Which Hyundai and Kia CNG SUVs Are Coming to India 2026? Factory-Fitted Models in Venue and Creta Segments

Hyundai Motor Group is planning factory-fitted CNG variants for at least three SUV nameplates in India — the Venue, Kia Sonet and the upcoming Bayon — as the Korean group's combined domestic market share fell to 17.97% in April–September FY27 from 19.60% a year earlier, according to a Moneycontrol report citing industry sources. Neither Hyundai nor Kia currently sells a CNG-powered SUV above the micro-SUV segment, leaving them absent from two segments that together account for nearly 89% of all SUV sales in India.

The news matters because CNG is no longer a fringe powertrain. CNG's share of industry passenger vehicle sales rose from 19.5% in FY25 to 21.9% in FY26 and crossed 23% in April–September FY27, per SIAM data cited in the Moneycontrol report. While Hyundai and Kia have been growing in absolute volume terms, the overall PV market grew 28.32% year-on-year in the same period — and the group's combined 17.64% growth simply could not keep pace.

The table below maps the current CNG SUV space that Hyundai and Kia will be entering, placing confirmed and expected arrivals alongside established rivals.

Model	Segment	CNG Kit Type	ARAI Mileage (km/kg)	CNG Variant Price (ex-sh, approx.)	Boot Space Trade-off	Status
Maruti Brezza S-CNG	Compact SUV	Factory-fitted	25.51 km/kg	~₹10.49 lakh (base CNG)	Single cylinder; ~100L reduction vs petrol	On sale
Maruti Fronx S-CNG	Compact SUV	Factory-fitted	28.51 km/kg	~₹9.46 lakh (base CNG)	Single cylinder; boot compromised	On sale
Tata Nexon iCNG	Compact SUV	Factory-fitted	24 km/kg (claimed)	~₹10.50 lakh (base CNG)	Twin cylinder under floor; boot largely intact	On sale
Mahindra XUV 3XO CNG	Compact SUV	Factory-fitted	~27 km/kg (ARAI claimed)	~₹11.50 lakh (base CNG)	Single cylinder	On sale
Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor CNG	Compact SUV	Factory-fitted	28.51 km/kg	~₹9.60 lakh (base CNG)	Single cylinder; boot compromised	On sale
Maruti Grand Vitara S-CNG	Mid-size SUV	Factory-fitted	26.62 km/kg	~₹14.99 lakh (base CNG)	Single cylinder; boot reduced	On sale
Maruti Victoris S-CNG	Mid-size SUV	Factory-fitted	~26 km/kg (ARAI claimed)	~₹13.99 lakh (base CNG)	Single cylinder; boot reduced	On sale
Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder CNG	Mid-size SUV	Factory-fitted	26.62 km/kg	~₹15.20 lakh (base CNG)	Single cylinder; boot reduced	On sale
Hyundai Venue CNG	Compact SUV	Factory-fitted (planned)	Not yet rated	Not yet priced	TBC	Expected FY28
Kia Sonet CNG	Compact SUV	Factory-fitted (planned)	Not yet rated	Not yet priced	TBC	Expected FY28
Hyundai Bayon CNG	Mid-size SUV	Factory-fitted (planned)	Not yet rated	Not yet priced	Underbody tank likely	Post-launch (2027 likely)

Prices are approximate ex-showroom and subject to change. ARAI mileage figures are manufacturer claims, not real-world test results.

Why is Hyundai Motor Group suddenly rushing into CNG SUVs?

Market share arithmetic tells the story. Hyundai Motor Group — combining Hyundai Motor India and Kia India — saw its share decline to 18.82% in FY26 from 19.85% in FY25, then slip further to 17.97% in the first half of FY27, per SIAM data reported by Moneycontrol.

Hyundai's own performance weakened considerably — from 13.92% in FY25 to 12.60% in FY26 and then to 11.57% in April–September FY27. Kia held steadier at around 6.4%, broadly keeping pace with market growth, but Hyundai's slower expansion dragged the group's combined number down.

The structural reason is straightforward: compact and mid-size SUVs are India's two largest PV segments. Of nearly 26.72 lakh SUVs sold in FY26, compact SUVs accounted for 44.72% and mid-size SUVs for 44.19% — together, almost 89% of all SUV sales. In both these segments, buyers can already choose factory-fitted CNG from Maruti Suzuki, Tata, Mahindra and Toyota. Hyundai and Kia offer nothing. That gap is now costing them buyers who want the running-cost benefits of CNG in an SUV body style.

CNG is defined in this context as a factory-fitted, OEM-warranted bi-fuel system where the car runs on both compressed natural gas and petrol, with the CNG cylinder integrated into the vehicle's structure at the manufacturing stage rather than added by a dealer or aftermarket installer. Factory-fitted kits, unlike retrofit units, preserve the manufacturer's warranty and typically meet higher safety standards.

