With petrol prices going through the roof, car buyers across the country have shifted their focus to diesel cars. These are being favoured not just by new buyers but also by those who already own a petrol model and need to travel at least in excess of 700 kms a month simply due to the burgeoning running costs. In the current scenario, fuel efficiency is the most important parameter on which the buyers compare their car while purchasing.
Presently, the top five most efficient diesel cars available in the Indian auto industry are Chevrolet Beat, Tata Indigo eCS, Toyota Etios Liva, Hyundai Verna and Nissan Micra. All the abovementioned cars fall under different segments of the India auto industry and have set benchmarks on grounds of running costs.
Heading the position in the hatchback segment, Chevrolet Beat diesel is acknowledged as India’s most fuel efficient car. The car is incorporated with a three-cylinder engine which has a displacement of 936 cc and the potential to generate peak power of 60 bhp. Highest torque churned out by this engine stands at 160.26 Nm which is properly dispatched to all the four tyres of car. With this output, the diesel version of Beat delivers an average of 25.44 kmpl, which remains unmatched in this segment. This figure states that Chevrolet Beat diesel perfectly amalgamates output and mileage, which makes it one of the best options in premium hatchback segment.
The next model in the list of efficient diesel cars is the VX variant of Tata Indigo eCS. This entry level sedan is assimilated with a CR4 engine which has a displacement of 1396 cc. Highest power produced by the motor of this model peaks at 68 bhp at 4000 rpm, whereas its maximum torque stands at 140 Nm at a fairly low 1800-3000 rpm. With such output, the performance-oriented engine of Indigo eCS covers a distance of 22 kmpl in city driving conditions and 25 kmpl on highways.
Toyota Etios Liva holds the third place in this list. The car is fitted with a 1ND-TV, four-cylinder 8V SOHC engine, which has a displacement of 1364 cc. The efficient diesel engine of Etios Liva generates maximum power of 65 bhp at 3800 rpm and attains peak torque of 170 Nm at a fairly low 1800-2400 rpm. Besides brilliant emissions, the car also delivers impressive fuel economy of 23.59 kmpl.
Powered by a 1.4 litre diesel engine, Hyundai Verna is ranked fourth in the catalogue of most efficient diesel cars of India. Having a displacement of 1396 cc, the maximum power churned out by the engine of Verna diesel stands at 87 bhp at 4000 rpm, while it attains a highest torque of 220 Nm at a fairly low 1750-2750 rpm. This performance-oriented engine offers a mileage of 23.5 kmpl, which has made the model stand apart from other players in its segment.
The diesel variant of Nissan Micra has also emerged as a fuel efficient vehicle, with mileage of 23.08 kmpl. Owing to brilliant fuel economy, the diesel engine of Micra also delivers excellent output as it generates peak power of 62 bhp at 400 rpm and attains highest torque of 160 Nm at low 2000 rpm. The engine of Nissan Micra is assimilated with Common Rail fuel injection system, which enables the car to deliver optimum mileage.
Therefore, buyers looking to lower the running costs of their vehicles now know the most fuel efficient models in the country and can make a sound decision.
