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Which CNG hatchback is worth buying? Is it the Tata Altroz CNG or Maruti Baleno CNG? Why don’t we compare the two against each other to find that out!
Tata Altroz iCNG vs Maruti Baleno S-CNG – Exterior and Interior
At the front as you can see, the Tata Altroz has Halogen headlamps with blacked out grille and the chrome line going from the headlamps to another headlamps with fog lamps below them, and on the bonnet it has few cuts for a sporty look. Moving to the side, it has cladding at the bottom window frame, few cuts on the body, and rides on 15-inch alloy wheels. At the rear, it has rear wipers on the windscreen, a little spoiler, LED taillamps and rear bumper blacked out.
From the outside, the Baleno has a much bigger grille over the old-gen with chrome grille running at the bottom of the grille. The LED headlamps has Audi’s Matrix light LED DRL’s and it has LED fog lamps as well. Moving to the side, it has chrome line at the bottom of the window frame, chrome finish for the door handles, and 16-inch alloy wheels. At the rear it has C-shape LED taillamps that is extended on the tailgate, rear wiper on the rear windscreen, and the antenna on the top.
From the inside, the Altroz has 7-inch infotainment system above the AC vents and AC vents at the sides are positioned horizontally. It does not have the dual-tone dashboard theme option unfortunately. The Altroz has Digital instrument cluster with three-spoke multi-function steering wheel, single-pane sunroof on top, and pedals finished in black. It has one USB charging port at the front and ambient lighting around the AC vent at the center. Moving to the rear, the seats are split in 60:40 ratio and has leather seats upholstery. The Altroz has an 8-speaker Harman sound system.
As for the Baleno, it has a 7-inch infotainment system placed above the AC vents and the AC vents are positioned horizontally. It has a dual-tone dashboard option as well. The Baleno has a three-spoke multi-function steering wheel with a Analog instrument cluster with a TFT display between the two analog dials, sliding armrest with storage space inside, and the brake pedals finished in black, and charging port at the front. Moving to the rear, the seats are split in 60:40 ratio and has 6-speaker standard sound system.
So, from the outside, the Altroz looks good in styling than the Baleno while the Baleno from the inside has a premium feeling which lacks in the Altroz.
Tata Altroz iCNG vs Maruti Baleno S-CNG – Dimensions
| Tata Altroz iCNG | Maruti Baleno S-CNG | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 3990mm | 3990mm |
| Width | 1755mm | 1745mm |
| Height | 1523mm | 1500mm |
| Wheelbase | 2501mm | 2520mm |
| Ground Clearance | 165mm | 170mm |
| Boot Space | 210 litres | – |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 37 litres – Petrol 60 litres – CNG | 37 litres – Petrol 55 litres – CNG |
When it comes to Dimensions, the Altroz and the Baleno has the same length of 3990mm. The Altroz has a width of 1755mm, height of 1523mm, and wheelbase of 2501mm where as the Baleno has a width of 1745mm which is 10mm less wide, height of 1500mm which is shorter by 23mm, and wheelbase of 2520mm that is 19mm longer. The Altroz has a ground clearance of 165mm, and boot space of 210 litres while the Baleno has a ground clearance of 170mm which is 5mm higher, and because of the CNG cylinder, it has no boot space. The Altroz and the Baleno has the same 37 litres Petrol fuel tank while the Altroz has 60 litres Cylinder that is split in two of 30 litres each while the Baleno has one big 55 litres CNG cylinder that is still 5 litres less.
So, in Dimensions, the Altroz is bigger in every way as even though it’s a CNG variant, it’ll still have quite more space than the Baleno CNG will ever have.
Tata Altroz iCNG vs Maruti Baleno S-CNG – Engine Option
| Tata Altroz iCNG | Maruti Baleno S-CNG | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1.2-litre iCNG | 1.2-litre CNG |
| Displacement | 1199cc | 1197cc |
| Power | 72.41 bhp | 76.43 bhp |
| Torque | 103 Nm | 98.5 Nm |
| Transmission Type | 5-speed MT | 5-speed MT |
| Fuel Efficiency | 18.53 km/kg | 30.61 km/kg |
In Engine Options, both the Altroz and the Baleno has a CNG engine. The Altroz has the 1.2-litre iCNG that produces 72.41 bhp and 103 Nm of torque paired to a 5-speed Manual Gearbox with fuel efficiency of 18.53 km/kg. The Baleno has the 1.2-litre CNG that produces 76.43 bhp and 98.5 Nm of torque paired to 5-speed Manual Transmission only and no Automatic Transmission as it has fuel efficiency of 30.61 km/kg.
