For many car buyers in the country, the price and fuel efficiency factors are more important than features and specifications. Choosing a car with a good fuel economy can drastically reduce the total cost of ownership. While new car buyers generally prefer a diesel car with a good fuel economy over a petrol one, it must be noted that manufacturers have slowly introduced efficient petrol powertrains on most popular models too. Here’s a list of the most fuel efficient petrol and diesel cars in the country.
Hatchbacks
Maruti Suzuki Celerio
Mileage: Petrol – 23.1kmpl | Diesel – 27.6kmpl
Price: Rs 4.05 – 5.26 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)
Maruti Suzuki brought about a revolution of sorts when they launched the Celerio with an AMT (automated manual transmission). While the AMT was only available with a petrol engine, the carmaker had other powertrain options as well – a diesel and CNG. Returning a mileage figure of 27.9kmpl, the diesel-powered Celerio was tagged the most fuel-efficient hatchback in the country. However, due to the drop in demand for this variant, Maruti Suzuki pulled it out of the assembly line. That said, you can still pick one up from a dealer till stocks last.
Maruti Suzuki Baleno
Mileage: Petrol- 21.4kmpl | Diesel- 27.39kmpl
Price: Rs 5.28 – 8.69 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)
Maruti Suzuki created a stir in the premium hatchback segment with the launch of the Baleno a couple of years ago. Around 10-11,000 units of the Baleno roll off Nexa dealer showrooms every month making it the best-selling premium hatchback in the country. The Baleno is offered with a 1.2-litre petrol motor that produces 84PS and the Fiat-sourced 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine that develops 75PS of power. Both engines are very fuel efficient and can return 21.4kmpl and 27.39kmpl, respectively. While the standard transmission on offer is a 5-speed manual gearbox, the petrol variant can also be had with a CVT (continuous variable transmission) to make city driving a breeze.
Honda Jazz
Mileage: Petrol- 18.7kmpl | Diesel- 27.30kmpl
Price: Rs 5.96 – 9.28 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)
The Honda Jazz is another hatchback that has a very respectable fuel economy figure. This spacious hatchback is equipped with a 1.2-litre i-VTEC petrol engine (90PS/110Nm) and a 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine (100PS/200Nm). While the petrol motor is one of the most refined engines available, the diesel with an ARAI-rated fuel efficiency figure of 27.30kmpl is the one to go for if mileage and cost of ownership are your priority. Moreover, this variant also gets a 6-speed manual gearbox which should make it an ideal car for long distance journeys. The petrol, on the other hand, comes with the option of a 5-speed manual or a CVT and returns a claimed mileage figure of 18.7kmpl.
Sedans
Maruti Suzuki Dzire
Mileage: Petrol – 22.0kmpl | Diesel – 28.4kmpl
Price: Rs 5.45 – 9.41 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)
The all-new Dzire that was launched recently is one of the most efficient compact sedans you can buy in the country. It returns 28.40km to the litre, which is a bump of 1.1kmpl when compared to its predecessor. This is due to the fact that the new Dzire is based on the same lightweight platform that also underpins the Baleno. The new Dzire is not only striking to look at, it gets a host of new features like LED headlamps, LED daytime running lights and a touchscreen infotainment system. Powering the Dzire are the same tried-and-tested set of engines – a 1.2-litre petrol motor that develops 83PS and 113Nm of torque and the 1.3-litre Fiat-sourced diesel engine that puts out 75PS and 190Nm of peak torque. The diesel is the most-fuel efficient of the two returning a claimed mileage figure of 28.4kmpl.
