Most Fuel Efficient Cars in India

When someone plans to own a car, its fuel efficiency is arguably the most important factor affecting the purchase. Primarily because a car’s fuel efficiency is a key determinant of its running cost, and one can never overlook it whether they are buying a cost-focused hatchback or a premium SUV. As we study the evolution of the automobile world, we find that automakers have tried to make more and more fuel efficient cars. Today, the cars available in the Indian market are in the most fuel-efficient form ever, and there are a slew of options for buyers to make a suitable pick. This article covers the most fuel efficient cars in India and will help you narrow down the options if you are looking for one. Before moving ahead, please note that we have excluded CNG cars from the list to avoid a list of just CNG cars. If you are interested in a CNG car, here are the best CNG cars in India.

Also Read – CNG Cars In India

Maruti Grand Vitara & Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder: 27.97 km/l

The Maruti Grand Vitara is riding high on the seminal success of the hybrid technology in the SUV segment, and so is the case with its sibling, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. The duo from Maruti and Toyota can deliver a mileage of 27.97 km/l from their strong hybrid unit which includes a 1.5-litre petrol engine in sync with an electric motor. With an e-CVT automatic transmission, these SUVs deliver a rather smooth drivability and a premium passenger experience is further ensured by a raft of features like a digitised instrument panel, a panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, a wireless phone charger, ventilated front seats, and a heads-up display.

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Maruti Grand Vitara & Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder Specifications

• Engine: 1.5-litre petrol mild-hybrid unit | 1.5-litre petrol strong-hybrid unit
• Transmission: CVT automatic & e-CVT automatic
• Airbags: Up to 6
• Fuel Type: Petrol
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Mid-size SUV

Honda City Hybrid : 27.13 km/l

The esteemed Honda City has formed an all-new league ever since it has been made available with a hybrid power plant. While the Japanese mid-size sedan is a classic champion on Indian soil, it has added another jewel to its crown by becoming one of the most fuel efficient sedans in India. The Hybrid setup of the Honda City features a 1.5-litre petrol engine connected with twin electric motors, and through an e-CVT automatic transmission, this powertrain can produce a mileage of 27.13 km/l. Honda has recently facelifted the Honda City Hybrid and now the sedan is available in two variants: V and ZX. The spacious seating and rich upholstery make the City Hybrid a comfortable space to be in, while a slew of premium features does the rest in delivering a premium driving experience. With Honda City Hybrid, Honda has taken sincere care of safety and given the sedan up to six airbags, electric parking brake, and many ADAS features like adaptive cruise control, auto high beam assist, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and others.

Honda City Hybrid Specifications

• Engine: 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with twin electric motors
• Transmission: e-CVT automatic
• Airbags: Up to 6
• Fuel Type: Petrol
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Mid-size sedan

Also Read – Petrol Cars

Maruti Celerio: 26 km/l

The Maruti Celerio is a steady seller from the Maruti stable, and it is quite a popular car when it comes to fuel efficiency. While the hatchback is not as old as some other and more reputed Maruti cars like WagonR, Swift, and Alto, the Maruti Celerio has managed to make a remarkable impact on its segment with its fuel efficiency alone. The latest generation Celerio can deliver a mileage of 26 km/l with a 1-litre three-cylinder K10C DualJet petrol engine. Interestingly, this engine is the naturally aspirated version of the one in the recently-debuted Maruti Fronx, and an idle start/stop system helps Celerio achieve such magnificent mileage figures. Another interesting fact is, contrary to most cars, the automatic variant of Celerio is more fuel efficient than the manual variant. While fuel efficiency is what stands out in the case of Celerio, the Indo-Japanese hatchback packs a decent set of features and space for five occupants that are commensurate with its asking price.

Maruti Celerio Specifications

• Engine: 1-litre petrol engine
• Transmission: 5-speed manual gearbox and 5-speed AMT
• Airbags: 2
• Fuel Type: Petrol
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Hatchback

Also Read – 5 Seater Cars

Maruti WagonR: 25.19 km/l

The frugality of the Maruti WagonR has played a major role in its unwavering success, making the hatchback a permanent fixture among the best-selling cars in India. As is the case with most Maruti cars, the idle start-stop system which is available with both 1-litre and 1.2-litre petrol engines, helps WagonR attain high fuel efficiency. Simultaneously, it is intriguing that the larger 1.2-litre petrol engine, shared with the Swift, delivers the best of the WagonR’s mileage which is 25.19 km/l. Moreover, the tall-boy stance, perfect ergonomics, and a decent selection of features make WagonR a quintessential hatchback to drive down the city roads.