Tata Altroz iCNG vs Maruti Baleno S-CNG – Features
| Features | Tata Altroz iCNG | Maruti Baleno S-CNG |
|---|---|---|
| Headlamps | Halogen Projector | LED Projector |
| Taillamps | LED | LED |
| Wheel size & Tyre | 16-inch, alloy wheels | 16-inch alloy wheels |
| Auto Power Window | Yes | Yes |
| Seat upholstery | Leather | Fabric |
| Leather-wrapped steering wheel | Yes | – |
| AC | Auto | Auto |
| Rear AC vent | Yes | Yes |
| Instrument cluster | Digital | Analog |
| Infotainment System | 7-inch | 7-inch |
| Android Auto, Apple CarPlay | Wired | Wireless |
| Wireless Charging Pad | Yes | – |
| Ambient Lighting | Yes | – |
| Voice Control | Yes | Yes |
| Sound System | 8-speaker Harman sound system | 6-speaker standard sound system |
| Cooled Glovebox | Yes | – |
| Auto-Dimming IRVM | Yes | – |
| Height adjustable driver seat | Yes | Yes |
| Sunroof | Single-Pane | – |
When it comes to features, the Baleno S-CNG misses out on Sunroof, Auto-Dimming IRVM, Cooled Glovebox, 8-speaker sound system, ambient lighting, leather seat upholstery, and leather-wrapped steering wheel. All these features are present in the Altroz iCNG making it a better choice over the Baleno S-CNG.
| Safety Features | Tata Altroz CNG | Maruti Baleno S-CNG |
|---|---|---|
| Airbags | Dual airbags | Six Airbags |
| Camera | Reverse Parking camera | Reverse Parking camera |
| Parking Sensors | Rear | Rear |
| TPMS | Yes | – |
| Cruise Control | – | Yes |
| Auto Headlamps | – | Yes |
| ABS with EBD | Yes | Yes |
| ESC | – | Yes |
| Hill Assist | Yes | Yes |
| ISOFIX | Yes | Yes |
| All 4 Disc Brakes | Front Disc | Front Disc |
In Safety, the Altroz iCNG misses out on Six Airbags, Cruise Control, Automatic Headlamps, and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) while the Baleno S-CNG misses out on Tyre-Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). However, the Altroz has a 5-star Global NCAP rating in safety while the Baleno was tested in 2021 had scored 0-star Global NCAP rating. Thus, this makes the Altroz iCNG so much safer than the Baleno S-CNG even though it misses out on few.
Tata Altroz iCNG vs Maruti Baleno S-CNG – Price and Warranty
| Model | Price (ex-showroom) |
|---|---|
| Tata Altroz iCNG | Rs. 7.55 lakh – Rs. 10.55 lakh |
| Maruti Suzuki Baleno S-CNG | Rs. 8.35 lakh – Rs. 9.28 lakh |
Tata Altroz iCNG is priced at Rs. 7.55 lakh for the entry-level ‘XE CNG’ variant and goes up to Rs. 10.55 lakh for the top variant, ‘XZ+ (O) S CNG.’ The Maruti Baleno S-CNG starts at Rs. 8.35 lakh for the entry-level ‘Delta CNG’ variant and goes up to Rs. 9.28 lakh for the top variant, ‘Zeta CNG.’
As for the warranty, Tata Motors offers 3 years/1,00,000 km warranty period for Altroz and can be extended for additional 3 year/1,25,000 km and Maruti offers 2 years/40,000 km warranty period for Baleno that can be extended up to 5 years/1,00,000 km.
Tata Altroz iCNG vs Maruti Baleno S-CNG – Verdict
In the end, the decision to buy which CNG hatchback depends totally on you, however, it is recommended to buy the Tata Altroz iCNG which has better features, comfort and space, and has 5-star Global NCAP safety rating as well which the Baleno S-CNG doesn’t has. The Baleno S-CNG has almost the same features, decent comfort and space, and the fuel efficiency is better the Altroz iCNG. So, if you’re looking for an CNG hatchback which is safest, feature-loaded, and has loads of space, then the Altroz iCNG is for you, otherwise, if you’re looking for an CNG hatchback under Rs. 10 lakh and want great fuel efficiency, then the Baleno S-CNG is for you. Which one would you choose?