What exactly is planned — Venue CNG, Sonet CNG or something else?

Moneycontrol's sources indicate CNG is being evaluated for the Venue and Sonet in the compact SUV segment, with a potential launch in FY28 (April 2027–March 2028). A second source told the publication that Hyundai's upcoming Bayon mid-size SUV will also get a CNG option, likely introduced in 2027, though availability at the Bayon's launch itself remains unconfirmed.

Hyundai Motor India's MD and CEO Tarun Garg responded to Moneycontrol's queries by saying the company offers "a diverse range of powertrains, including petrol, turbo-petrol, diesel, CNG and electric," but declined to comment on specific future product plans. Kia India did not respond to queries.

To be precise about what is confirmed versus speculative:

Confirmed by sources, not by OEM: Venue CNG and Sonet CNG are under evaluation for FY28.
Confirmed by sources, not by OEM: Bayon CNG is planned, likely 2027.
Not confirmed: Creta CNG, Seltos CNG or Syros CNG — these are not mentioned in the current report.

Buyers waiting for a Creta CNG or Seltos CNG should not read this report as confirmation of those models.

What is the Hyundai Bayon, and how does it fit into the mid-size SUV CNG story?

The Hyundai Bayon is a new mid-size SUV positioned between the Venue and Creta in Hyundai's India lineup, targeting the Maruti Victoris directly. Autocar India reports that the Bayon was fully revealed on October 12, 2026, with a price announcement scheduled for October 26. Bookings are already open.

At launch, the Bayon will be powered exclusively by a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine producing 115hp and 144Nm — the same unit used in the Creta — with a six-speed manual or CVT automatic gearbox. A CNG version is expected to follow at a later stage. Autocar India notes that the Bayon's CNG variant would likely use an underbody tank, potentially making it the first Hyundai model over four metres in length to be powered by CNG in India.

An underbody tank matters for buyers because it avoids the boot-space penalty that plagues most current CNG SUVs. Cars like the Maruti Brezza S-CNG and Grand Vitara S-CNG use a single cylinder mounted in the boot, which meaningfully reduces luggage capacity. Tata's iCNG system, used in the Nexon iCNG, places twin cylinders under the floor — preserving boot space — and is one of the genuine differentiators Tata has used to market its CNG cars. If Hyundai adopts a similar underbody approach for the Bayon, it would address one of the key objections buyers currently have to CNG SUVs.

The Bayon is expected to be priced between ₹9 lakh and ₹14 lakh (ex-showroom) at launch, per Autocar India. The CNG variant, when it arrives, will likely carry a premium of ₹80,000–₹1 lakh over the equivalent petrol trim, consistent with the pricing gap seen in other factory-fitted CNG models.

On the feature front, the Bayon is notably well-equipped for its expected price. It gets dual 12.3-inch connected displays for instrumentation and infotainment, a generative AI voice assistant (described as a first for any Hyundai in India), Bluelink connected technology with 70-plus features, OTA updates, onboard navigation and support for 10 regional and two international languages. Physical buttons and dials have been retained alongside the touchscreen — a practical choice that buyers in this segment tend to appreciate.

How do the current Maruti S-CNG compact SUVs compare with what Hyundai and Kia are planning?

The Maruti Brezza S-CNG and Fronx S-CNG are the two factory-fitted CNG compact SUVs from Maruti Suzuki that will face direct competition from a Venue CNG and Sonet CNG if and when those arrive in FY28.

The Brezza S-CNG claims 25.51 km/kg on the ARAI cycle. The Fronx S-CNG claims 28.51 km/kg — one of the highest figures in the compact SUV CNG segment. To put that in running-cost terms: at a CNG price of ₹90 per kg in Delhi, the Fronx S-CNG costs approximately ₹3.16 per km on CNG. A petrol car returning 15 km/l at ₹95 per litre costs ₹6.33 per km — roughly double. These are ARAI claims; real-world figures typically run 15–20% lower.

Both Maruti S-CNG compact SUVs share a genuine weakness: the single-cylinder boot-mounted tank. The Brezza S-CNG loses a meaningful chunk of its boot space, and the cylinder is visible when you open the tailgate. Neither model offers an automatic gearbox on the CNG variant — both are manual-only. For buyers who want an AMT or CVT with CNG, Maruti currently offers no answer in the compact SUV space.

The Tata Nexon iCNG sidesteps the boot-space problem with its twin-cylinder under-floor system, but its ARAI claim of around 24 km/kg is lower than the Fronx S-CNG's figure. The Toyota Urban Cruiser Taisor CNG, which shares its platform and powertrain with the Fronx, claims the same 28.51 km/kg.

