As fuel prices keep rising, the need for finding a practical and fuel-efficient car keeps increasing! Since most sporty petrol cars are gas-guzzlers, we’re going to turn our attention to diesel vehicles in the Indian car market. Is the best mileage diesel car an affordable model, or do you have to shell out a lot of money for fuel savings?
In this blog, we’re naming the 12 most efficient diesel cars you can buy today (excluding discontinued models and variants). Keep reading to find out which is the best mileage diesel car in India.
The Best Mileage Diesel Car In India
Here is a list of 12 diesel cars, listed in order from the least to the most fuel efficient diesel car in India.
No. | Model Name | Best Mileage Diesel Cars |
---|---|---|
12. | Mahindra Scorpio N | 2.2-litre Diesel Manual: 15.94 km/l 2.2-litre Diesel Automatic: 15.42 km/l |
11. | Mahindra Bolero | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 16 km/l |
10. | Citroën C5 Aircross | 2-litre Diesel Automatic: 17.5 km/l |
9. | Hyundai Alcazar | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 20.4 km/l 1.5-litre Diesel Automatic: 18.1 km/l |
8. | Mahindra XUV 3XO | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 20.6 km/l 1.5-litre Diesel Automatic: 20.6 km/l |
7. | Kia Seltos | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 20.7 km/l 1.5-litre Diesel Automatic: 19.1 km/l |
6. | Kia Syros | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 20.75 km/l 1.5-litre Diesel Automatic: 17.65 km/l |
5. | Hyundai Creta | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 21.8 km/l 1.5-litre Diesel Automatic: 19.1 km/l |
4. | Tata Altroz | 1.5-liter Diesel Manual: 23.64 km/l |
3. | Kia Sonet | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 24.1 km/l 1.5-litre Diesel Automatic: 19 km/l |
2. | Tata Nexon | 1.5-litre Diesel Automatic: 24.08 km/l 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 23.23 km/l |
1. | Hyundai Venue | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 24.2 km/l |
12. Mahindra Scorpio N

Best Mileage | 2.2-litre Diesel Manual: 15.94 km/l2.2-litre Diesel Automatic: 15.42 km/l |
Diesel Variant Price | ₹14.40 lakh to ₹24.69 lakh |
The Mahindra Scorpio N is a tough and popular SUV due to its bold, macho looks, imposing road presence, and practicality as a family car.
Some of the Scorpio N’s best features include an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 12-speaker sound system, a sunroof, and a 6-way powered driver seat. This SUV is surprisingly agile and can take on both daily commutes and off-road adventures.
11. Mahindra Bolero

Best Mileage | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 16 km/l |
Diesel Variant Price | ₹9.79 lakh to ₹10.91 lakh |
The Mahindra Bolero is a tough, sturdy, no-nonsense SUV that is built to last. Contrasting with its sharp exterior, ride quality is soft and comfortable even over harsh roads.
One of the least high mileage cars on this list, the Mahindra Bolero’s strong torque is perfect for carrying heavy loads or a lot of people. The Bolero is offered only with a diesel powertrain and provides a mileage of 16 km/l.
10. Citroën C5 Aircross

Best Mileage | 2-litre Diesel Automatic: 17.5 km/l |
Diesel Variant Price | ₹39.99 lakh to ₹39.99 lakh |
The Citroën C5 Aircross brings European excellence to the compact SUV segment. It gets a unique exterior look and an upmarket cabin. Its strong diesel powertrain and smooth gearshifts ensure responsive and easy handling, with a mileage of 17.5 km/l.
The Aircross provides an excellent boot space of 580 liters. It includes features such as a 10-inch touchscreen display, a 6-speaker sound system, a panoramic sunroof, and a powered tailgate.
9. Hyundai Alcazar

Best Mileage | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 20.4 km/l1.5-litre Diesel Automatic: 18.1 km/l |
Diesel Variant Price | ₹15.99 lakh to ₹21.70 lakh |
The Alcazar is essentially a premium version of the Hyundai Creta that gets more spacious seating, better-quality interiors, and more features. This 3-row midsize SUV is suitable for large families who want to enjoy the practicality of the Creta but in a larger package.
The Alcazar returns a mileage of 20.4 km/l on its most efficient diesel variants. Features include dual 10.25-inch displays, ventilated front and second-row seats, dual-zone AC with rear vents, and a panoramic sunroof.
8. Mahindra XUV 3XO

Best Mileage | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 20.6 km/l1.5-litre Diesel Automatic: 20.6 km/l |
Diesel Variant Price | ₹9.99 lakh to ₹14.99 lakh |
The Mahindra XUV 3XO features a bold and stylish exterior, perfectly paired with a comfortable and premium-feeling spacious interior.
The 3XO makes a great family SUV due to its practicality, reliability, and versatility. It returns an excellent diesel mileage of 20.6 km/l on certain variants.
7. Kia Seltos

Best Mileage | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 20.7 km/l1.5-litre Diesel Automatic: 19.1 km/l |
Diesel Variant Price | ₹12.71 lakh and ₹20.51 lakh |
The Kia Seltos is the perfect family SUV that gives you a premium cabin experience, a range of creature comforts, and niceties such as a panoramic sunroof at an affordable price. The diesel Seltos gives you a mileage of up to 20.7 km/l.
Further features include dual-zone climate control and dual 10.25-inch digital displays. The Seltos gets a generous boot space of 433 liters, enough for regular shopping trips and weekend travels.
6. Kia Syros

