10 Most Sold Diesel Cars In India (FY2019) – Scorpio, Ecosport, Elite i20 In The List

Mahindra-Scorpio-2.jpg
Current Mahindra Scorpio

Contrary to the belief that the diesel car sales has slumped post the BS-VI announcement in 2018, a lot of people still prefer diesel cars and we have compiled a top 10 list

The Indian Automobile industry is going through some rough time and there’s a handful of reasons to put blame on. The strict safety and emission norms have forced automakers to change the technology in cars, hence increasing the cost, and in result, a massive decline in sales. In fact, the current fiscal was the worst in many years.

The BS-VI emission norms will change the way industry is behaving currently and a lot of focus will shift away from diesel to petrol cars. However, this doesn’t mean people have already moved on from diesel cars and if the sales data of the FY19 is to be believed, there were ample takers for diesel cars in India and we have compiled a list of top 10 most sold diesel cars in India.

As per the list, 5 out of 10 cars belonging to India’s largest car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki, who have already announced to do away with diesel cars starting 1st April, 2020. Two cars belong to Hyundai and 1 each to Mahindra, Toyota, and Ford. Here’s how the list reads –

1. Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza – 1,57,880 Units

vitara brezza icreate-2-2

Not only is the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza the most sold diesel cars in India, but it also happens to be the most sold SUV in India, more specifically, compact SUV. The catch, however, is, Vitara Brezza is available only with a diesel engine option. And with the company announcing to stop diesel car sales, the Brezza sales could take a massive hit. And in order to tackle it, Maruti will soon add a 1.5-lit petrol engine to the mix, the same as in Ciaz sedan.

2. Maruti Suzuki Dzire – 1,18,788 Units

Another Maruti Suzuki on the list is the all-new third generation Dzire compact sedan. Once the most sought-after segment in India, the compact sedan segment is witnessing stiff competition from the compact SUV market, where the Vitara Brezza is placed.

Nevertheless, the Dzire did rake up some really good numbers in FY19 by selling more than 1 Lakh units of diesel-powered Dzire, and one of the primary reasons is an AMT gearbox option, which completes the diesel-automatic package in the budget segment.

S.No. Model No. Of Units Sold
1 Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza 1,57,880
2 Maruti Suzuki Dzire 1,18,788
3 Hyundai Creta 84,968
4 Toyota Innova Crysta 77,111
5 Maruti Suzuki Swift 58,217
6 Mahindra Scorpio 47,837
7 Maruti Suzuki S-cross 37,822
8 Maruti Suzuki Ertiga 32,938
9 Hyundai Elite I20 31,850
10 Ford EcoSport 30,236

3. Hyundai Creta – 84,968 Units

The competitor to the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza or not, is a debate for some other day. What we are talking aout is how well the Hyundai Creta is received by the India buyers. What works in the favor of Creta is its massive personality on the outside and feature-packed cabin. Even though it gets a 1.6-litre petrol engine, it’s the two diesel engine options – 1.4 and 1.6-litre motors that have clocked good numbers in FY19.

4. Toyota Innova Crysta – 77,111 Units

Toyota Innova Crysta bodykit

One surprise entry is the Toyota Innova Crysta, which also happens to be the most expensive car on this list. The popular MPV is largely opted in the diesel engine because of its mileage and utilization in the fleet operations.

5. Maruti Suzuki Swift – 58,217 Units

Joining the list of the most sold diesel cars is the Maruti Suzuki Swift. The popular hatchback has been bought in equal proportions for both petrol and diesel engine options. Powering the Swift is the tried and trusted 1.3-litre Fiat sourced DDiS unit. There’s also an AMT gearbox on offer, making it only among few hatchbacks to get a diesel-auto combo.

6. Mahindra Scorpio – 47,837 Units

The oldest and biggest SUV on the list (size-wise) is the Mahindra’s sole entry – Scorpio. Launched more than 15 years back, the Scorpio continues to attract Indian buyers looking for a big 7-seater SUV in a budget.

7. Maruti Suzuki S-Cross – 37,822 Units

2017 Maruti Suzuki S-cross Review_-2

While many may think Maruti Suzuki’s aspirational S-Cross crossover has failed, the diesel-only cross is doing well enough in the market, selling more than 3000 units per month, hence entering our list of top 10 most sold diesel cars in India.

8. Maruti Suzuki Ertiga – 32,938 Units

The last Maruti Suzuki car on our list is the new Ertiga MPV, which also happens to be the most affordable proper MPV with 7-seats. While it’s available with a petrol 1.5-litre option too, the affordability factor makes the diesel engine a popular choice among the buyers.

9. Hyundai Elite i20 – 31,850 Units

2018 hyundai i20 facelift

The second Hyundai car on the list is the Elite i20 premium hatchback, whose diesel-powered model is more selling than its main rival and popular Maruti Suzuki Baleno that has better sales, but in the petrol model.

10. Ford Ecosport – 30,236 Units

Last on our list is the Ford Ecosport compact SUV, a competitor to Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, that tops the list. However, unlike the Brezza, the Ford Ecosport is available in both petrol and diesel engine options, out of which the diesel is more preferred option.