December 2024 - Tata Nexon Turbo CNG Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

Also Read: Tata Punch CNG Variants Explained - Buy Best Variant

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Tata Nexon CNG?

The pros or advantages of Tata Nexon CNG are:

• First-ever turbo CNG car in India (Also Read: Tata Altroz CNG, Punch CNG Solved The Boot Space Problem With CNG Cars - Auto Expo 2023)
• Usable boot space with 2 CNG cylinders in the trunk
• 5-star safety rating (Also Read: Opinion — Tata Nexon Is A 5-Star Safe Car; In Case You Forgot)
• Good number of standard safety features such as 6 airbags, ESC, HSA, traction control and LED headlamps
• Fantastic drivability in the city and great performance on the highway
• Option of buying the Nexon right from the base variant makes it the most affordable B2-SUV with a CNG powertrain (not to mention, with a 6-speed manual and a punchy, turbocharged engine)
• The Fearless Plus PS variant makes it the only B2-SUV with a CNG powertrain offering a nicely-loaded feature package
• Best-in-class ground clearance of 208mm
• Unlike the Nexon petrol-manual, all variants of the Nexon CNG get a 6-speed manual transmission

The Tata Nexon petrol has the following shortcomings or problems:

• Questionable mileage even with CNG may make you question why you bought the Nexon CNG as low mileage may force you to frequently stay in queue to top up CNG
• First-gen engine technology may result in some problems during the ownership as initial batches help the carmaker do the beta testing on their behalf
• Tata’s insanely short service interval of just 6-months/7,500km (industry standard is 1-year/10,000km)
• Several basic features are missing in the lower and mid-spec variants; for example, front and rear armrests only available in Fearless and its derivatives, height-adjustable driver seat only in Creative and higher trims; feature-wise, it feels incomplete considering the asking price
• CNG option unavailable in several higher variants
• Cruise control not available; even the Punch CNG offers this feature despite a significant performance disadvantage compared to the Nexon CNG

What Is The Price Of Tata Nexon CNG Variants?

The Tata Nexon CNG is available in 4 main variants with a starting price of Rs. 9.0 lakh for the Smart (O) CNG-manual. The Pure variants’ prices range from Rs. 10.70 lakh to Rs. 11.0 lakh (ex-showroom). The mid-spec Creative variants’ prices range from Rs. 11.70 lakh to Rs. 12.20 lakh. The top-spec Fearless Plus PS DT variant of the Nexon CNG is available for Rs. 14.60 lakh.

Compared to the normal petrol engine, the CNG variants of the Nexon cost exactly Rs. 1.0 lakh more. For this higher price, you obviously get lower fuel costs but you also get a fairly usable boot space of 321 litres. All other CNG SUVs make you sacrifice on the boot space as the gas cylinder takes up a lot of cargo volume.

To recover the higher upfront cost you’re paying over the comparable Nexon petrol variant, you’ll have to drive the Nexon CNG for around 60,000km. If you also want to factor in the smaller boot space and lower performance of the CNG powertrain, then the breakeven figure jumps to ~75,000km.

Tata Nexon CNG Smart (O) - Base Model Standard Features

The base model of the Tata Nexon CNG comes with the 1.2L turbo CNG-petrol engine and a manual transmission and costs Rs. 9.0 lakh. The Nexon CNG Smart (O) has the following notable features:

The base variant doesn’t get the following important features:

• Remote central locking
• Audio system
• Steering-mounted controls
• Electrically adjustable outside mirrors
• Wheel covers

While the base variant is suitable for budget-conscious buyers, we recommend you to stretch your budget a little more and upgrade to Smart Plus S as it offers better value for money and many additional features that can enhance your ownership experience.

Tata Nexon CNG Smart (O) vs Smart Plus Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The next variant in line for Nexon CNG buyers is the Smart Plus. It costs Rs. 9.70 lakh and it’s Rs. 70,000 pricier than the base Smart (O) CNG variant of the Nexon.

Over the base Smart (O) variant, it adds the following notable features:

While the Smart Plus variant covers the basics quite well, you may still miss the following features in this variant:

• Height-adjustable driver seat
• Rear parking camera
• Rear defogger
• Rear washer wiper
• Rear AC vents

The Smart Plus variant adds some critical must-have features like infotainment system, rear power windows and remote central locking but for a steep asking price. Hence, it only justifies about 59% worth of the incremental cost over the base Smart (O) CNG variant. This variant is not recommended.

Tata Nexon CNG Smart Plus vs Smart Plus S Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The next variant in line for Nexon CNG buyers is the Smart Plus S. It costs Rs. 10.0 lakh and it’s only Rs. 30,000 pricier than the Smart Plus CNG variant of the Nexon.

Over the Smart Plus variant, it adds the following notable features:

In the Smart Plus S variant, you may miss features like:

• Height-adjustable driver seat
• Rear parking camera
• Rear defogger
• Rear AC vents
• Rear washer wiper

The Smart Plus S variant adds many good-to-have features like sunroof, auto wipers and auto headlamps and justifies the incremental cost over the Smart Plus variant. If you don’t want to compromise with the value and stretch your budget then this variant is a better option for you, as it offers better value for money and improved ownership experience than other lower variants.

Tata Nexon CNG Smart Plus vs Pure Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Tata Nexon CNG Pure variant costs Rs. 10.70 lakh. The Pure CNG is Rs. 1.0 lakh more expensive than the Nexon Smart Plus CNG.

