Top 10 fuel-efficient petrol cars in India

Many motorists favour petrol-driven cars over diesel since they are cheaper to buy, are quieter and are more refined. While around two years ago, the ratio of petrol cars sales vis-à-vis diesel was even, the rising uncertainty surrounding diesel has fuelled a shift in consumer preference to petrol. Besides, a higher tax on diesel cars vis-à-vis petrol is likely to accelerate the shift in the near term.

However, note that the figures mentioned are each car's manufacturer-claimed fuel-efficiency data (as per ARAI testing conditions). The figures represent the fuel consumption a car could possibly achieve in perfect conditions, but are calculated in a laboratory and so don't reflect the conditions that our cars really endure on Indian roads. Hence, actual fuel efficiency figures might vary.

1. Datsun Redigo - 25.17kpl

The Datsun Redigo is a small 'tall boy' hatchback with a modern, urban design. It is not the most well-equipped or most spacious car, but with that low price tag, high fuel efficiency and a standout styling, it does have its plus points.  

2. Renault Kwid - 25.17kpl 

 It is a small hatchback with SUV-like styling. The top-spec variant comes with a touchscreen infotainment system. It also comes with a low price tag, and the 800cc engine allows you to run 25.17km on a litre of petrol. 

3. Maruti Alto 800 - 24.7kpl

The Alto 800 has been India's most popular small car for a while now. For its price, it is hard to beat, though the Kwid has been taking chunks out of its pie. However, it is still a great proposition, mainly because it is backed by Maruti's large service network.

4. Maruti Alto K10 - 24.07kpl

It is a better-looking and more upmarket version of the Alto 800, with a peppy and more powerful engine. As an urban runabout, it's a great choice. Also, it comes with an automatic variant that is claimed to be just as fuel efficient as the manual.

5. Tata Tiago - 23.84kpl

The latest small hatchback from Tata features a fresh design, stylish-but-still-practical interiors and a good amount of equipment. Its size and features put it in a segment that's slightly above the other cars, but the engine is a bit lack-lustre in terms of performance.

6. Tata Nano GenX - 23.6kpl

The Nano GenX is a great improvement over the original Nano. However, it is let down by its image, poor ride quality and lack of luggage space. In addition to being very affordable, the car is quite spacious and easy to manoeuvre, and comes with a few interesting features like power steering and Bluetooth.

7. Maruti Celerio - 23.1kpl

The Celerio is spacious, practical and cheap to run, and delivers a nice ride as well. It is quite close to ideal in terms of a small car. Plus, it comes with an AMT gearbox option which is as fuel efficient as the manual.

8. Maruti Dzire - 22kpl

The petrol variant of the recently launched all-new Dzire takes the eighth spot in our list. The Dzire features improved design proportions, borrows headlights and grille from the all-new Swift and loses its stubby boot. The petrol engine is the same 1.2-litre, four-cylinder as earlier but with a 4hp drop in power to 83hp. The slightly lower power output, coupled with a lighter kerb weight has resulted in a higher fuel efficiency of 22kpl. 

9. Maruti Baleno - 21.4kpl

The Baleno is Maruti's new premium hatch. It features fresh styling, great interiors, a long equipment list and delivers a strong performance. Plus, it's quite fuel efficient. 

10. Hyundai Eon (0.8-litre) - 21.1kpl

The oldest car in this list but it is quite stylish still and decently equipped too. The 814cc engine is not the best performer, but it does deliver good fuel efficiency.