Launched in 2020, the Hyundai Aura has been available with a factory-fitted CNG option since its introduction. It is currently offered in three variants – S CNG (Rs 7.8 lakh), Corporate CNG (Rs 7.9 lakh) and SX CNG (Rs 8.6 lakh). We put the Aura CNG through our real-world fuel-efficiency tests to see how it fares.
- No automatic engine stop-start system
- Claimed fuel efficiency: 28.4km/kg
- Priced Rs 90,000 higher than comparable petrol variants
Hyundai Aura CNG fuel efficiency explained
Powering the Aura CNG is a 1.2-litre, four-cylinder engine that produces 69hp and 95.2Nm when running on CNG. Transmission duties are handled by a 5-speed manual gearbox.
In our tests, the Aura CNG returned 22.06km/kg in the city and 31.43km/kg on the highway, resulting in an overall average efficiency of 26.74km/kg. Based on these figures, owners can expect a real-world driving range of around 240km on a full tank of CNG.
Interestingly, when refilling the Aura’s empty 65-litre CNG tank, it accommodated 8.95kg of gas. Under favourable conditions, such as higher pump pressure and cooler ambient temperatures, the tank should be able to hold close to 10kg of CNG.
For context, the Maruti Dzire CNG is equipped with a smaller 55-litre CNG tank, while the Tata Tigor CNG features a larger 70-litre dual-cylinder setup.
Autocar India’s fuel-efficiency testing
Since CNG tanks are more difficult to fill consistently due to variables such as ambient temperature and pump pressure, we did not use our standard tankful-to-tankful methodology. Instead, for our real-world tests, we emptied the CNG tank and refilled it with 2kg of CNG. We then drove the vehicle in city conditions until the gas was exhausted. The same process was repeated for the highway run. Throughout both tests, the Aura was driven exclusively in CNG mode.
Before conducting our real-world fuel-efficiency tests, we maintain tyre pressures based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. These cars are driven in fixed city and highway loops in and around Navi Mumbai, and we maintain certain average speeds. Throughout the tests, there is only one person in each car, and the aircon is set to fan speed 2 with temperature dialed to the lowest position. We operate other electricals, such as the audio system, indicators and wipers, just like a regular user would. Periodic driver swaps further neutralise variations in driver patterns.