Top 3 most fuel efficient compact SUVs revealed

Compact SUVs tend to consume slightly more fuel compared to similarly priced sedans or hatchbacks. However, that doesn’t mean they ought to be heavy on your pocket.  There are in fact quite a few compact SUVs in the market which claim to return well over 20kmpl. 

Here’s a short list of the top 3 most fuel efficient compact SUVs on sale today. 

Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza 

ARAI fuel efficiency: 24.3kmpl

Maruti Suzuki’s latest hot seller is factually the most fuel efficient compact SUV in the market. It’s 90bhp/200Nm 1.3-litre diesel engine not only offers reasonable amount of grunt but also low running costs, with its ARAI-certified efficiency of 24.3kmpl. In our real world tests, the Vitara Brezza managed 14.1kmpl in the city and 19.1kmpl on the highway, averaging 16.6kmpl.       

Click here to read our comparison test between the Vitara Brezza, EcoSport, NuvoSport and the i20 Active

Ford EcoSport 

ARAI fuel efficiency: 22.27kmpl 

The Ford EcoSport received several upgrades in October last year. Besides adding more features the brand also bumped up the power rating for the 1.5-litre diesel engine to 98bhp and 205Nm of torque. That said, the additional grunt hasn’t led to any drop in fuel efficiency as the EcoSport continues to be among the most fuel efficient compact SUVs. While its ARAI figure is rated at 22.27kmpl, our tests show that the EcoSport is marginally less fuel efficient than the Vitara Brezza, returning 13.8kmpl in the city and 18.8kmpl on the highway.       

Click here to read our first drive review of the Ford EcoSport

Hyundai Creta 

ARAI fuel efficiency: 21.38kmpl

The Hyundai Creta is another compact SUV with respectable fuel efficiency. Positioned in a segment higher than both the Vitara Brezza and the EcoSport, the Creta competes with the likes of the Mahindra XUV500, however, it is significantly more efficient than the latter. The Creta is also the only offering here to be offered with different diesel engine options. As you would expect, the smaller 1.4-litre engine-equipped Creta is the most efficient of the range, at 21.38kmpl while the more powerful 1.6-litre model is rated at 19.67kmpl. Lastly, those looking for the more convenient diesel automatic model will have to make do with a claimed fuel efficiency of 17.01kmpl.

Click here to read our comparison test between Hyundai Creta automatic and Mahindra XUV500 automatic