Kia Seltos to Tata Harrier: 5 best diesel SUVs available under Rs 25 lakh

Every market category offers a variety of SUVs for purchase, from Rolls Royce Cullinan and Bentley Bentayga to Tata Punch or Hyundai Exter. Nonetheless, the small, sub-compact, and micro SUV classes remain the most in demand.

The Indian automobile industry is still dominated by SUVs, and these potent cars have traditionally been equipped with diesel engines. Even while several manufacturers are switching to petrol, there are still a number of excellent diesel vehicles available for less than Rs 25 lakh. 

Kia Seltos

With prices ranging from Rs 10.90 lakh to Rs 20.35 lakh (ex-showroom), the Seltos comes with many engine choices. It has an inline, four-cylinder, 1.5-liter turbo-diesel engine mated to either a six-speed automatic or iMT gearbox. It produces torque of 250 Nm and 116 PS. Additionally, there are two choices for petrol engines.

Mahindra Scorpio N

The ex-showroom pricing of the Scorpio-N ranges from Rs 13.85 lakh to Rs 24.54 lakh. Mahindra's June 2022 launch of the Scorpio-N features both petrol and diesel engine choices. There are two distinct tuning states included with the diesel unit. With MT or AT, the 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine produces 380Nm and 203PS.

Mahindra XUV 700

If you have a large family, the Mahindra XUV700 is the vehicle of choice because it can fit up to seven people. A 2.2-liter, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine with two variants powers the XUV700. It generates 360 Nm of torque and 155 PS in the low-spec versions, and 185 PS in the higher-spec versions. With MT and AT, the torque output is rated at 420 Nm and 450 Nm, respectively. Both a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic gearbox are mated to this engine. Additionally, Mahindra provides an optional all-wheel drive setup. In contrast, the XUV700 (ex-showroom) costs between Rs 13.99 and 26.99 lakh.

Tata Harrier

The diesel engine of the Harrier and the Safari, its older sister, is the same. Up until today, this SUV has never been available with a petrol engine. Returning to the diesel engine, it is propelled by the same 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder, turbocharged engine found in the Hector, which is paired to both a new automatic gearbox and a six-speed manual gearbox. This motor produces torque of 350 Nm and 170 PS. Notably, ex-showroom costs for the Harrier range from Rs 15.49 lakh to Rs 26.44 lakh.

Hyundai Creta

The Creta is one of the brand's best-selling models and has performed well in its market. The SUV, which was updated recently, has engine options that are shared by the Hyundai and Kia lineups. It is driven by a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine that produces 250Nm of torque and 116PS of power in addition to a 1.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine. Both a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic gearbox are available. Pricing for it ranges from Rs. 11 lakh (ex-showroom) to Rs. 20.15 lakh (ex-showroom).