Autocar India
•24w

My budget is under ₹10 lakh, and I am planning to buy a CNG car. My usage will be evenly split between city/village driving and highway travel, roughly 50:50. Could you please suggest the best options considering fuel efficiency, reliability, comfort, performance, maintenance costs, and suitability for mixed road conditions?

Verified
•23w

With a budget car under Rs. 10 lakh and an even split between city, village roads, and highways, the Tata Punch CNG in a mid-variant is the stronger fit. It rides over rough village patches without scraping, feels steady at highway speeds for a small car, and the twin-cylinder CNG layout still leaves useful boot space for bags on longer trips.

This suits your use because village roads need good ground clearance and a tough suspension, highway use needs a car that feels stable and confident, and CNG saves running costs while keeping day-to-day drivability easy in traffic.

The trade-offs: it is not very quick in CNG, so fast overtakes need a bit of planning, and higher trims may stretch your budget in some cities, so stick to the lower-mid variant and add only the features you truly need.

The Hyundai Exter CNG is an alternative, and it also gets a dual tank setup, but it won’t handle broken village roads as confidently as the Punch.

Overall, for your mix of roads, the Punch CNG lines up best.

Tata Punch

Tata Punch

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•5d

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It seems like you're leaning towards the Kia Seltos Diesel HTX, and we think it is a good choice. The diesel engine feels adequately powered for highway usage and ghat driving, and it is likely to return respectable efficiency too. Moreover, despite being modern with all the latest tech and features, the Seltos will be substantially more affordable than the Toyota Innova Hycross hybrid. So unless you need the Innova's extra space, or you frequently travel with six or seven passengers, the Kia Seltos diesel is your best bet.

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Posted on: 22 May 2026