Petrol Car or Diesel Car in 2022. Should you Buy Diesel Car in 2022

Confused in Buying a Petrol Car or Diesel Car in 2022. Compare Upfront Purchase Price, Fuel Cost Savings with Maintenance Costs to know which Fuel Choice should you go for and Why

Petrol Car or Diesel Car in 2022 - Updated in Line with BS6 and Changed Scenario

Buying a car is an important decision - not only it reflects taste, style, aura and top of it the convenience - but it also is a big financial decision - thanks to high ownership cost of cars in India.

However, the Debate has taken a Paradigm Shift 

• After BS6 Emission Norms been rolled where Emission levels are largely controlled in BS6

• Price Gap in between Petrol and Diesel Models is largely Minimised (due to Economies of Scale as same Diesel Engine used in Multiple Models)

Pollution Levels in BS6 Diesel Cars and Petrol Cars

In BS3 and BS4 Regime Diesel Cars used to emit more than 3 times Nitrogen dioxide pollution and 22 times more tiny particles which penetrate the lungs, brain and heart.

But see how Scenario changed from BS6 where by using

• Diesel Particulate Filter
• NOX Reduction in Diesel Cars by using either NOX Trap or Adblue and BS6 Diesel Cars  

and by Upgrading Catalyst are what Diesel Cars Pollutants been reduced Significantly. NOX Levels which were almost 300% in BS4 in Diesel against Petrol, now just is 33% higher than Petrol in BS6 Regime

Infact from BS3 to BS6 - NOX Levels in Diesel Cars dropped by 1/6th and PM Levels by 1/10th.

Diesel Cars Performance

Lot of Diesel Cars are what Discontinued. Now no more Diesel Cars in market which used to be available with Turbo Lag. Present Range of Diesel Cars

• Hyundai 1.5 Diesel Engine ofr Immaculate NVH and Performance in Venue, Creta, Seltos, Alcazar

• Tata 1.5 Diesel Engine in Different State of Power used in Altroz and Nexon 

• Mahindra XUV300 Diesel Engine which is a Gem of 300 NM Torquey response and now in XUV700 too

Care for a Power Driven Performance Car, you Drive and experience it. It will bring a smile on your Face. We bet

If you compare in Performance aspect then at any given day

• Tata Altroz 1.5 Diesel over 1.2 Petrol or 1.2 Turbo
• Hyundai Creta 1.5 Diesel over 1.5 Petrol
• Kia Seltos 1.5 Diesel over 1.5 Petrol
• Hyundai Venue 1.5 Diesel over 1.2 Petrol
• Kia Sonet 1.5 Diesel over 1.2 Petrol
• Hyundai I20 1.5 Diesel over 1.2 Petrol
• Venue and Sone 1.0 Turbo and 1.5 Diesel

You will find a substabtial Difference in Diesel Engine with lot more Grunt and Performance in Diesel Engines.

Drive in Naturally Aspirated Petrol Engine as what used in Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and then experience in 1.5 Diesel Engine. The kind of Diesel Engine NVH Level as attained in BS6 is what the Benchmark, clean Power Delivery will bring a smile on your Face.

Similarly, although XUV300 Turbo Petrol is very good, but XUV300 Diesel is just Awesome. Even Altroz iTurbo Petrol is launched - but its not a match to Performance and benchmark as whats in 1.5 Diesel Engine.

Diesel Cars Punch going to bring a smile on your face.

Price Difference in BS6

Some Diesel Models comes with Negligible Price Difference

• Venue Sx Turbo Petrol and Sx Diesel is just Rs 20K On Road. Infact - Fuel Efficiency is a lot better of Diesel

• Similarly - Ford Ecosport Diesel Price Difference is between Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000

Check out Prices of Cars

Mileage

Although Fuel Price Gap in between Petrol and Diesel is narrowing

but The Fuel Efficiency of a Diesel Car is relatively 20% to 25% better as against Petrol Car. Expect Lower Running Cost of Diesel Car as against the Petrol one.

You can almsot save in Rs 2.5 Per Km as running cost as against Creta Petrol. So say if you drive in even 8000 Kms a Year you will end up saving in Rs 20,000 per Year in terms of Fuel Cost

Diesel Cars Ownership Cost Higher

1. Up Front Price Difference Cost

Although the Narrower Price Difference Petrol Cars in range of Rs 20K to Rs 50K specified in above pertains to Specific Model Variants as listed above, but if you choose in 

• Tata Cars - Altroz and Nexon Diesel - Price Difference is very high at Rs 1.5 Lakh On Road Price Difference

• If you choose higher up Variants of Creta and Seltos as Creta S Petrol to S Diesel, Sx Petrol to Sx Diesel. Seltos HTK Petrol to HTK Diesel - you will find On road Price Difference to to tune of Rs 1.25 Lakh+ Onwards 

