Why I Purchased the Maruti Suzuki XL6 CNG — And Why I’m Satisfied With My Decision

When I was planning to buy a car, my priorities were quite clear. I wasn’t looking only at features, power figures or road presence. I wanted a practical family car with a low running cost, reasonable maintenance and enough comfort for daily commuting as well as long road trips. That’s where the XL6 CNG made sense to me.

Running Cost Was One of My Biggest Priorities For me, a car is a necessity and something my family should enjoy — but I don’t want it to unnecessarily increase my monthly expenses. My thinking is simple: money saved on fuel and maintenance can be used for savings, investments, travel or other important things in life. This is one of the biggest reasons I went for CNG. In my personal usage, I normally get around 25 km/kg in city driving, while on highways I have seen mileage of 30 km/kg or even slightly more, depending on traffic and driving conditions. For a car of this size and practicality, that makes the running cost extremely attractive.

Maintenance Has Also Been Reasonable Another reason I’m satisfied with the XL6 is its relatively straightforward maintenance. My regular maintenance bill at every 10,000 km generally comes to around ₹4,500–₹6,500, although the actual amount can vary depending on what needs replacement or additional work. I prefer this kind of ownership experience. I don’t want a car where every service visit makes me worried about a huge bill.

Family Car + Daily Commuter + Road-Trip Companion This is probably where the XL6 makes the most sense to me. I can use the same car for my daily city commute, take my family around comfortably, and then use it for a long highway or expressway road trip without feeling that I’ve chosen the wrong type of car. Despite its size, it is relatively easy to drive in the city. On highways and expressways, it feels comfortable and confident, and the handling has been good for the kind of driving I expect from a family-oriented vehicle. So instead of needing different cars for different purposes, the XL6 covers most of my requirements reasonably well.

“Isn’t It Just a More Expensive Ertiga?” This is something I’ve heard quite a few times. Yes, the XL6 and Ertiga share their basic platform and mechanical foundation, and their running-cost philosophy is quite similar. But after living with the XL6, I don’t see it simply as an expensive Ertiga. The XL6 offers a different overall experience. Its styling, larger-looking wheel arches, wheel design and size, front-end treatment, body cladding and other visual elements give it a bolder and more SUV-inspired stance. Of course, technically it remains an MPV/crossover-style family vehicle — I wouldn’t call it a hardcore SUV. But from behind the steering wheel and when looking at it from outside, it doesn’t give me the typical basic MPV feeling. There is a little more road presence and visual character, and personally, I like that.

Where the XL6 Is Not Perfect No car is perfect, and expectations need to be realistic. The XL6 is primarily designed for city roads, highways, expressways and normal family travel. If your regular driving involves very rough terrain, serious off-roading or badly broken roads, there are better vehicles designed specifically for those conditions. It also isn’t a car I would buy primarily for outright performance or enthusiastic driving. But that’s not why I bought it. I wanted comfort + space + practicality + low running cost + manageable maintenance + decent looks, all in one package. And that’s exactly where the XL6 CNG works for me.

After Living With It, Would I Buy It Again? Yes. I’m very satisfied with the XL6 CNG in terms of running cost, maintenance, comfort, practicality and overall appearance. It works as my daily commuter. It works as my family car. It works for city driving. And it works surprisingly well for long highway and expressway road trips. For me, value for money isn’t about buying the cheapest car. It’s about how much value a car gives you throughout the years you own it. The XL6 CNG may not be the best car at everything, but it does almost everything I actually need from a family car — without becoming unnecessarily expensive to run. And sometimes, the smartest car isn’t the one that excites you the most on the specification sheet. It’s the one that continues making financial and practical sense every time you drive it. That is why I purchased the XL6 CNG — and why I’m still satisfied with my decision.