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Diesel vs. petrol: Who rules the road?

Last updated on: September 9, 2010 09:41 IST
Ford Figo

Diesel cars are giving their petrol counterparts a hard time on the Indian roads.

A while back, the Indian media space was filled with stories of petrol cars closing in the sales gap between them and diesel cars.

"Sale of petrol variant is surging, though diesel still sells more in sheer numbers," said Shashank Srivastava, Maruti's chief general manager (Marketing).

However, diesel has always been hailed as a dirty fuel because of its polluting nature.

But some people believe that the diesel variant is always going to be the preferred one and the market is clearly heading for its domination.

Fuel economy is one of the top priorities of Indian buyers and the new age diesel-powered cars that offer higher fuel efficiency would be the most preferred ones.

Now-a-days the problems like acceleration, noise and starting troubles are also being sorted out by the carmakers. But the issue of narrowing prices of diesel and petrol looms large.

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Diesel vs. petrol: Who rules the road?

Last updated on: September 9, 2010 09:41 IST
A BMW diesel engine

Carmakers like Mercedes-Benz, Tata Motors, Mahindra et al offer the new age diesel technologies that help refine their product.

This is the reason why customers still prefer diesel driven cars and are likely to do so for a long time.

Be it hatchbacks or luxury saloons, the diesel cars are always ahead in terms of sale figures.

The CRDI technology used most commonly by several carmakers helps diesel to burn much faster giving out instant power and increasing fuel efficiency.

Right now the Indian car market has a mix of carmakers with preferences for diesel and petrol cars.

Car makers like Honda has only petrol variant but is in the process of introducing diesel powered City and Civic in the next two years.

Maruti Suzuki Sx4, Ford Figo, Fiat Punto and Volkswagen Polo already have diesel versions.

Nissan Micra is planning to launch one in the future.

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