Renault Samsung Motors’ sports utility vehicle QM6 is becoming a popular choice for drivers, being offered in three different fuel types -- gasoline, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas -- Renault Samsung said on Thursday.

Originally born to serve in battlefields, SUVs were loud and prone to vibration with their larger bodies and wheels, and often diesel-centered.

The South Korean unit of the French automaker Renault was one of the fast movers to prepare for the exit of diesel cars, the company said.

The automaker introduced gasoline and LPG powertrains for QM6, offering a quieter and more stable driving experience to both city and country dwellers -- making the model its bestselling vehicle.

Previously in Korea, LPG vehicles were only allowed for domestic taxis, rental cars and for people with disabilities. In 2019, soon after this regulation was revised, Renault Samsung released the LPG-powered QM6 -- the QM6 LPe -- for Korean buyers.

To reduce noise, vibration and harshness in driving the LPG model, the automaker also deployed its own donut-shaped LPG fuel tank, aptly dubbed “Donut,” to lower the vehicle’s center of gravity for a comfortable ride.

The QM6 LPe is also ample with trunk space, as the Donut is installed in the place where spare tires are stored, Renault Samsung explained.

With its benefits, the LPG-powered vehicle comes as an economic and fuel-efficient choice compared to other midsized SUVs, the automaker said. So it soon became the top seller in the local LPG vehicle market. Last year, the automaker sold 27,811 units of the model.

According to a report from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, about 58.7 percent of all new cars registered -- or 11.1 million units -- were gasoline-powered vehicles in May. About 29 percent of the new registrations, or 5.5 million units, were diesel cars.

Although LPG cars did not show a drastic increase, they are consistently gaining interest from Korean buyers as eco-friendly vehicles, Renault Samsung said.

The National Institute of Environmental Research says LPG vehicles’ emissions of nitrogen oxides, which leads to air pollution and microdust, is one-third of a gasoline car and 93 times less than a diesel car.

“We are trying our best to identify and analyze our customer needs when we design our product,” a Renault Samsung official said. “As the trend of automobile business changes rapidly, the company seeks to actively communicate with the buyers through different channels to enhance its product quality.”

By Lee Si-jin (sj_lee@heraldcorp.com)