Best Diesel Models

The Maruti Swift has been the most popular hatchback in India for a long time. Available in both petrol and diesel engines, the Maruti Swift diesel is the higher-selling variant among the two. The 1.3-litre diesel unit produces enough output to make the light Maruti Swift a good performer. The diesel Maruti Swift also gives good mileage compared to its competition. The excellent service network of Maruti Suzuki is another factor that makes the Swift diesel a good buy.

The Ford Figo diesel is the most capable diesel hatchback you can buy today. The 1.5-litre diesel unit is also found in the Figo Aspire and the EcoSport. The Ford Figo, especially the Figo S diesel, is a very fun car to drive. Ford is one of the very few manufacturers in India that makes driver-focussed cars; the Figo being one of them. While the petrol Figo isn’t preferred by most, it is the diesel variant that has developed a lot of fans over the years.

The Hyundai Elite i20 is currently being sold in its third iteration. It carries a lot of improvements over the previous model and comes with added features such as a touchscreen infotainment system that supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The new Elite i20 can also be opted with a dual-tone paint scheme and is a decent-looking car. The diesel-powered Hyundai i20 has been a big-seller for the Korean brand, ever since its introduction in 2008. The car replaced the then Hyundai hatchback, the Getz.

Powered by the same power plants as in the Swift hatchback, the Dzire is the more ‘Indian-focussed’ Maruti of the lot. The first ‘Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire’ was launched in India back in 2008. The car was initially a full-sized sedan but the tax benefits for a sub-four-metre car made Maruti develop a compact-sedan for the Indian market. The Maruti Dzire is also one of the very first compact sedans to be sold in India. Now named just the ‘Dzire’, the compact sedan has reached its third avatar. The diesel Dzire gives excellent mileage too.

The second-generation Honda Amaze comes with a lighter chassis and more spacious interiors. Though the overall looks of the Honda Amaze aren’t great, the car has been getting a good market response since its launch. The Amaze diesel also comes mated to a CVT. In fact, the Honda Amaze is the first and only diesel-CVT available in India. The 1.5-litre i-DTEC unit is the same as in the bigger Honda City.

The Hyundai Verna is arguably the best C-segment sedan available in India today. If not the best overall, it is definitely the best-looking sedan on the market today. The Next-Gen Verna is available in a 1.6-litre diesel mill, which is also the most powerful engine option available. The new Hyundai Verna comes packed with a lot of comfort and safety features. Above all that, it has won the prestigious ‘Indian Car Of The Year (ICOTY) 2018’ award – a good enough reason to make it a worthy buy!

Ever since the first model came to India in 1998, the Honda City has been the go-to premium sedan for the middle class. The car has gone through four generations and eight facelifts. With twenty years of market presence, the Honda City is still one of the most-demanded sedans in India. The addition of premium features and comfort in newer models is perhaps what Honda does best with the City. The 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine in the Honda City is not only a decent performer but also gave the car the best mileage in the segment, at the time it was introduced.

With only a diesel engine in offer, the Vitara Brezza is aimed to be just one thing – a compact and practical vehicle just for Indians. The Brezza offers ample amounts of space and seat support even while being under four metres in length. And because of the trust of Indians in Maruti, the Vitara Brezza has also got good resale value. This is alongside the brand’s excellent sales and service network. The light and compact Brezza offers good mileage figures too.

The Ford EcoSport diesel is a strong performer in the sub-four-metre SUV segment. The 1.5-litre TDCi unit outputs well while also offering good mileage figures. The latest generation of the crossover comes with a lot of new features packaged well in a premium interior. Being a global product, the EcoSport offers excellent build quality. The crossover also gets class-leading safety features such as Ford’s Emergency Assistance – a system which uses the paired smartphone to contact emergency services in the event of an accident.

The Renault Duster, although not being under four metres of length, is one of the first SUVs that spread the compact-SUV trend in the country. Identical to the Nissan Terrano, the Duster’s diesel engine is offered in two states of tune – 85bhp and 110bhp. Both showcase good low-end torque while the 110bhp performs well on the highways, thanks to its 6-speed gearbox. The diesel Duster is available in manual, CVT and AMT variants.