It was in January this year when Maruti Suzuki launched the BS6-compliant (Bharat Stage 6) Celerio. Back then and until today, only the petrol-powered variants of the hatchback met the stricter emission norms. Now, however, the CNG-equipped (Compressed Natural Gas) derivatives have bagged the mandatory BS6 compliance.

The dual-fuel setup is available in Celerio’s two trim levels – VXI and VXI (O). The former costs Rs 5.61 lakh, whereas the latter wears a price tag of Rs 5.68 lakh. Compared to their BSIV-compliant versions, the BS6-ready VXI and VXI (O) derivatives cost Rs 31,000 (approx.) and Rs 30,000 more, respectively.

Powering both of them is a 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine which, when fed with petrol, produces 67bhp/90Nm. Those output figures drop down to 58bhp/78Nm upon choosing CNG as the combustion fuel. The only transmission option available is a 5-speed manual. At 30.47km/kg, the mileage is impressive too. That said, it has dropped by 1.29km/kg from before.

As you’d expect, there’s no other change to report. That means features like all four power windows, manual air conditioning, 60:40 split rear seat, full wheel covers and central door locking are available in both the variants. The price difference between the two comes from the list of safety gizmos. The VXI (O) gets an added airbag and front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters.

The Celerio finds itself in a world of highly competitive products. Apart from competing with two siblings – the S-Presso and the Wagon R 1.0, it also competes with 1.0-litre versions of the Renault Kwid and the Datsun Redi-Go. In case you’re wondering what happened to the CelerioX, that migrated into the BS6 era in April this year. And those who want to purchase the Celerio XNG for commercial use can opt for the Tour H2 variant. That costs Rs 5.36 lakh. If you had to buy a hatchback in this segment, which one would it be?