Maruti Suzuki to Challenge Consumer Court Order on Grand Vitara E20 Compatibility

New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki India has asserted that its Grand Vitara is fully compatible with E20 fuel and announced that it will challenge a consumer court order directing the company to replace a customer's vehicle over alleged fuel-related technical issues.

The statement came after the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Raipur ordered the automaker to replace a Grand Vitara Hybrid owned by a customer from Chhattisgarh with a new E20-compatible vehicle. The customer had claimed that the SUV developed technical problems after being driven on E20 petrol.

The Commission directed Maruti Suzuki to replace the vehicle within 45 days. Failing that, the company has been asked to refund Rs 20.5 lakh, including the cost of registration and insurance.

Rejecting the Commission's findings, Maruti Suzuki said the vehicle involved in the case was already E20-compatible and designed to operate safely on fuel containing up to 20 per cent ethanol. The company noted that this information was clearly mentioned in the owner's manual. According to the automaker, the vehicle was manufactured in January 2023 and sold to the customer in June 2024.

The company also claimed that tests had found evidence of fuel contamination in the customer's vehicle, adding that several important facts were not adequately reflected in the Commission's order.

"We have learnt of an order by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Raipur, directing Maruti Suzuki to replace the customer's vehicle with a new E20-compatible vehicle," the company said in a statement.

It further maintained that the Grand Vitara in question was fully equipped to run on E20 fuel and that the owner's manual clearly specified its compatibility. The automaker also reiterated that evidence of contaminated fuel had been found during the investigation.

Maruti Suzuki said it would pursue legal remedies by challenging the order before a higher judicial forum.

The case has drawn attention as India continues to expand the use of ethanol-blended fuels under its clean energy initiatives. Automobile manufacturers have consistently maintained that vehicles certified as E20-compatible can safely operate on petrol blended with up to 20 per cent ethanol, provided the fuel meets the prescribed quality standards.

With inputs from IANS