Best Mileage | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 20.75 km/l1.5-litre Diesel Automatic: 17.65 km/l |
Diesel Variant Price | ₹11 lakh and ₹17.80 lakh |
One of the top mileage diesel cars in India, the Kia Syros is a recently launched B-segment SUV positioned between the Sonet and the Seltos. Its most efficient diesel variants return a mileage of 20.75 km/l.
It has many premium features, such as a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display, an 8-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, ventilated front and rear seats, a panoramic sunroof, and 64-color ambient lighting.
5. Hyundai Creta

Best Mileage | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 21.8 km/l 1.5-litre Diesel Automatic: 19.1 km/l |
Diesel Variant Price | ₹12.69 lakh to ₹20.42 lakh |
Considered the best diesel car in India, the Hyundai Creta offers style and comfort, as well as a winning list of features.
These include dual 10.25-inch displays, an 8-speaker Bose sound system, ventilated front seats, and a panoramic sunroof. And of course, a diesel mileage of up to 21.8 km/l!
In terms of space, the Creta seats 5 people comfortably and offers 433 liters of boot space.
4. Tata Altroz

Best Mileage | 1.5-liter Diesel Manual: 23.64 km/l |
Diesel Variant Price | ₹8.80 lakh and ₹11.30 lakh |
The Tata Altroz is a premium-segment hatchback. It is stylish yet fuel-efficient, returning a diesel car mileage of 23.64 on manual diesel variants. It is also the only hatchback offered with a diesel engine in India.
Its feature list includes a 6-speaker sound system, a 10.25 touchscreen display, a sunroof, and cruise control, plus a large boot space of 345 liters.
3. Kia Sonet

Best Mileage | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 24.1 km/l1.5-litre Diesel Automatic: 19 km/l |
Diesel Variant Price | ₹10 lakh and ₹15.60 lakh |
Positioned below the Syros, the Kia Sonet is a stylish compact SUV. With a fuel efficiency of 24.1 km/l, this car is a contender for the best mileage diesel car position.
The Kia Sonet’s effortless handling and accurate steering are also great positives. It is affordable, equipped with modern features, and appeals to those looking for a practical small car. The Sonet is also one of the few turbo diesel engine cars in India.
2. Tata Nexon

Best Mileage | 1.5-litre Diesel Automatic: 24.08 km/l1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 23.23 km/l |
Diesel Variant Price | ₹10 lakh and ₹15.60 lakh |
The Tata Nexon is one of Tata’s best-selling models. This compact SUV is comfortable, safe, and highly practical. Its BS6-compliant turbocharged diesel engine provides enough torque for sporty acceleration while still managing 24.08 km/l.
The Nexon has a five-star Bharat NCAP safety rating and gets some useful safety features, such as ABS and an electronic stability program.
1. Hyundai Venue

Best Mileage | 1.5-litre Diesel Manual: 24.2 km/l |
Diesel Variant Price | ₹10.80 lakh to ₹13.53 lakh |
The Hyundai Venue is one of the top 10 mileage cars in India. It is a subcompact SUV with a powerful diesel engine. Some of its notable features include an 8-inch touchscreen, ventilated front seats, an air purifier, and a sunroof.
The Venue is the first subcompact SUV to get Level 1 ADAS features. It can seat up to five people and is a budget-friendly, practical choice for city as well as highway driving.
Along with being affordable, it is also the highest mileage car in India, with a fuel efficiency of 24.2 km/l on diesel variants with manual transmission.
Why Are Diesel Cars So Popular?
The best diesel cars are powerful and responsive vehicles and are ideal for people who drive regularly or want to move heavy loads. A diesel car may cost more than a low mileage car upfront, but you will end up saving more money on running costs.
Not only do diesel vehicles sound better, but some modern diesel cars are less polluting than petrol cars, as they produce less CO₂ and cater to stringent Bharat Stage (BS) VI emission norms for NOₓ.
Diesel cars are fuel-efficient and consume less fuel to generate the same amount of energy as petrol cars. Diesel is also cheaper, so you end up paying less and gaining more mileage!
Which diesel car do you want to buy in 2025? Let us know in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best mileage car in India?
With a fuel efficiency of 61.9 km/l, the BMW XM is one of the top mileage cars in India.
Are diesel cars more fuel-efficient than petrol ones?
Diesel has a higher energy density, which means it burns more efficiently than petrol. Thus, diesel cars are more fuel efficient than petrol ones.
How can I maintain my diesel car’s high mileage numbers?
You can ensure your diesel car’s mileage by carrying out regular maintenance such as oil and filter changes, engine tuning, regular servicing, and following good driving habits.
Is there any 30 kmpl mileage diesel car in India?
No, there is no diesel car in India that gives a fuel efficiency of 30 kmpl.
Which is the best mileage Maruti Suzuki car?
Maruti Suzuki stopped offering diesel engines on their cars in 2020.