Turbo-Petrol SUVs Between Rs 10 lakh And Rs 15 lakh: Spec Comparison

We find out how these turbo-petrol engines fare against each other

The turbocharged petrol engine has continued to grow in popularity with both buyers and carmakers alike. It offers more performance and mostly better fuel economy too over the likes of the naturally-aspirated petrol engines. The turbo-petrol engine is particularly popular in the SUV space, across sizes and prices.

Here are the SUVs currently available with turbocharged petrol engines priced between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 15 lakh (ex-showroom):

The Renault Duster and Nissan Kicks share the same 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine that made its India debut at Auto Expo 2020. It is the most powerful engine on this list and comes with both a CVT automatic as well as a 6-speed manual option. The 2020 Kicks is due to launch soon with this new powerful engine while the Duster Turbo will likely be launched around mid-2020.

The Kia Sonnet sub-4m SUV was unveiled at Auto Expo 2020 in its pre-production avatar. It should share its powertrain options with the Hyundai Venue. Its 1.0-litre T-GDi unit is tuned to an output of 120PS and 172Nm. In the Venue, it is offered with the choice of a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Kia Sonnet, which is expected to launch in the final quarter of 2020, will likely offer the same options. 

The 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine seems to be a common factor between Indian carmakers Tata and Mahindra. In the Tata Nexon sub-4m SUV, the turbo-petrol unit makes 120PS and 170Nm while mated to a 6-speed manual with the choice of a 6-speed AMT as well. It is tied with the Venue for the most powerful turbo-petrol engine in the sub-compact SUV segment.

The Mahindra XUV300 has the torquiest turbo-petrol engine in the sub-4m SUV segment, producing 110.5PS and 200Nm. It is only offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox. At Auto Expo 2020, the carmaker showcased an even more powerful version of the same engine with direct fuel injection for the XUV300 Sportz wherein it produces 130PS and 230Nm. It is expected to be launched around mid-2020.

The most premium offering in this list is the Kia Seltos. This compact SUV has been a great success for the carmaker, rocketing it to the top of the segment. Its 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine was the most powerful in the segment until the Renault-Nissan unit came along. Kia offers it with the choice of a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed DCT automatic. In the Seltos, this turbo-petrol engine gets its own variant lineup, the GT Line. The same engine can be found in the new-gen Hyundai Creta as well but those turbo-petrol variants start from over Rs 16 lakh.

In terms of size, the MG Hector is the biggest offering here and as a mid-size SUV, it offers great value for money in this price range. Its petrol option is a 1.5-litre turbocharged unit that is also offered with a 48V mild-hybrid system. The mild-hybrid petrol variants are only available with a 6-speed manual while the regular petrol version comes with the option of a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic.

While the Ford EcoSport sub-4m SUV was among the first to offer a turbo-petrol engine as a sportier option, its 1.0-litre EcoBoost variant was discontinued with the BS6 updates. This engine was tuned to an output of 125PS and 170Nm while mated to a 6-speed manual. Renault and Nissan are also working on their own sub-4m SUV offerings, known by their codenames HBC and EM2 respectively. These models will also be powered by a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that also debuted at the Auto Expo 2020. That said, their top-spec variants are likely to be priced under the Rs 10-lakh mark.

Read More on : Kia Seltos on road price