Maruti WagonR Specifications

• Engine: 1-litre petrol engine | 1.2-litre petrol engine
• Transmission: 5-speed manual gearbox and 5-speed AMT
• Airbags: 2
• Fuel Type: Petrol
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Hatchback

Also Read – Hatchback vs Sedan

Toyota Innova Hycross: 23.24 km/l

The newly launched Toyota Innova Hycross has been equipped with a frugal powertrain that places the Innova Hycross in a different league altogether as the iconic Innova had never been acknowledged for its fuel efficiency before. The entire credit goes to a refined 2-litre petrol engine that is available in naturally aspirated and strong-hybrid forms, and the strong hybrid set-up through an e-CVT automatic delivers a mileage of 23.24 km/l. Sitting above Innova Crysta in Toyota’s portfolio, the Innova Hycross comes with a multitude of premium features like a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, Ottoman seats in the second row, a powered tailgate, and a 9-speaker JBL sound system. Also, Toyota has given a keen focus on safety, giving Innova Hycross many ADAS features such as adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, lane departure and keep assist, automatic high beam, rear cross-traffic alert, and a pre-collision system.

Toyota Innova Hycross Specifications

• Engine: 2-litre petrol engine paired with an electric motor
• Transmission: CVT automatic & e-CVT automatic
• Airbags: Up to 6
• Fuel Type: Petrol
• Seating Capacity: 7 & 8
• Body Type: MUV

Also Read – MUV Cars

Toyota Camry: 23 km/l

The Toyota Camry has been giving luxury cars like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, a run for their money for decades. And certainly, there is no debate about the luxury that lies inside the Toyota Camry. Along with supreme comfort, the Toyota Camry brings a very fuel efficient hybrid system that comprises a 2.5-litre petrol engine paired with a permanent magnet synchronous motor and can deliver a mileage of 23 km/l. Speaking of the premium quotient, the opulent seats of Camry covered with leatherette upholstery feel even more comforting with the raft of premium features such as three-zone climate control, a sunroof, 9-speaker JBL sound system, powered rear seats, powered rear sunshades, powered and ventilated front seats with a memory function for the driver’s seat, wireless charging, rear camera, head-up display, 9 airbags, park assist, vehicle stability control, traction control, hill-start assist, tyre pressure monitoring system, and more.

Toyota Camry Specifications

• Engine: 2.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor
• Transmission: CVT automatic
• Airbags: 9
• Fuel Type: Petrol
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Full-size sedan

Also Read – Sedan Cars In India

Maruti Baleno: 22.94 km/l

The best-selling premium hatchback in India, Maruti Baleno has a number  of factors holding it up high on the sales chart. One such factor is an extremely appealing fuel efficiency of 22.94 km/l which is significantly higher than its every petrol-powered rival. Aiding the Baleno to deliver such mileage is a popular 1.2-litre K12M petrol engine that is also available in Swift, Dzire, WagonR, and Ignis. Maruti’s premium hatchback entered its second generation in 2022, and the new Baleno is well ahead of its predecessor in every respect. The elegant-looking Baleno packs ample space for five passengers and a host of upmarket features to ensure premium ride comfort and convenience.

Maruti Baleno Specifications

• Engine: 1.2-litre petrol engine
• Transmission: 5-speed manual gearbox and 5-speed AMT
• Airbags: Up to 6
• Fuel Type: Petrol
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Hatchback

Also Read – Cars With 6 Airbags

Maruti Dzire: 22.61 km/l

Maruti has never missed the mark in making fuel-efficient cars and the Maruti Dzire is another fine example. Being the sedan-derivative of the popular Maruti Swift, the Maruti Dzire inherits multiple attributes including the 1.2-litre petrol engine which delivers 22.61 km/l mileage through Dzire’s mechanicals. It is worth noting, the 22.56 km/l mileage of Swift is almost similar to that of the Dzire. The Maruti Dzire is the best-selling sedan in India and the only sedan to feature in the list of top 10 selling cars every month. As it is not strange anymore that pocket-friendly fuel efficiency has played a key role in this success, another appealing trait of Dzire is its unmatchable ride comfort, something that is equally praised in the Maruti Swift.

Maruti Dzire Specifications

• Engine: 1.2-litre petrol engine
• Transmission: 5-speed manual gearbox and 5-speed AMT
• Airbags: 2
• Fuel Type: Petrol
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Body Type: Compact sedan

Summary

In addition to reducing the running cost, a car with good fuel efficiency also results in lesser emission. Since, the emission norms are getting stricter by the time, we will see many more fuel efficient cars in future, and they will be better than the currently available cars in terms of fuel efficiency. However, if now is the time you are looking for a fuel efficient car, this article will surely ease things for you and help you make a sound decision.  

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