Fuel economy and running costs have always been among the top priorities for Indian car buyers. With petrol prices averaging Rs 100 in most cities, it’s no surprise that fuel efficiency takes precedence for many. Maruti Suzuki has always dominated on this front and the same is the case with this list.
We have compiled a list of the top 10 most fuel-efficient petrol cars currently being sold and ranked them from lowest to highest. The list is based on official ARAI figures revealed by manufacturers, though actual figures may vary depending on driving conditions and styles. As all these cars come with an optional automatic gearbox over the standard manual, we have taken an average of both figures.
10. Maruti Suzuki Ignis: 20.89kpl
The Maruti Ignis claims the last spot in this list and is run by the 1.2-litre K Series petrol engine, which that is also seen in some other cars from the brand. The tried-and-tested mill returns a 20.89kpl mileage in both manual and AMT variants of the four-wheeler. This engine is known to be extremely frugal and refined and has also done duty in the previous generations of the Maruti Swift and Dzire. Earlier, the Ignis was also offered with a 1.3-litre diesel engine that had exceptional fuel economy but was discontinued due to stricter emission norms. Suzuki sells the Ignis hatchback in India via its premium Nexa outlets exclusively.
9. Renault Kwid: 22.1kpl
The Renault Kwid happens to be the only non-Maruti car that has made it to this list. Under its hood lies a 1.0 litre, three-cylinder petrol engine that can be had with either manual or automatic gearboxes. As for mileage figures, they are 21.7kpl (MT) and 22.5kpl (AMT), respectively, averaging at 22.1kpl. For anyone who is considering the Maruti Alto K10, the Renault Kwid can prove to be a good contender, especially for its pricing and the cabin space it offers. While it has good power delivery at the bottom end, in our road test, we observed that the engine lacks refinement and sounds gruff. The compact form-factor helps in easy maneuvering in traffic and parking in tight spaces.
8. Maruti Suzuki Fronx/Toyota Taisor – 22.34kpl
Maruti Fronx is a coupe-crossover derivative of the Baleno and is powered by a 1.2-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine, which it shares with its hatchback sibling. This engine has an ARAI-claimed fuel economy of 21.79kpl for the manual gearbox and 22.89kpl for the AMT one, giving a combined figure of 22.34kpl. The Fronx also gets a more powerful 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. This, however, is slightly less efficient as it returns 21.50kpl with the manual and 20.01kpl with the automatic transmission, giving a combined figure of 20.75kpl. Its badge-engineered sibling, the Toyota Taisor, also has identical claimed fuel efficiency figures.
7. Maruti Suzuki Baleno/Toyota Glanza – 22.64kpl
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The Maruti Baleno and Toyota Glanza share the same 1.2-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine mated to either manual or AMT transmission. While the manual versions have an ARAI-claimed fuel efficiency of 22.35kpl, the AMT ones have a claimed efficiency of 22.94kpl, giving a combined figure of 22.64kpl. The petrol engine is refined and satisfactory around town, but has a weak mid-range, requiring to be revved out for overtaking. The light clutch and smooth manual make driving easy, though the AMT is not quite up to class standards. The hatchback body style and slightly lesser kerb weight of both these models make them marginally more efficient than the Fronx and Taisor duo.
6. Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 – 24.65kpl
The Alto K10 is currently the most affordable car in India. While the Alto is no longer the value offering it once was, the 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine returns an ARAI-claimed fuel efficiency of 24.39kpl for the manual version and 24.9kpl for the automatic, resulting in an average of 24.65kpl. This engine feels very peppy and energetic in the Alto, and the painless ownership experience is obviously a boon, but the Alto’s higher variants are now quite pricey for an entry-level car.