When the Venue CNG and Sonet CNG arrive, they will need to compete on at least three fronts: mileage claims, boot-space management and gearbox options. Hyundai's existing CNG cars — the Grand i10 Nios CNG, Aura CNG and Exter CNG — use a single-cylinder setup. Whether the Venue and Sonet will adopt a twin-cylinder or underbody approach remains unknown.

What does Hyundai currently offer in CNG, and what does that tell us about the SUV plans?

Hyundai currently offers factory-fitted CNG in three models in India: the Grand i10 Nios hatchback, the Aura compact sedan and the Exter micro-SUV. Kia recently added CNG to the Carens MPV and Carens Clavis MPV.

The Exter CNG is the closest existing reference point for what a Hyundai compact SUV CNG might look like. Hyundai's official press release for the Exter Knight confirms the Exter CNG uses a 1.2-litre Kappa bi-fuel petrol-CNG engine with a 5-speed manual transmission, priced at ₹9,09,500 for the HX 6 Knight CNG variant. The Exter Knight CNG is offered only with a manual gearbox — the AMT is petrol-only — which is a pattern consistent with most factory-fitted CNG cars in India today.

The Venue uses a different engine family: a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol (83hp), a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol (120hp) and a 1.5-litre diesel. A CNG version would most likely be based on the 1.2-litre naturally aspirated unit, similar to how the Exter CNG uses the 1.2-litre Kappa. This means the Venue CNG, if it follows this logic, would be positioned in the lower-power variants of the lineup — buyers wanting the turbo-petrol punch would still need to go petrol.

The Sonet, Kia's compact SUV, shares significant platform and powertrain architecture with the Venue. A Sonet CNG would logically follow a similar configuration.

How does the mid-size SUV CNG market look for the Bayon to enter?

The mid-size SUV CNG segment is currently a Maruti-Toyota duopoly. Maruti sells the Grand Vitara S-CNG and the Victoris S-CNG; Toyota sells the Urban Cruiser Hyryder CNG. All three use factory-fitted single-cylinder boot-mounted tanks and manual gearboxes on the CNG variants.

The Grand Vitara S-CNG claims 26.62 km/kg on the ARAI cycle. At ₹90/kg in Delhi, that works out to approximately ₹3.38 per km on CNG. The Victoris S-CNG is positioned slightly lower in price, targeting buyers who want a mid-size SUV body with CNG economy without paying Grand Vitara money.

The Bayon, when it arrives with CNG, will enter this space. Its potential underbody tank — if confirmed — would be a genuine differentiator. But the Bayon is also entering a segment where Maruti's S-CNG brand carries strong consumer trust, dealer network depth and established service familiarity with CNG systems. Hyundai will need to match Maruti's CNG service infrastructure, which includes trained technicians and CNG-specific service protocols at dealerships.

One honest caveat: the Bayon CNG timeline is the least certain element of this entire story. Autocar India describes it as "expected to be added to the lineup at a later stage," and the source in the Moneycontrol report says it is "likely" to be introduced next year. Neither Hyundai nor any official source has confirmed a date, a price or a mileage figure.

What does the market share data actually tell us about why this is happening now?

The SIAM data in the Moneycontrol report tells a clear story. Hyundai sold 3,05,146 vehicles in April–September FY27, up 12.28% year-on-year. Kia sold 1,68,683 units, up 28.76%. Combined, the group grew 17.64%. But the overall PV market grew 28.32% in the same period. Growing slower than the market means your share falls — even if your absolute numbers are up.

The CNG gap is one structural explanation. In compact SUVs, buyers choosing CNG can pick from the Brezza, Nexon, XUV 3XO and Taisor. None of these is a Hyundai or Kia. In mid-size SUVs, the Grand Vitara, Victoris and Hyryder all offer CNG. Again, no Hyundai or Kia. A buyer who wants an SUV and wants CNG running costs simply cannot buy a Hyundai or Kia compact or mid-size SUV today. That is a segment of the market the group is entirely missing.

CNG's rising share — from 19.5% of PV sales in FY25 to over 23% in the first half of FY27 — means this is not a niche. It is a mainstream powertrain choice, particularly in cities with good CNG infrastructure like Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune and Lucknow. The buyers Hyundai and Kia are losing to Maruti and Tata in the CNG-SUV space are real, countable customers.

What are the real-world trade-offs a buyer should know before waiting for a Venue CNG or Bayon CNG?

Several trade-offs are worth understanding before deciding whether to wait for these models or buy an existing CNG SUV.

