While Buyers of Tata Nexon showed an increased preference for the petrol variant, customers of Ford EcoSport and Mahindra XUV300 continue to lap up the diesel version
As observed in recent times, car buyers have started showing a preference for petrol-powered vehicles. This trend is courtesy of many factors. First, petrol cars are fast becoming more fuel efficient, thereby leading to reduced cost of running. Second, the price gap between diesel and petrol has reduced drastically over the last few years.
Finally, the authorities are capping the lifetime of diesel-powered cars to 10 years in Delhi, which has caused anxiety among many diesel car owners. Hence, it’s not surprising to see a fast increasing preference for petrol variants of compact SUVs like Tata Nexon and Ford EcoSport.
In the financial year 2019, Tata Motors sold 55,008 units of the Tata Nexon. Out of these, roughly half the sales were accounted for by the petrol version. For the uninitiated, the Tata Nexon is available in 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engine variant. Both the models are available with manual and automated manual transmissions. The Nexon is on sale in a price range of Rs 6.63 lakh to 11.03 lakh.
Last fiscal, 46,265 units of the Ford EcoSport were sold, out of which 35% of the sales were accounted for by the petrol version. The Ford EcoSport is available with two petrol engine options – 1.0-litre turbocharged and 1.5-litre naturally aspirated unit. The latter is even available with a 6-speed torque converter automatic unit. The Ford EcoSport is on sale in a price range of Rs 7.69 lakh to 11.33 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai).
While the Tata Neon and even the Ford EcoSport has managed to enjoy a decent demand for the petrol variants, the Mahindra XUV300, which sold 9,532 units in last fiscal, saw only 29% of its sales coming from the petrol version. The Mahindra XUV300 is available in a price bracket of Rs 7.9 lakh to 12.14 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai).
| Models | Petrol | Diesel |
| Ford Ecosport | 26,961 (49%) | 28,047 (51%) |
| Tata Nexon | 16,029 (35%) | 30,236 (65%) |
From all this, it is very clear that there is a fast-rising demand for petrol-powered compact SUVs. In line with this, the Maruti Vitara Brezza, which sold 1,57,880 units, will receive a 1.5-litre petrol engine option. Currently, the Brezza is available only with a 1.3-litre diesel engine and is on sale in a price range of Rs 7.78 to 10.7 lakh.