2. Higher Financing Cost

» If you buy Car on Finance - then there would be additional Interest cost for Buying Car in form of higher EMI or even if you buy car on cash - you would be forgiving the Interest which could have earned in form of Fixed Deposit at Bank

Finance : Interest on Rs 50,000 for 5 Years at 8% Interest Rate - Rs 10,840 and Rs 1.25 Lakh for 5 years at 8% Interest Rate (if Loan taken) - Rs 27,000 (Car Loan Interest is on Reducing Balance)

Own Funds : Fixed Deposit Interest on Rs 50,000 for 5 Years at 6.1% Interest Rate is 16,000 after TDS and 1.25 Lakh for 5 years at 6.1% Interest Rate - Rs 40000 (after TDS as Cumulative Interest)

3. Service Maintenance Cost

Additional is Service Maintenance Cost Difference where due to higher cost of Clutch Plate, Battery, additional cost of EGR Valve Cleaning, Oil and Fluid replacement Interval, Oil Filter cost. Some cars have bigger Diesel Engine requires more Oil

Even there are Parts like Catalytic Converter, Water Pump, AC Coils which though rarely fails - but if they do will cost higher in Diesel Cars vis a vis Petrol Cars.

On an average - its seen that Diesel Cars Maintenance cost if taken on Average Basis is higher to extent of Rs 2000 to 2500 per Year against Petrol Counterpart Model including Average Wear & Tear Parts

You can check - Car Service Cost Comparison

4. Insurance Premium

Diesel Cars has higher Insurance Premium in later years with marginally higher risk cover as against Petrol Cars. Even - the internal loading discount in later years would be nullified in Diesel Cars as against Petrol Cars

• On Cars with Ex-showroom Price Difference is Rs 50,000 - Expect Cumulative Insurance Premium to be higher by Rs 10,000 over span of 7 Years

• On Cars where Ex-showroom Price Difference is Rs 1.25 Lakh to rs 1.5 Lakh - expect Insurance Premium to be higher to tune of Rs 20,000 over Span of 7 Years

5. Limited Life of Diesel Car in Delhi / NCR

Also a ban is imposed in Delhi, NCR for Plying 10 year Old Diesel Car (this was imposed in BS4 Regime and still continuing)

However, the way Diesel Cars Pollution Levels are well controlled in BS6 Regime - we do not expect the Ban to Extended to other Cities. 

But - consumers who are buying Diesel Cars in Delhi and NCR Zone can definitely sell these cars in other States by getting NOC Issued. (although to disclaim - fair price may not be reached but still can expect in 20% of Original Purchase price at end of 9th Year)

So Which to Buy - Petrol or Diesel

Pls understand Scenario Difference

Diesel Car Plus Points

• Diesel Cars are Much More Fun to Drive. You Drive in and feel the Instant Difference. Care for Figo, Aspire or Freestyle 1.2 Petrol 3 Cylinder - you will find yourself in a different zone with 1.5 Litre 4 Cylinder Diesel Engine. Drive to Experience it

• Running Cost would be lower by Rs 1.5 per km vis a vis against Petrol Car

• Price Difference narrowed in Alcazar, Venue Sx Petrol and Sx Diesel, Creta E Model

• Possibility of 10 year Diesel Ban not extending to other cities as Emission Level well controlled

Petrol Car Plus Points

• Models where Price Gap Extended to higher amount like - Tata Altroz Petrol, Nexon Petrol are economical to tune of 1.75 Lakh on road against Diesel Model. Creta and Seltos higher up Variant where Petrol Car economical against Diesel

• Fact of Higher Ownership Cost where Service Cost are Higher, Higher Insurance Premium Year on Year (where Ex-showroom Price is higher), Finance Interest Rates

• Where your Average Annual Running is Low and / or belong to Delhi / NCR Zone as Petrol cars can well be driven for 15 Years

• Where seek Light Clutch, Superior Engine NVH Levels - Petrol Cars still are better

• Kia Seltos 1.4 Turbo, Creta 1.4 Turbo Engine feels even more responsive against 1.5 Diesel Engine

Net All - If you Planning for :-

• Tata Altroz ITurbo Petrol Models
• Hyundai Creta Base E Model
• Hyundai Venue Sx
• Hyundai Alcazar
• Kia Sonet

you need to serious give a consideration to there Diesel Engine.

However, from Ownership cost Perspective

• Tata Nexon 
• Hyundai Creta Higher Up Variants
• Kia Seltos Higher up Variants

have substantial Price Gap in Petrol and Diesel Model and in that case basis higher Ownership cost (Finance cost, Insurance Premium, Maintenance cost) - it may just be worth to go for Petrol from Financial Perspective - but trust Diesel Engine are lot more Fun to drive.