# Indian car buyers shift focus from mileage to total cost of ownership 2026-08-09T09:52:08+00:00 | Business & Economy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Indian car buyers are moving beyond the traditional focus on purchase price and mileage to evaluate total ownership costs. A July report by Jato Dynamics shows that petrol, CNG, hybrid, and electric vehicles together accounted for nearly 41% of passenger vehicle retail sales, indicating a significant market shift, as per The Economic Times. Jato Dynamics president Ravi Bhatia said the definition of affordability is broadening to include energy, insurance, maintenance, and resale value. An analysis of 25 mass-market models found a median price gap of about Rs 1.08 lakh between petrol and CNG variants. Buyers now ask, "What's in it for me?", said former FADA president Vinkesh Gulati, reflecting a more comprehensive value assessment. ## Coverage - economictimes.indiatimes.com - auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com Tags: affordability, car buyers, CNG hybrid EV, Jato Dynamics, powertrain choice, total cost of ownership Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/car-buyers-shift-from-mileage-to-total-ownership-cost/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/car-buyers-shift-from-mileage-to-total-ownership-cost/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.