A lot has changed this past year and the automotive industry has been trying to woo consumers with a lot more technology, features and competitive pricing than was ever offered before. With the rise in traffic and the number commuters making their daily trips to work, the demand for automatic gearboxes has also soared.
Despite the growth in demand, manufacturers haven't exactly seen exciting numbers. There are two primary reasons for this; one, they weren't fuel-efficient and the other being that they have always been a bit expensive. However, manufacturers like Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki are now developing technology to make these cars more affordable.
Considering all those endeavours, expect the demand for cars with automatic gearboxes rise with great fervour over the next few years. For now, here are the top 5 fuel-efficient automatics in India.
1. Mini Cooper D
Fuel Economy: 26.3Km/l
Yeah, you didn't expect that, did you? Hence, I draw your attention back to our headline - 'Most Fuel Efficient Automatics' and yes it is. The Mini Cooper D 3-door boasts of a fuel-efficiency figure of 26.3Km/l. Now this data is not from the ARAI but these are the EU figures and since the car is a CBU, there isn't a difference in the components used. The only factors that could perhaps affect its claim are road- and fuel-quality.
The Mini Cooper D uses a 6-speed steptronic gearbox for both, the 3-Door and 5-Door version. Under the hood is a 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine with 115bhp and 270Nm of torque. 0-100Km/h is dealt in just 9.2 seconds and the top-speed is rated at 205Km/h. So, you get performance and fuel efficiency in one car. What else could you ask for?
2. Maruti Suzuki Alto K10
Fuel Economy: 24.07Km/l
One would expect to see a Maruti Suzuki car right at the top, but it isn't. It comes in at a close 2nd. The Alto K10 was updated recently and with it, came an AMT. Though it is not exactly an automatic, but it is still quite there. The Alto Kl10 sports a 5-speed AMT (or AGS, like Maruti called it), which is the same gearbox as the one found in the Celerio.
Being lighter, added to the advantage when it came to fuel-efficiency and it delivers an ARAI rated efficiency figure of 24.07Km/l. The engine used is a 998cc, 3-cylinder petrol engine which delivers 67bhp and 90Nm of torque.
3. Maruti Suzuki Celerio
Fuel Economy: 23.1Km/l
If you are not happy with the space the Alto K10 has to offer, an additional Rs 40,000 in your budget will get you the entry-level Celerio AMT. The Celerio was the first car in the lot to start the AMT madness, which has now passed on to many others in the country.
The AMT comes with the petrol K-series engine and is responsive. At 23.1Km/l the Celerio comes in a close third to its smaller sibling. A trip around the city or just a highway run, the Celerio makes for a fun car and with fewer trips to the fuel station, is easy on the wallet too.
4. Tata Zest
Fuel Economy: 23Km/l
The Zest was the comeback car for Tata Motors in India. After having tasted success with the Indica, Tata Motors had been on a downslide, but HorizonNext promised a slew of new-age cars. The Zest is the cheapest diesel automatic in the country and of course, the most affordable too.
A 5-speed AMT unit similar to the Celerio and Alto K10 goes into the Zest, which is powered by the 1.3-litre Quadrajet (Fiat's Multi-jet) engine. With 90bhp and 200Nm of torque on offer, the Zest is quick and easy to drive.
The Zest returns a fuel efficiency of 23Km/l which is extremely good but Tata does charge a premium for the AMT version. In fact, even after paying the premium, the Zest with the AMT comes sans any safety features like airbags and ABS. So, the Zest ticks the blocks of fuel-efficiency but not of safety.
5. Skoda Rapid
Fuel Economy: 21.7Km/l
We finally come to the most recent of cars, the Skoda Rapid with the DSG box. The Rapid shares its mechanicals with the Volkswagen Vento, and now even the DSG box. Despite all the sharing, it comes as a bit of a surprise when it surges ahead in terms of the fuel economy figure it achieves.
Mated to a 1.5-litre diesel powertrain, the 7-speed DSG gearbox returns a fuel economy figure of 21.7Km/l. The fuel economy is marginally better when compared to the Vento but Skoda charges a premium. The DSG is one of the finest in the lot of automatic gearboxes and is brilliant on both, the highway and chock-a-block traffic conditions. Volkswagen is working to make the automatic gearbox a bit more affordable and we hope they succeed in doing that.
