While a majority of SUVs in India today are offered with both petrol and diesel powertrains in order to attract more buyers, here is a list of the top 5 that do not get a diesel engine option
SUV and crossover segments have seen an immense rise in demand in recent years, but while SUVs were originally associated largely with torquey diesel engines, almost all of the mass market SUVs in India today are available with optional petrol powertrains too.
However, the transition from BS4 to more stringent BS6 emission norms resulted in a few manufacturers distancing themselves from oil burners altogether, which resulted in their cars being left with petrol engines only. Here is a list of top 5 such SUVs currently available in the Indian market that are offered with petrol powertrains only, take a look –
1. Renault Duster
Renault discontinued the Duster’s diesel variants in the BS6 era, which also resulted in the discontinuation of the optional 4×4 setup, and the Duster was left with a sole 1.5-litre petrol engine putting out 106 PS power and 142 Nm torque.
However, in a bid to fill the shoes of the highly-popular diesel engine, Renault went on to introduce a new 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine for the Duster, which has been co-developed by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and Mercedes-Benz.
The said engine belts out 156 PS of maximum power, along with 254 Nm of peak torque, and can be had with either a 6-speed manual transmission, or an optional CVT auto. The 1.5-litre NA petrol engine continues to be offered in the lower trims. Renault retails the Duster at a starting price of Rs 8.49 lakh, going all the way up to Rs 13.59 lakh (both prices, ex-showroom).
2. Nissan Kicks
The Nissan Kicks is feature-loaded, while is also bigger in dimensions as compared to all of its direct rivals on paper. The 1.3-litre HR13 turbocharged petrol engine that was recently introduced for the Duster, was launched by Nissan for the kicks first. This powertrain makes the Nissan Kicks the most powerful mid-size SUV in India, along with its cousin, Renault Duster.
The Nissan Kicks comes equipped with features like dual-chamber LED projector headlamps, around-view monitor, an 8-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, NissanConnect connected-car tech with over 50 features and smartwatch connectivity, auto climate control, cruise control and more. It is currently priced between Rs 9.49 – 14.14 lakh (ex-showroom).
3. Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza
The Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza was initially launched with a sole 1.3-litre DDiS diesel engine. However, Maruti’s decision to stop selling diesel cars made the company re-introduce the Vitara Brezza with a new 1.5-litre NA petrol engine with mild-hybrid tech. Along with the new BS6 petrol powertrain came a mid-life facelift to keep the car looking fresh.
The Vitara Brezza’s 1.5-litre petrol engine puts out 105 PS of maximum power and 138 Nm of peak torque, and comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. A 4-speed torque converter is also available as an option. Maruti retails the Vitara Brezza from Rs 7.34 lakh, going up to Rs 11.4 lakh (both prices, ex-showroom).
4. Volkswagen T-Roc
The Volkswagen T-Roc is a mid-size SUV that is being imported by the German carmaker as a CBU, thanks to the Indian government’s new rule that allows manufacturers to bring 2500 units of a foreign-spec car to the country every year, without having to homologate it.
The T-Roc is offered in a single full-fledged variant, and gets features like a panoramic sunroof, LED headlamps, dual-zone climate control, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a 12.3-inch virtual cockpit, cruise control, connected car-tech and R17 alloy wheels.
The T-Roc gets a sole 1.5-litre TSI turbocharged petrol engine that generates 150 PS of max power and 250 Nm of torque, and comes mated to a 7-speed DSG. The mid-size SUV is priced at Rs 19.99 lakh (ex-showroom).
5. Skoda Karoq
Skoda showcased a production-ready mid-size SUV at the 2020 Auto Expo, and launched it a few months later. The Karoq is based on the same MQB A0 platform as the VW T-Roc, and shares its engine and gearbox with the latter as well.
However, the Karoq is currently priced at Rs 24.99 lakh (ex-showroom), which is Rs 5 lakh more expensive than its VW cousin. In order to justify the premium price, Skoda has plonked the Karoq with some additional features over the T-Roc including ambient lighting, puddle lamps and a 12-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat. The Skoda SUV is also bigger in size as compared to the Volkswagen T-Roc.
6. Maruti Suzuki S-Cross
Just like the Vitara Brezza, the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross was also offered with a single diesel powertrain, and hence, the 1.5-litre petrol SHVS engine with the same 5-speed MT and 4-speed AT transmission options was also introduced for the crossover. However, unlike the Vitara Brezza which received a facelift in the process, the S-Cross continues to be the same car it was in the BS4 era.
The only new addition to the Maruti crossover is the latest iteration of the Smartplay Studio infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other features include cruise control, automatic climate control, rain-sensing wipers, engine start/stop button, steering mounted controls, electrically adjustable ORVMs, LED projector headlamps, and 16-inch dual-tone alloy wheels.
As of now, Maruti Suzuki offers the S-Cross at a starting price of Rs 8.39 lakh, going up to Rs 12.39 lakh (both prices, ex-showroom) for the top-end trim.
7. Volkswagen Tiguan AllSpace
The Tiguan AllSpace is Volkswagen’s flagship offering in the Indian market right now, and it is available only in one variant – 4Motion, which is priced at Rs 33.13 lakh (ex-showroom). The Tiguan was previously available with a 5-seat configuration, but considering the fact that all its rivals are seven seaters, Volkswagen replaced it with the 7-seat Tiguan AllSpace in March this year.
The Tiguan AllSpace is offered with a 2.0-litre TSI turbo petrol engine that is rated at 190 PS/320 Nm, and is mated to a 7-speed DSG as standard. The SUV is offered in a single fully-loaded variant which gets Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system as standard. Features on offer include full-LED headlights with DRLs, a panoramic sunroof, a fully-digital instrument cluster, three-zone automatic climate control, hands-free boot opening, Vienna leather seats, a touchscreen infotainment system and an 8-speaker music system.