When it was launched, the Cielo was called a luxury car. It knocked the Contessa out in no time. But since then, there has been serious competition.

Now Daewoo likes the Cielo to be known for "sensible luxury". It isn't the hottest thing to be seen around in, but that does not mean it is down market either.

With CNG on offer, the image of reaching out for something extra with good sense has been reinforced. The cost of personal transport comes down dramatically with CNG. If you spend Rs 6,000 a month now on petrol, you could get by on less than half of that with CNG.

Daewoo has also got an eye on pollution concerns. Consumer preferences the world over are for clean fuels. Automobile manufacturers are listening and worrying. It is a matter of time, but diesel is definitely out. In India, it is already losing its price advantage. Consumer preferences tend to be quickly global these days. Expect dirty and expensive diesel to take a knocking in India as well. Indians will want vehicles that don't pollute.

Most certainly they will want ones that are cheaper to run. CNG's day is clearly dawning.

What's a CNG Cielo like to drive? It does not have the zippiness of the petrol version, but it is not a dead loss either. A CNG engine has its own rhythm. It takes some time to pick up, but it is fine once you are up and going.

Stopping, starting and spurting along in city conditions isn't a problem. Unless you are one of Delhi's suicidal drivers, it is hardly likely that you would want to go past 60 kmph in three seconds. The problems begin with highway driving. Here, with CNG, the Cielo loses its midsize advantage.

Getting past 100 kmph can be tough and 80 kmph is just right. It is not good for the ego when inter-state buses honk impatiently. You begin to feel a little left out and not so entirely committed to a clean environment.

But to know why this happens, try and understand the fuel. CNG ignites very slowly and it burns unevenly. This is a problem when CNG is used for heavy engines. Now the Cielo's is not a heavy engine, but don't expect from CNG petrol's speed of ignition.

CNG's attraction is in being affordable and not causing pollution. It is just great for smoky cities where anyway there is so much congestion that you cannot thunder around. It is fine for highways, if you are willing to be content with 80 kmph and let others go by.

The airconditioning cools to a pitch, which is a very big plus. But you can feel the weight on the engine, especially in the stop-and-start routine of office traffic.

The Cielo is the first car on Indian roads to come from the factory fitted with a CNG cylinder. A good job has been done to design the gas cylinder into the capacious boot. So unlike other cars, especially the smaller ones, where the cylinder hogs precious space because it has been bunged into a vehicle not designed for it, here the cylinder is hardly visible.

Daewoo has shown that it can think a generation ahead of others in business. It is known for its superior engines. It is ahead of the competition with CNG. Perhaps a bit too far ahead. If there is one drawback of driving a CNG Cielo, it is that CNG can be so tough to find. In Delhi, you may have to go from pump to pump. If you are tenacious enough, you will get your CNG on the Ring Road near Sarojini Nagar. And if you run out of patience, just hit that switch on the Cielo's dashboard and go back to petrol!

But if you make it to a station which has CNG, filling your vehicle takes just minutes. The hundred rupees or so that you pay makes your heart leap with joy. Should you buy the CNG Cielo at Rs 5.64 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) , it is certainly value for money. Daewoo's after sales service record is also very good, so rest assured you will be taken care of. But if it is a city car that you want, then worry about the Cielo's size. It is easy to handle, but it is just far too big for congested streets and parking lots.

You should probably be looking at the Matiz instead.