Most Fuel-Efficient Hatchbacks Under Rs 8 Lakh in India (2026)

The Maruti Swift is the most fuel-efficient hatchback you can buy under Rs 8 lakh on either fuel. Its brochure certifies 26.25 km/l for the petrol AMT (VXi AMT, Rs 7,12,900) and 35.34 km/kg for the CNG AMT (VXi CNG AGS, Rs 7,92,400). The Maruti Celerio is second on both counts at 26.00 km/l and 34.43 km/kg, and it costs Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 1.9 lakh less to get there.

Petrol and CNG figures are kept in separate tables below. A kilometre per litre and a kilometre per kilogram are different units, and ranking them in one column produces a list that means nothing.

Each figure is also tied to the variant that earns it. That matters under a price cap: the Baleno's best CNG number belongs to a variant that costs Rs 8,32,400, so it does not count here.

Petrol: certified mileage of variants under Rs 8 lakh

Rank	Hatchback	Best certified figure	Variant that earns it	Manual figure
1	Maruti Swift	26.25 km/l (AMT)	VXi AMT, Rs 7,12,900	25.35 km/l, from Rs 5,83,900
2	Maruti Celerio	26.00 km/l (AGS)	VXi AGS, Rs 5,63,400	24.97 km/l (25.24 km/l on the LXi), from Rs 4,69,900
3	Maruti S-Presso	25.30 km/l (AGS)	VXi (O) AGS, Rs 4,77,400	24.12 to 24.76 km/l, from Rs 3,49,900
4	Maruti WagonR	25.19 km/l (1.0 AGS)	VXi AGS, Rs 5,99,400	24.35 km/l (1.0), 23.56 km/l (1.2), from Rs 4,98,900
5	Maruti Alto K10	24.90 km/l (AGS)	VXi (O) AGS, Rs 4,97,400	24.39 km/l, from Rs 3,69,900
6	Maruti Baleno	24.77 km/l (AGS)	Delta AGS, Rs 7,49,900	23.80 km/l, from Rs 5,98,900
7	Toyota Glanza	22.35 km/l (manual)	E MT, Rs 6.73 lakh	Same

Figures are the certified numbers printed in each manufacturer's brochure. Prices are ex-showroom Delhi, checked on 13 October 2026.

On every Maruti in this table the automated manual beats the manual, by roughly 0.5 to 1.0 km/l. That is the opposite of what most buyers expect from an automatic, and it is because an AMT is a manual gearbox with a robot doing the shifting.

CNG: certified mileage of variants under Rs 8 lakh

Rank	Hatchback	Certified figure	Variant under Rs 8 lakh	Gearbox
1	Maruti Swift	35.34 km/kg	VXi CNG AGS, Rs 7,92,400	AMT
2	Maruti Swift	35.07 km/kg	VXi CNG, Rs 7,57,400	Manual
3	Maruti Celerio	34.43 km/kg	VXi CNG, Rs 5,97,900	Manual
4	Maruti Baleno	33.61 km/kg	Delta CNG, Rs 7,92,400	Manual
5	Maruti WagonR	33.47 km/kg	LXi CNG, Rs 5,93,900	Manual
6	Maruti Alto K10	33.40 km/kg	LXi (O) CNG, Rs 4,84,400	Manual
7	Maruti S-Presso	32.73 km/kg	LXi (O) CNG, Rs 4,64,400	Manual

The Baleno's CNG automatic is certified at 34.47 km/kg, which would place it third. It starts at Rs 8,32,400 for the Delta CNG AGS, so it is outside this list.

Why four popular hatchbacks are not ranked

The Tata Tiago, Tata Altroz, Hyundai Grand i10 Nios and Renault Kwid are all priced inside this budget, and none of them appears in the tables. The reason is the same in each case: the manufacturer does not print a certified mileage figure in the brochure.

• Tata Tiago. The brochure lists 86 PS and 113 Nm for the 1.2 petrol and 75.5 PS and 96.5 Nm for the iCNG, with no fuel efficiency row. Petrol from Rs 4,76,990, iCNG from Rs 5,86,990.
• Tata Altroz. 88 PS and 115 Nm on petrol, 73.5 PS and 103 Nm on CNG, no mileage figure. Petrol from Rs 5,99,990, iCNG from Rs 7,29,990.
• Hyundai Grand i10 Nios. 83 PS and 113.8 Nm on petrol, 69 PS and 95.2 Nm on CNG, no mileage figure. Petrol from Rs 5,59,700, CNG from Rs 7,32,700.
• Renault Kwid. 69 PS and 92.5 Nm, no mileage figure in the brochure. From Rs 4,52,900.

Figures for these cars circulate widely on listing sites. We have not used them, because a ranking that mixes brochure-certified numbers with unattributed ones is not a ranking. If you are choosing between a Tiago iCNG and a WagonR S-CNG, ask the Tata dealer for the certified figure in writing.

The Citroen C3 is a partial case. Its brochure does state 19.3 km/l for the 82 PS petrol manual, which would put it below the Glanza. Citroen's site did not give us a per-variant price to test against the ceiling, so it is noted here and left out of the table.

Full-tank range on petrol

Mileage alone hides a practical difference between these cars: tank size. Multiplying the certified figure by the brochure tank capacity gives a theoretical best-case range. Nobody achieves it, but the gaps between cars are real.

Hatchback	Tank	Best certified petrol figure	Theoretical range
Maruti Swift	37 litres	26.25 km/l	971 km
Maruti Baleno	37 litres	24.77 km/l	916 km
Maruti Celerio	32 litres	26.00 km/l	832 km
Maruti WagonR	32 litres	25.19 km/l	806 km
Maruti S-Presso	27 litres	25.30 km/l	683 km
Maruti Alto K10	27 litres	24.90 km/l	672 km

The Baleno ranks sixth on mileage and second on range. If you drive long distances between fills, that reordering is worth more than the 1.2 km/l gap to the Celerio.