It adds the following notable features over the Smart Plus variant:

In this variant, you may miss features like:

• Height-adjustable driver seat
• Rear defogger
• Rear parking camera
• Rear washer wiper

The Pure variant is also quite expensive and doesn’t even come close to justifying the additional price over the Smart Plus trim. This one offers only about 47% value for money and it’s not recommended. Consider buying one of the lower variants or stretching your budget for a higher trim.

Tata Nexon CNG Pure vs Pure S Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Tata Nexon Pure S CNG variant costs Rs. 11.0 lakh. It’s Rs. 30,000 more expensive than the Pure CNG trim.

The Nexon Pure S CNG gets the following notable additional features over Pure:

In the Pure S trim, you may miss features like:

• Height-adjustable driver seat
• Rear parking camera
• Rear defogger
• Rear washer wiper

Just like the Pure variant, this variant is also not recommended. Even with the high-value features like sunroof, auto headlamps and auto wipers, this variant still offers a poor value for money score. The best decision is to stick to lower variants. However, if you can, jump up to the Fearless Plus PS DT variant for a better value for money choice. Although, the price jump is quite steep. So, we can’t ask all of our readers to make that upgrade, but if you can, you certainly should.

Tata Nexon CNG Pure vs Creative Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Tata Nexon Creative CNG variant costs Rs. 11.70 lakh. It’s Rs. 1.0 lakh more expensive than the Pure trim.

The Nexon Creative CNG gets the following notable additional features over Pure:

Even in the well-loaded Creative trim, you may miss features like:

• Rear defogger
• Auto headlamps
• Auto dimming IRVM
• Auto wipers

Even though all the features in the Creative variant justify the incremental cost over the Pure variant, it doesn’t come off as a good value for money option after looking at the VFM score – 66%. If you can stretch your budget a little more, then upgrade to the Creative Plus variant which will offer you a lot of features that you’ll end up using in your day-to-day driving and quickly get used to them.

Tata Nexon CNG Creative vs Creative Plus Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Tata Nexon Creative Plus CNG variant costs Rs. 12.20 lakh. It’s Rs. 50,000 more expensive than the Creative CNG trim.

The Nexon Creative Plus CNG gets the following notable additional features over Creative:

In the Creative Plus, you may miss features like:

• Rear defogger
• Wireless smartphone charger
• Front armrest

Just like the Smart Plus S, the Creative Plus is also a solid upgrade. The Creative Plus earns our top recommendation and offers 69% value for money. For a superior ownership experience, we’ll advise you to consider one of the top 2 most expensive Nexon CNG variants depending on your preference for sunroof.

Tata Nexon CNG Creative Plus vs Fearless Plus PS DT Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The top-spec Fearless Plus PS DT CNG variant costs Rs. 14.60 lakh. It’s Rs. 2.40 lakh more costlier than the lower Creative Plus variant.

The Nexon Fearless Plus PS DT CNG gets the following notable additional features over Creative Plus:

In the top-spec Fearless Plus PS DT trim also, you may miss the same 1 important feature as lower Creative Plus variant:

• Rear armrest

The most important difference between the Fearless Plus PS DT and the Creative Plus variant is the sunroof. Based on your budget and preference for the feature, you can buy either of the top 2 variants and you won’t go wrong. If you’re interested in sunroof, then you can buy the Fearless Plus PS DT variant, which ends up offering better value for money – 83%. However, both are equally good and easy to recommend to any Nexon CNG buyer.

Which Variant Of The Tata Nexon CNG Should You Buy?

From a value standpoint, the base variant is the best choice and worth buying for budget buyers. The Pure and Pure S variants offer terrible value for money and are not recommended despite adding several must-have features.

However, once you get to the Smart Plus S or higher variants, you start seeing reasonable value for money scores because of the addition of high-value features like a sunroof. Here, the Smart Plus S is worth considering, but we’ll strongly advise that you choose either the Creative Plus or Fearless Plus PS DT. Both of these offer good value for money and a far superior ownership experience because of a balanced feature set for the asking price.

What Are The Engine Specifications Of The Tata Nexon CNG?

Nexon offers 100PS power and 170Nm torque output which is best in the segment. Unlike other CNG cars, the Nexon offers 6-speed manual transmission. In terms of fuel efficiency, Tata is yet to disclose the mileage figures of Nexon CNG.

What Are The Dimensions Of The Tata Nexon CNG?

The Nexon, Brezza and Fronx are almost similar in dimensions. One area where the difference is visible is the width of the car, Nexon is wider than the other cars in the segment. While the Nexon has a 60L CNG capacity, the Brezza only offers 55L CNG capacity. The Nexon offers a boot space of 321L which stands second best in the segment.

What Are The Colour Options Of The Tata Nexon CNG?

The Nexon CNG is available in the following 5 monotone and 5 dual-tone exterior colour options:

• White
• Dark grey
• Blue
• Light grey
• Red
• White with black roof
• Dark grey with black roof
• Red with black roof
• Light blue with white roof
• Purple with black roof

To find out the variant-wise colour option availability of the Nexon CNG, you can visit the following link:

2024 Tata Nexon Variant-wise Colour Options

Note: Here is a quick look at our length-based segmentation of cars to give you an idea of how we are classifying cars based on their size.

You can read more about vehicle segmentation at the following link:

Car Segments Explained - With Body Styles And Examples