Power reduction on CNG: Every factory-fitted CNG car in India today produces less power on CNG than on petrol. Typically, the power drop is around 10–12%. The Exter CNG produces noticeably less power on CNG than on petrol. The Venue CNG, if based on the 1.2-litre naturally aspirated engine (83hp on petrol), would likely produce around 73–75hp on CNG. This matters on highways and during overtaking.

Gearbox limitation: No factory-fitted CNG car in India currently offers an automatic gearbox on the CNG variant. The Exter CNG is manual-only; the Brezza S-CNG is manual-only; the Nexon iCNG is manual-only. If you want an AMT or CVT, you buy petrol. This is likely to remain true for the Venue CNG and Sonet CNG as well, at least at launch.

CNG station availability: CNG infrastructure in India is concentrated in major cities and along national highways in certain states. Buyers in smaller towns or states with limited CNG networks — parts of the Northeast, many Tier-3 cities — will find the bi-fuel capability more important than the CNG mileage claim, since they will run on petrol more often. The bi-fuel nature means range anxiety is not a problem, but the running-cost advantage shrinks if you are filling petrol frequently.

Boot space: As noted, single-cylinder boot-mounted tanks are the current norm for CNG SUVs above the hatchback segment. If the Bayon CNG uses an underbody tank, it would be a genuine advantage. For the Venue CNG and Sonet CNG, the cylinder placement is unknown — and buyers should watch for this detail when specifications are officially announced.

Timeline uncertainty: FY28 starts in April 2027. "Evaluation" is not a launch commitment. Regulatory approvals, ARAI certification and production ramp-up all take time. Buyers who need a car now should not wait on the basis of this report alone.

Should you buy a Maruti Brezza S-CNG or Fronx S-CNG now, or wait for the Venue CNG?

This is the practical question for a buyer in the compact SUV CNG segment today. The honest answer depends on your timeline and priorities.

If you need a car within the next six to twelve months, the existing factory-fitted CNG compact SUVs are mature, well-tested products. The Maruti Brezza S-CNG and Fronx S-CNG have established service networks, known mileage figures and no boot-space surprises you haven't already read about. The Tata Nexon iCNG offers the twin-cylinder advantage if boot space is a priority. These are not compromised products — they are the segment standard.

If you are a Hyundai or Kia loyalist and can wait until FY28, the Venue CNG and Sonet CNG may offer the brand familiarity, connected features and better infotainment integration that Hyundai and Kia are known for. But you are waiting for a product that has not been officially confirmed, priced or rated by ARAI.

For the mid-size SUV segment, the Bayon CNG is the more intriguing prospect — particularly if the underbody tank rumour proves true. But the Bayon itself has only just been revealed as a petrol car. The CNG variant is at least a year away by the most optimistic reading of the available information.

The broader CNG SUV space is covered in our guide to the best SUVs with a CNG option under ₹30 lakh in India, which includes current pricing and mileage comparisons for all on-sale models.

What happens to Kia's Syros and Seltos — will they get CNG too?

The Moneycontrol report does not mention the Syros or Seltos in the context of CNG plans. The Syros is Kia's newer compact SUV, positioned above the Sonet. The Seltos is Kia's mid-size SUV, competing with the Creta.

It would be speculative to assume CNG is coming to either model based on this report. The Sonet is the Kia model explicitly named as being evaluated for CNG. The Seltos is not mentioned. Buyers interested in a Seltos CNG or Syros CNG should treat those as unconfirmed possibilities rather than planned products.

What is the significance of "factory-fitted" versus dealer-installed CNG for buyers?

Factory-fitted CNG is defined as a CNG system integrated into the vehicle at the manufacturing plant, certified by ARAI as part of the vehicle's type approval, and covered under the manufacturer's standard warranty. This is what Maruti's S-CNG, Tata's iCNG, Hyundai's Hy-CNG Duo and Kia's CNG systems all are.

Dealer-installed or aftermarket retrofit CNG kits are a different category entirely. These are fitted after the car leaves the factory, typically using kits from suppliers such as Lovato, Tomasetto or BRC. A retrofit kit voids the manufacturer's powertrain warranty on the engine in most cases, and the quality of installation varies significantly by dealer and kit maker. ARAI certification for the vehicle-kit combination is required by law but enforcement is inconsistent.

The Moneycontrol report explicitly states that the expansion will focus on factory-fitted CNG options rather than dealer-installed retrofit kits. This is the right approach for buyers — it means warranty coverage, standardised installation and ARAI-rated mileage figures that are at least comparable across models.

For a deeper look at how factory-fitted CNG compares across segments, our best CNG cars in India guide covers the full picture including hatchbacks, sedans and SUVs currently on sale.