If your petrol bills are giving you sleepless nights and you’ve always dreamt of owing a car that runs on a cheap fuel, it’s time to wake up. India’s top two passenger car manufacturers, Maruti Udyog Ltd and Hyundai Motor India, have introduced alternative fuel variants—Wagon R Duo, powered by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and Santro propelled by compressed natural gas (CNG).

The two hatchbacks, which probably provide the best value for money in their class, not only ensure significant savings on petrol bills but also provide high fuel economy. Both the cars are powered by 1.1-litre engines and run on petrol or LPG/CNG.

The Wagon R has to be revved up in petrol mode before being switched to gas, otherwise the engine dies out. The Santro, on the other hand, can be switched on in the CNG mode directly. In both the cars, the button for toggling between petrol and LPG/CNG modes is located on the right, next to the steering wheel. There are also green LEDs next to the button, which indicate the amount of LPG/CNG in the tank.

The Wagon R, in the LPG mode, has a very good pick-up and the power loss, compared to the petrol variant, is marginal. Overtaking cars is not a painful affair. Even with the AC switched on, the first two gears have enough power to pull the car, but in the third gear, the Wagon R becomes a bit sluggish. But one must not forget that it is carrying a 22-kg LPG cylinder in the boot where the spare wheel was normally placed. Now the spare is mounted on the left above the cylinder, leaving enough space for a suitcase or a couple of airbags. There is a tiny lid on the rear right on the outside from where the cylinder can be refilled.

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