[darklord]

NEW DELHI: The fuel guzzlers are taking a new taste, courtesy the uncertainty surrounding diesel.

Petrol is increasingly becoming the fuel of choice for buyers of utility vehicles, a segment where diesel with its better pulling power and fuel economy always ruled the Indian roads, even after the government scrapped subsidies.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/52300737.cms

[deetjohn]

More than owner' preference, a lot of this is down to the ban of diesel cars above 2L in Delhi.

[KiloAlpha]

In absolute terms, sales of SUVs, especially of the "compact" variety, has been increasing over the past year. The stats in the original post talks of "utility" vehicles, which includes the likes of Omni and Eeco - both of which do not have diesel but have CNG/LPG variants (taxi favourite!)
Looking at the sales stats posted every month here, sales of Eeco/Omni/Bolero et al have held pretty much steady. This probably implies that the increase in absolute terms is contributed to by the likes of Creta/S-Cross/etc.

The only compact SUVs that come with petrol engines are the Ecosport and Creta. So, maybe the increase in percentage of petrol utility vehicles is entirely the Creta effect?

EDIT: Does the "utility vehicle" segment include the KUV100 as well? If so, maybe the petrol variant if this vehicle is selling well?

[Prafful_Rathod]

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

In absolute terms, sales of SUVs, especially of the "compact" variety, has been increasing over the past year. The stats in the original post talks of "utility" vehicles, which includes the likes of Omni and Eeco - both of which do not have diesel but have CNG/LPG variants (taxi favourite!)

The only compact SUVs that come with petrol engines are the Ecosport and Creta. So, maybe the increase in percentage of petrol utility vehicles is entirely the Creta effect?

EDIT: Does the "utility vehicle" segment include the KUV100 as well? If so, maybe the petrol variant if this vehicle is selling well?

Well Omni / Eeco is not considered as Utility vehicle by SIAM, they are classified as Vans.

Well the major contributor has been Ertiga, whose petrol penetration has been as high as 35 to 40% of its sale. Ecosport was other petrol SUV selling in decent nos. Addition to the list in last couple of years is Datsun Go Plus, which is a petrol only MPV, Mobilio (though not many) and of course Creta. KUV is also considered as UV, and its petrol share has also been high.

So Ecosport, Ertiga, Creta, Go+ and KUV, have contributed to the rise in Petrol share in overall UV segment.

[SmartCat]

4 reasons I can think of -

1) Premium for diesel engines are approaching Rs. 2 lacs in some cases.

2) Utility vehicles (both S and M kind) these days are based on monocoque chassis and hardly weigh 1.2 tonnes (unlike 2 tonnes of body on frame utility vehicles). There is hardly any fuel efficiency penalty if you opt for a petrol engine.

3) Diesel engined vehicles used to have a lot better resale value before. But since there is so much supply of diesel engined cars in the used car market, the difference in resale value has shrunk considerably (Eg: Ertiga petrol and diesel).

4) Automatics are generally mated to petrol engines only in compact SUV and compact MUV segment.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Is this government data? I'd like to take it with a pinch of salt. For it will classify vehicles likes the Scorpio and XUV as sedans and not UVs (stupid 165mm ground clearance rule)


On a related note, the surge in petrol numbers can be called the Creta and Ertiga effect. I suppose these are the only petrol 'SUVs' doing decent numbers.

[hybridpetrol]

Originally Posted by Prafful_Rathod

So Ecosport, Ertiga, Creta, Go+ and KUV, have contributed to the rise in Petrol share in overall UV segment.

The cars that contribute to the increase in petrol share in the UV segment mentioned in the above statement are all small petrols and all these are all based on monocoque structure.

Ecosport - 1.5L and 1.0 Turbo petrol, Ertiga - 1.4L, Creta - 1.6L
Go+ - 1.2L, KUV100 - 1.2L.

Consider the Ladder on Frame UVs with Diesel engines: Most traditional UVs contain 2L or more -
Bolero: 2.5L, Scorpio - 2.2L/2L, Xylo - 2.5L/2.2L, XUV500 - 2.2L, Safari / Storme - 2.2L, Innova - 2.5L, Fortuner - 3L/2.5L, Endeavor - 3.2L/2.2L, Santa Fe - 2.2L

All these are Diesels. There is not much growth in the "Bigger petrols" actually. The reason petrols are becoming increasingly popular is because of the new breed of crossover UVs & mini/look-alike UVs such as KUV100, which is just a rechristened hatchback.

