx trap
• Claimed benefits vs many competitors:
  • No urea tank
  • No periodic AdBlue top-ups
  • “Marginal savings” and less hassle

User experience

• Quickest in ICE Nexon range
• Very efficient
• Best for highway cruising, but with low refinement

Quantified running cost / efficiency

• Average real-world fuel efficiency: 17.95 km/L
• Running cost: ~₹5.3/km
• Video explicitly notes this is significantly lower than turbo petrol’s ₹9.46/km

Pros

• Best fuel economy among ICE
• Strongest performance in ICE range

Cons

• Lower refinement
• Mentioned constraint: 10-year lifespan in certain parts of the country (regional diesel usage limitations)

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3) EV (Nexon EV) — best for home-charging + high annual running

Role in India

• Credits Nexon with democratizing EVs in India, making electrification more accessible and practical

Battery options & technical differences

• 30 kW version
  • ~200 km real-world range (as stated)
  • 20–80% fast charge: about 1 hour
• 45 kW version
  • ~up to 350 km real-world range (as stated)
  • 20–80% fast charge: 29 minutes
  • Uses Gen 2 motor (more compact/lighter/more efficient)

User experience

• Described as smooth, silent, and zippy (for both variants)

EV feature advantage

EV gains over the best petrol DCA:

• Bigger 12.3-inch touchscreen
• Rear disc brakes
• Electronic parking brake with auto hold

Quantified running cost

• For the 45 kWh model using home charging at ₹8/unit electricity:
  • ~₹1.03/km running cost

Pros

• Usable real-world range (especially 45 kW)
• More advanced feature set (vs top petrol)
• Very low running costs (especially with home charging)

Cons

• Requires reliable home charging
• Video says Nexon EV is “not quite the best you can buy” in a fast-moving EV market

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4) CNG (Nexon iCNG) — “sweet spot” for value and running costs

Why it’s popular

• Positioned between petrol and diesel:
  • ₹8.35 lakh to ₹13.6 lakh
• Called a “compelling middle ground.”

User experience

• Torque: 170 Nm (stated), available in a narrower band than petrol
• Feels more effortless and energetic than other CNG cars on sale

Trade-offs

• Turbocharged: city efficiency may take a hit
• Highway efficiency is strong due to 6th gear
  • 24 km/kg on highway (stated)

Practicality

• Retains spare wheel
• Twin tank setup under boot floor provides “respectable luggage space”
• Boot space stated as inferior versus ICE/EV variants (CNG penalty)

Value / ownership

• Among the most economical options in the ICE range
• Declared as the “most convincing balance” of value, usability, and cost of ownership
• Biggest downside: waiting in long queues to fill gas

Pros

• Low running costs + CNG practicality
• Strong drivability and usability
• Minimal compromises on core features/practicality

Cons

• Refueling queue inconvenience

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Comparisons made within the lineup

What’s compared

• Starting price / value
• Performance & refinement
• Efficiency & running cost
• Feature set
• Real-world usability (home charging vs fueling queues)

Running cost comparisons (as stated)

• Diesel: ~₹5.3/km
• Petrol: ~₹9.46/km
• EV (45 kWh, home charging): ~₹1.03/km
• CNG: described as very economical, but ₹/km not provided

Performance notes

• Diesel described as quickest in ICE range
• DCT petrol described as smooth but not sporty/fast
• EV described as smooth/silent/zippy, with emphasis on range/charging/costs over acceleration

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Unique points mentioned (all distinct takeaways)

1. Nexon reached 2 lakh sales and 1 million units milestone
2. Global NCAP 5-star crash safety leadership for India
3. 2020 refresh made Nexon look more mature
4. Nexon EV launch in 2020 boosted attention and sales momentum
5. Wide lineup: petrol (multiple transmissions), diesel (MT/AMT), EV (30/45 kW), CNG (MT only)
6. Sales contribution: Petrol 42%, Diesel 13%, EV 14%, CNG ~one third
7. Detailed pricing by powertrain and top variants (as listed above)
8. Petrol: Eco/City/Sport modes; comfortable ride; sharp steering; refinement/performance not class-best
9. 7-speed DCT petrol: smoothest ICE combo; ADAS on top spec; downshift hesitation; not performance-focused
10. Diesel: lean NOx trap (no urea tank); ~₹1 lakh premium over petrol manual; best ICE performance/efficiency
11. Diesel efficiency/running cost: 17.95 km/L, ₹5.3/km
12. Diesel downsides: low refinement; 10-year lifespan limitation mentioned for some regions
13. EV: Nexon credited with democratizing EV adoption
14. EV range/charging: ~200 km (30 kW), up to 350 km (45 kW); 20–80% 1 hour vs 29 minutes
15. EV feature upgrades: 12.3-inch touchscreen, rear discs, auto-hold electronic parking brake
16. EV running cost: ~₹1.03/km with home power at ₹8/unit
17. CNG positioning: price band and “middle ground” role
18. CNG performance: 170 Nm narrower band; energetic feel
19. CNG efficiency: city can suffer; highway delivers 24 km/kg
20. CNG practicality: spare wheel + twin tanks; boot reduced vs others
21. CNG value verdict: best balance of price/usability/cost; downside is refueling queues
22. “Nexon for everyone” claim due to variety and evolving safety/technology
23. Closing tease: next-gen Nexon expected soon; momentum question continues

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Speaker-specific views

• The video largely uses a single narrator tone with structured sections; no clearly distinct multiple speakers are credited in the subtitles.

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Concise verdict / recommendation

• Best overall value (“sweet spot”): Tata Nexon CNG (iCNG) — strong real-world practicality, low running costs, and the best balance of price/performance/usability if you can tolerate refueling queues.
• Best for efficiency & highway comfort (ICE): Nexon Diesel — best performance + best fuel economy among ICE, but consider refinement and regional diesel longevity limits.
• Best for home-charging + long-term low running cost: Nexon EV (especially 45 kW) — best costs, strong range, richer features; may not be the top overall EV choice in a fast-moving segment.
• Petrol for easiest entry + maximum choice: Turbo petrol — most accessible and versatile, but less impressive on refinement/efficiency compared to diesel/EV.