- Hyundai’s current diesel lineup will be updated to meet BS6 norms.
- Cost for diesel variants likely to go up by Rs 1 lakh.
- Honda and Ford will also continue selling diesel engines post March 2020.
- Manufacturers like Maruti to halt selling diesel engines from April 2020 onwards.
Hyundai has given a sigh of relief to loyalists of the brand, especially those with a penchant for diesels. The company has announced that customers will be able to choose between buying petrol or diesel variants of their cars even after the shift to BS6 norms in April 2020. This means that all of the cars which offer a diesel powertrain now will continue to offer the option post March 2020. The diesel engine range in Hyundai’s lineup starts from the Grand i10, which is also due for a generation update this year.
The reason why there is a debate on which carmakers will continue selling diesel-fueled cars after the shift to BS6 emission norms is because of the cost of updating. All diesel cars which are currently compliant with BS4 norms will require a lot of work to meet BS6 norms and hence will cost approximately Rs 1 lakh more. This could make the jump to diesel-powered cars less practical for smaller, everyday commutes.
For example, the entry-level Hyundai diesel you can buy in India is the Grand i10 Era. Currently priced at Rs 6.14 lakh, the hatchback is Rs 1.16 lakh more expensive than its corresponding petrol variant. After the shift, the difference could be close to Rs 2 lakh, which would put the base diesel’s price on par with the top-end petrol. The Hyundai Venue, which has kicked up quite a storm in the automotive space, is also offered with a 1.4-litre diesel engine across the range. This announcement means that the sub-compact SUV will continue to feature the diesel engine option after BS6 as well.
Like Hyundai, Honda and Ford have also announced that they too will continue selling diesel-powered cars after the shift. If you remember, Maruti had earlier announced that they will be completely halting the sale of diesel engines from April 2020 onwards. But they might consider restarting selling it in larger cars if the demand for the same still exists. As a replacement for the diesel, Maruti is likely to make a shift to CNG and micro-hybrid petrol engines.
Having the advantage to choose, however, is still better than being not given an option. Would you prefer buying a base diesel at the price for the flagship petrol?
Source: zigwheels.com
