‘We feel cheated’: Alphons Kannanthanam moves case against Maruti Suzuki

New Delhi: On Friday, former Union Minister and ex-IAS officer KJ Alphons appeared before the Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, who also serves as Chief Commissioner of the Central Consumer Protection Authority, with a class action petition against Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.

According to The Wire, the petition was filed on behalf of Alphons’s wife, Sheela Alphons, who purchased a Maruti Grand Vitara Smart Hybrid Delta car. She claimed that the company had promised a mileage of 20.58 km per litre of petrol, but the vehicle delivered an average of only 12.6 km per litre, which later dropped to 10.3 km per litre.

Her complaint states: “She bought the above model only because of the high mileage promised. Otherwise, she would not have bought the above vehicle.” The petition further argues that Maruti’s description of the car as a “smart hybrid” created expectations of superior fuel efficiency.

Sheela Alphons also alleged that when the company tested the car, her driver was not permitted to accompany the vehicle. Later, Maruti representatives reported a mileage of 17 km per litre, which was still significantly lower than the advertised figure.

The petition notes that hybrid variants of the Grand Vitara have been a major sales driver for the company, with a 43% year-on-year growth in FY 2024–25, and argues that “lakhs of consumers were induced to buy the vehicle on the promise of 20.58 km per litre.” It calls the promise of mileage “a contract between seller and buyer” and insists that “lakhs of customers have been cheated.”

Alphons has sought a refund of the full amount paid for the car, along with interest, and demanded that Maruti Suzuki issue a public statement admitting that its mileage claim was misleading and committing not to make similar claims in future.

Speaking to The Wire, Alphons said: “We feel cheated and that is why had to file this petition. Since lakhs of others have bought this car, I have turned it into a Class Action petition. Let us see what the authority does now.”