Petrol, Diesel or CNG: Which Used Car Does Pune Prefer?

Maharashtra tops the charts in terms of used cars sold in India. With most of the used car sales in the state concentrated in cities, Pune is one of the largest consumers of used cars and shows a hearty preference for petrol, diesel and even CNG-powered vehicles. 

Pune is experiencing rapid growth and is facing worsening traffic chaos. Therefore used car buyers in Pune have preferences revolving around ease of driving besides other significant factors like body type, transmission type and fuel type. Here’s a closer look at the fuels which drive Pune’s used car ecosystem and the reasons behind it. 

Used Car Fuel Trends in Pune: Petrol Punches Ahead

Referring to the CARS24 sales data and CARS 24 Gears of Growth report, we have a detailed outlook of Pune’s used car scene. Here’s what we unearthed:
 

Key Takeaways From The Data

• Petrol cars dominate the used car scene in Pune. 
• Given Pune’s increasing traffic congestion, most buyers prefer petrol cars. 
• Used petrol hatchbacks are the preferred mode of transport.
• However, a few buyers are opting for CNG used cars instead of petrol driven vehicles. 
• This is due to the increasing number of CNG stations in Pune and Mumbai, which alleviates range anxiety for intercity travelers. 

Do Fuel Types Affect Resale Value In Pune?

Fuel preferences are one of the major used car buying factors. Many factors such as ease of driving, hassle free ownership, refinement, maintenance costs and comfort define fuel preferences. Both new and second hand cars in Pune undergo the same factors for consideration. 

• Petrol cars enjoy a high demand in Pune’s used car market ensuring higher resale values. 
• Petrol cars are more preferred thanks to their refinement, lower maintenance costs and ease of driving. 
• While carmakers are phasing out diesel, the fuel has a steady demand in Pune’s used car scene allowing for a slower rate of depreciation. 
• Used CNG cars are gaining demand which improves their resale value. 
• CNG cars are gaining acceptance due to their low running costs and Pune’s improving CNG infrastructure. 
• Like Bangalore and Mumbai, demand for automatic vehicles is rising in Pune. 
• A high percentage of these automatic cars are petrol-powered, which further enhances their resale value. 

Body Types and Fuel Types: The Correlation

Hatchbacks are the most popular in Pune owing to its narrow roads in increased traffic conditions. That said, the demand for sedans remains steady while SUVs are getting more popular. 

Hatchbacks:

Car makers have moved on to offering petrol powered hatchbacks with fewer diesel and CNG options. This trend  is reflected in the used car market, where an overwhelming majority of hatchbacks are petrol-powered. That said, Pune has a healthy percentage of used diesel and CNG hatchbacks, which are gaining popularity as well. 

Sedans:

Like hatchbacks, a majority of used sedans sold in Pune are petrol powered. However, diesel and CNG sedans are gradually gaining market share. Diesel sedans have a strong presence in Pune’s used car market. While CNG sedans hold a miniscule position, they are gaining popularity, doubling their market share in the past year. 

SUVs:

Diesels continue to occupy a majority of used SUVs sold in Pune. However, demand is dwindling in favour of petrol powered SUVs which sold more than used diesel SUVs in Pune in 2024. The demand for used CNG powered SUVs/MPVs is on the rise. 

Reasons Behind Used Petrol Vehicles Being More Popular in Pune?

Used petrol cars in Pune are the most popular for a number of reasons. Here are some of the popular ones: 

• The most significant reason is the used petrol car’s low buying and maintenance costs. 
• They are quite reliable as well besides offering more refinement making car ownership hassle-free. 
• A high percentage of automatic cars are petrol driven making them the obvious choice for used automatic cars. 
• Petrol is easily available all across India, which is not the case with diesel and CNG fuels. 

Most Popular Used Cars in Pune, Fuel Wise:

Pune has a high percentage of used petrol cars. However, the city also enjoys a significant presence of used diesel and CNG vehicles. Pune’s improving CNG infrastructure is also resulting in a growing number of used CNG cars. 

The Maruti Suzuki Alto is the highest selling second hand petrol car in Pune while used diesel lovers prefer the Maruti Suzuki Swift. The Wagon R is the most popular CNG vehicle sold in Pune. 

Petrol Cars:

The popularity of hatchbacks is hardly surprising given Pune’s narrow roads. The Maruti Suzuki Alto is the most popular used car followed by the Hyundai i10 and Santro. The Honda City is the only sedan in this list. The Swift’s relatively low popularity is surprising because it is the best selling petrol car in most cities. 

Diesel Cars:

While the petrol Swift is the most popular, the diesel Swift is the best selling used diesel car in its segment. Diesel sedans like the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire and Hyundai Verna dominate the segment while the Ford Figo and Renault Duster show the evolved mindset of Pune’s used car buyers and their ability to look beyond mainstream brands. 

CNG Cars:

As in  other cities, the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R is the most popular used CNG car in Pune. The top used CNG cars list also shows Pune’s affinity for hatchbacks, with four of the five top vehicles being hatchbacks. 

Pune roads consist primarily of narrow lanes and traffic disruptions which lead most used car buyers to prefer petrol and CNG-powered hatchbacks.

Conclusion:

Despite the technological advancements in alternative fuels like EVs and hybrids, petrol, diesel and CNG cars remain mainstream, especially in the used car ecosystem. Of this used petrol cars remain the most sought after in Pune though diesel cars have a strong foothold while the popularity of used CNG vehicles in Pune is rising. 

Pune has a unique infrastructure consisting of narrow roads with heavy traffic snarls in most parts leading used and new car buyers to prefer hatchbacks. Pune’s pre-owned car buyers are more practically minded with petrol cars being preferred more while CNG vehicles being considered as well. 

While low, the number of second hand CNG cars in Pune have doubled in the past year. This is due to the growing number of CNG stations in Pune. This number will rise but petrol cars will remain popular for a long time.