Maruti Suzuki Ciaz
Mileage: Petrol – 20.73kmpl | Diesel – 28.09kmpl
Price: Rs 7.73 – 10.52 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)
The Ciaz is another popular car from Maruti’s stable. In fact, it is the second best-selling sedan in the country after the Dzire. If you are looking for a large sedan with impressive fuel efficiency, then look no further. Maruti Suzuki offers two engine options with the Ciaz – a 1.4-litre petrol engine that puts out 92PS and a 1.3-litre engine that churns out 90PS. The latter can also be had with mild-hybrid technology called SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki). This version saves fuel with the help of regenerative braking that stores the energy that would have otherwise been lost while braking which is then used to provide extra torque assist when needed. With this technology, Maruti Suzuki claims that the Ciaz can return a very impressive fuel efficiency figure of 28.09kmpl. Besides the diesel, the Ciaz’s petrol engine is fuel efficient too returning 20.73kmpl of mileage.
Ford Aspire
Mileage: Petrol – 18.16kmpl | Diesel – 25.83kmpl
Price: Rs 5.45 – 8.29 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)
If the Maruti Suzuki Dzire doesn’t catch your attention, then here’s another compact sedan that is not only comfortable and spacious, but also extremely safe as well. In its top-end Titanium+ trim, the Aspire comes with a total of 6 airbags! It also boasts of an Aston Martin-esque grille and incredible driving dynamics. The Ford Aspire can be had with two engine options – a 1.2-litre Ti-VCT petrol (88PS) and a 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine (100PS). The petrol variant returns a decent fuel efficiency figure of 18.16kmpl while the diesel returns a mighty 25.83kmpl.
SUVs and Crossovers
Honda WR-V
Mileage: Petrol – 17.5kmpl| Diesel – 25.5kmpl
Price: Rs 7.75 – 10.0 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)
After playing the waiting game for quite some time, Honda finally entered the popular compact SUV segment with the WR-V. With its butch styling, it looks nowhere close to the hatchback it is based on, the Jazz. It gets all of the safety features that one could ask for. The WRV is also the first car in its segment to get a sunroof. The 1.2-litre 90PS petrol and 1.5-litre 100PS diesel engine offer impressive fuel efficiency figures of 17.5kmpl and 25.5kmpl, respectively.
Mahindra KUV100
Mileage: Petrol – 18.15kmpl| Diesel – 25.32kmpl
Price: Rs 4.58 – 7.36 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)
The Mahindra KUV100 finds a place in this list thanks to its highly-efficient diesel engine. The mini-SUV is a good option for someone eying an SUV like stance but lacks the budget to own it. The 6-seater option is the standout feature of the KUV100. Offering ample amount of space and comfort inside, the Mahindra is available with both diesel and petrol options. While the 1.2-litre petrol engine puts out 83PS of max power and peak torque of 115Nm, the 1.2-litre diesel mill returns 78PS and 190Nm of power and torque, respectively. Both the engines offer excellent fuel efficiency figures of 18.15kmpl (petrol) and 25.32kmpl (diesel).
Maruti Vitara Brezza
Mileage: Petrol – NA | Diesel – 24.30kmpl
Price: Rs 7.26 – 9.92 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)
The talk of the town these days, the Maruti Vitara Brezza has seen a phenomenal success with more than 10k sales a month. The compact SUV is neatly designed and is offered with an array of colour options. Under the hood of the SUV is a 1.3-litre diesel engine which pumps out 90PS at 4000rpm and 200Nm of peak torque at 1750rpm and is linked to a 5-speed manual transmission. The Brezza offers an impressive mileage of 24.30kmpl.
Maruti Suzuki S-Cross
Mileage: Petrol – NA | Diesel – 23.65kmpl
Price: Rs 8.07 – 12.04 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)
Yet another Maruti on the list. The S-Cross, however, is a more premium product when compared to the others listed here. Like the Baleno, the S-Cross too is sold through Nexa dealerships. The S-Cross comes with an impressive lineup of engine of which one of them is quite familiar to us by now- the 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine. In the S-Cross, this engine pumps out 90PS of power and has a claimed fuel efficiency figure of 23.65kmpl. The other engine is a 1.6-litre DDiS engine, which is again sourced from Fiat. This engine generates 120PS of power and returns a mileage of 22.7kmpl.