Top 10 most fuel efficient petrol midsize SUVs in India

Petrol is currently priced at Rs 96.72 per litre in Delhi and Rs 111.35 in Mumbai, following a series of price hikes over the last few months. Given that mass-market SUVs are market favourites, fuel efficiency becomes a critical consideration for buyers.  Here is a list of Top 10 most fuel efficient petrol midsize SUVs in India.

With that in mind, let’s look at the best-fuel-economy petrol midsize SUVs currently on the market in India, ranked from lowest to highest. Please remember that the list is based on ARAI figures, and actual numbers will vary depending on driving conditions and styles. We considered each engine separately for this list because most midsize SUVs offer multiple petrol engine options. Where an individual engine has manual and automatic gearbox options, we’ve averaged the fuel economy figures for the two transmissions. 

On the other hand, the Astor is absent from the list because MG India has yet to release official ARAI fuel economy figures for the SUV.  

Nissan Kicks 1.5 – 13.9kmpl  

The Kicks 1.5, Nissan’s only midsize SUV available in India, currently has the lowest fuel economy figures on the list. It has an ARAI-claimed fuel economy of 13.9kpl thanks to a 5-speed manual transmission and a 106hp 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. 

Nissan Kicks 1.3T – 15.8kmpl  – 10 most fuel efficient petrol midsize SUVs

The Kicks is also available with a turbo-petrol engine, allowing it to compete more effectively with similarly equipped rivals. The Kicks 1.3 is powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that produces 156 horsepower and is available with a 6-speed manual or CVT transmission. Despite having idle start/stop functionality, it only achieves an ARAI fuel economy rating of 15.8 kpl.  

Kia Seltos 1.4T – 16.3kmpl  

The Seltos is one of the first SUVs with a turbo-petrol engine, producing 140hp from its 1.4-litre engine. The average ARAI fuel economy figure is 16.3kpl when equipped with a 7-speed DCT or a 6-speed manual transmission. 

Kia Seltos 1.5 – 16.65kmpl  

The Seltos, like its competitors on this list, comes with a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with 115 horsepower and a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission. Its average ARAI fuel economy is slightly higher than its turbo-petrol counterpart, 16.65kpl.  

Hyundai Creta 1.4T – 16.8kmpl  – 10 most fuel efficient petrol midsize SUVs

The Creta shares the same 140hp, 1.4-litre engine as the Kia Seltos, but it only comes with a 7-speed DCT transmission. The ARAI claims a fuel economy of 16.8 kpl with this powertrain configuration. 

Skoda Kushaq 1.0 TSI – 16.83kmpl  

A 115hp, 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine powers the brand’s first midsize SUV offering as part of its India 2.0 plans. The Kushaq is available with both 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions, with an average ARAI fuel economy of 16.83kpl. 

Hyundai Creta 1.5 – 16.85kmpl  – 10 most fuel efficient petrol midsize SUVs

The Creta gets the same 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine as the Seltos, producing 115 horsepower. On the other hand, the Hyundai SUV achieves an average ARAI fuel economy of 16.85kpl with both manual and automatic transmissions.  

Skoda Kushaq 1.5 TSI – 17.83kmpl 

The most powerful Kushaq variant comes in third place, which comes with a 150hp 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DCT gearbox. Thanks to the idle start/stop functionality found only in the top-spec Style variant; the Kushaq 1.5 TSI achieves an average ARAI of 17.83kpl. 

Volkswagen Taigun 1.5 TSI – 18.18kmpl 

The Taigun, like the Skoda Kushaq, is powered by the same 150hp 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine and comes with the same 6-speed manual and 7-speed DCT transmission options. However, Volkswagen’s average ARAI fuel economy number is slightly higher than Skoda’s, at 18.18 kpl. Idle start/stop functionality is also included on the top-spec Taigun, which helps with efficiency.  

Volkswagen Taigun 1.0 TSI – 18.23kmpl  – 10 most fuel efficient petrol midsize SUVs

The Taigun’s entry-level variant, which recently received an update that added idle start/stop technology, among other features, is at the top of our list. As a result, the 115hp, 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine’s average ARAI fuel economy number has increased by 6% to 18.23kpl. Volkswagen offers both 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions in this model.

Conclusion – 10 most fuel efficient petrol midsize SUVs

A car buyer not only considers a powerful machine but also considers a fuel-efficient vehicle in these inflation days. This article is a perfect guide for those looking to seek knowledge.  Stay tuned to Auto Tech Portal for more automobile-related content.  

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