If one really desires Petrol engine for a 7/8 seater SUV with good power in India, there are not really any options in India (other than Honda CR-V)

[noopster]

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

The only compact SUVs that come with petrol engines are the Ecosport and Creta. So, maybe the increase in percentage of petrol utility vehicles is entirely the Creta effect?

Originally Posted by Prafful_Rathod

So Ecosport, Ertiga, Creta, Go+ and KUV, have contributed to the rise in Petrol share in overall UV segment.

Article lists Ertiga, Mobilio, EcoSport, Creta and KUV100 (the last launched only in January).

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Is this government data? I'd like to take it with a pinch of salt.

That was my first thought as well but it looks like this may be an emerging trend after all!

Launch of the Creta petrol AT may influence this further. I wonder if any of the full-blown SUVs will now offer a petrol engine. As of today, the Mitsubishi Outlander is an exception in that it is petrol-only.

[Prafful_Rathod]

Originally Posted by noopster

I wonder if any of the full-blown SUVs will now offer a petrol engine. As of today, the Mitsubishi Outlander is an exception in that it is petrol-only.

Since Outlander has been discontinued now, Honda CRV would probably be the only petrol SUV (in India, if at all its considered as full blown SUV)

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by smartcat

4 reasons I can think of -

1) Premium for diesel engines are approaching Rs. 2 lacs in some cases.

2) Utility vehicles (both S and M kind) these days are based on monocoque chassis and hardly weigh 1.2 tonnes (unlike 2 tonnes of body on frame utility vehicles). There is hardly any fuel efficiency penalty if you opt for a petrol engine.

3) Diesel engined vehicles used to have a lot better resale value before. But since there is so much supply of diesel engined cars in the used car market, the difference in resale value has shrunk considerably (Eg: Ertiga petrol and diesel).

4) Automatics are generally mated to petrol engines only in compact SUV and compact MUV segment.

Add to that, the general uncertainty around fate of Diesels. 2L+ banned, max usable life reduced to 10 from 15 yrs. Who knows, there might be blanket ban on personal diesels in the coming months.

[GTO]

This article is a half-truth.

If we look at traditional UVs sold in 2012 (Bolero, Scorpio, Innova etc.), they are still selling only in diesel. With 2,000 kilo body-on-frame MUVs & SUVs, diesels will be the preferred choice due to superior fuel economy & torque.

On the other hand, newer entrants like the EcoSport, Ertiga, Creta etc. are going to fuel the petrol UV segment. The jury is still out on whether these are 'Proper SUVs' or not, but the fact is, they have created an all-new category of cars. Monocoque construction, SUV styling, relatively lighter kerb weight, car-like handling & dynamics etc. Because of their lower kerb weight, they are petrol engine friendly.

I see a lot of Creta & EcoSport petrols around. It'll be a similar story with the Vitara Brezza once the 1.0L BoosterJet is introduced.

Rather than comparing their petrol:diesel split to traditional SUVs, we should compare it to same-price sedans. The split will be similar. For instance, compare the Creta's petrol:diesel sales split to the Verna or Elantra's petrol:diesel ratio.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by GTO

Rather than comparing their petrol:diesel split to traditional SUVs, we should compare it to same-price sedans. The split will be similar. For instance, compare the Creta's petrol:diesel sales split to the Verna or Elantra's petrol:diesel ratio.

This might help - from Carwale.com's ALL INDIA Hyundai Verna listings -



Petrol 201 listings, diesel 592 listings. You could say that petrol: diesel Hyundai Verna sales mix is/was roughly 25:75. Note that I have excluded old Verna's listings by using the "Car Age" filter.

Ecosport Listings:



50 petrol listings and 167 diesel listings. That's 23:77 petrol diesel mix.

[Sommos]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

More than owner' preference, a lot of this is down to the ban of diesel cars above 2L in Delhi.

Plus the reduction of subsidy in diesel fuel. The gap between the price of petrol and diesel is now about 8-10 rupees in many parts of the country.