The cars in detail

Maruti Swift

The Swift takes first place in both tables with the newest engine here, the 1,197 cc three-cylinder Z12E. It makes 61 kW (82.93 PS) and 112.4 Nm on petrol and 51.3 kW (69.75 PS) and 101.8 Nm in CNG mode. Maruti's brochure certifies 25.35 km/l for the manual, 26.25 km/l for the AMT, 35.07 km/kg for the CNG manual and 35.34 km/kg for the CNG AMT.

You will see lower Swift numbers elsewhere, including 24.80 km/l, 25.75 km/l and 32.85 km/kg. Those are older figures. The current brochure prints the higher set in its specification table.

Six airbags, ESP, hill hold assist and ISOFIX mounts are standard on every variant. The catches are price and luggage space. The cheapest Swift CNG costs Rs 7,57,400, about Rs 1.6 lakh more than a Celerio CNG. The boot is 265 litres on petrol, and the brochure gives no figure for the CNG car.

Maruti Celerio

The Celerio is the efficiency buy for anyone who does not need the Swift's size. The 998 cc K10C makes 50.4 kW (68.5 PS) and 91.1 Nm. The AGS is certified at 26.00 km/l and costs Rs 5,63,400; the CNG, offered only as the VXi manual, is certified at 34.43 km/kg and costs Rs 5,97,900.

On CNG it drops to 41.7 kW (56.6 PS) and 82.1 Nm, and with a full load on a flyover you will notice. Six airbags and ESP are standard. Global NCAP's 2025 test of the six-airbag car scored 18.04 out of 34 for adults and 18.57 out of 49 for children, which is not a strong result.

Maruti S-Presso

Third on petrol, last on CNG, and the cheapest car in either table. The S-Presso uses the same K10C at 50.4 kW (68.52 PS) and 91.1 Nm. The base Std and LXi manuals are certified at 24.12 km/l, the VXi manuals at 24.76 km/l and the AGS at 25.30 km/l.

Its weakness is safety equipment. Maruti's brochure lists "Dual Airbag" on every grade, so the S-Presso has two airbags where every other Maruti here has six. The CNG version is also a four-seater by the brochure's own seating row.

Maruti WagonR

The WagonR's two engines return different numbers, and the smaller one is the efficient one. The 1.0-litre K10C is certified at 24.35 km/l (manual) and 25.19 km/l (AGS). The 1.2-litre K12N, with 66.9 kW (90.9 PS) and 113.7 Nm, returns 23.56 km/l and 24.43 km/l. CNG is available only with the 1.0, at 33.47 km/kg.

It has six airbags and ESP as standard and a 335-litre boot on the petrol. For a family that wants CNG running costs and usable space under Rs 6 lakh, the LXi CNG at Rs 5,93,900 is the obvious candidate.

Maruti Alto K10

The Alto K10 is the cheapest car here with six airbags and close to the Celerio on CNG: 33.40 km/kg against 34.43. Petrol figures are 24.39 km/l for the manual and 24.90 km/l for the AGS. The brochure gives one CNG figure, 33.40 km/kg, for both the LXi and VXi.

The CNG car seats four, the petrol tank holds 27 litres, and the base Std (O) has neither air conditioning nor power steering according to the feature list. Start your shortlist at the LXi (O).

Maruti Baleno

The Baleno is the largest car in the tables and the least efficient Maruti in them on petrol: 23.80 km/l manual, 24.77 km/l AMT. On CNG it does better, at 33.61 km/kg for the manual. It uses the Swift's Z12E at the same 82.93 PS and 112.4 Nm, but weighs more.

What it offers in return is space (318-litre boot, 2,520 mm wheelbase) and a Bharat NCAP result. The report that covers the Sigma and Delta petrol variants scored 24.04 out of 32 for adults and 34.81 out of 49 for children. That report does not list the CNG variants.

Toyota Glanza

The Glanza shares the Baleno's body but not its engine. Toyota's brochure lists 66 kW and 113 Nm with 22.35 km/l for the manual and 22.94 km/l for the AMT, and 30.61 km/kg on CNG. Under Rs 8 lakh, Toyota's online Delhi price list shows only the E MT at Rs 6.73 lakh and the S MT at Rs 7.63 lakh. The AMT (Rs 8.28 lakh) and the CNG (Rs 8.49 lakh) are both over.

So the Baleno is about 1.5 km/l more efficient than its Toyota twin on the manual, by each maker's own figures.

How this list was built and what was not verified

Mileage, power, torque, tank and boot figures were read from each manufacturer's current brochure. Where a brochure page was an image, we rendered it and read the figures from the page. The Celerio's 24.97 and 25.24 km/l manual figures come from Maruti's Celerio price page. Variant prices come from Maruti's Arena and NEXA price pages and from Tata's, Hyundai's and Toyota's own Delhi price listings on 13 October 2026.

Certified figures come from a standard test cycle. We did not road-test any of these cars, and you should expect lower numbers in city traffic with the air conditioning on. The range table is arithmetic on brochure figures and is a best case.

CNG prices and availability vary by city, and so does the petrol to CNG price ratio that decides whether a CNG car pays back. We have covered that calculation separately in hatchbacks with the lowest running cost per km. For the ranking without a price cap, see hatchbacks with the highest mileage in India.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the most fuel-efficient hatchback under Rs 8 lakh?

The Maruti Swift. On petrol the VXi AMT is certified at 26.25 km/l and costs Rs 7,12,900. On CNG the VXi CNG AGS is certified at 35.34 km/kg and is listed at Rs 7,92,400. The Maruti Celerio is second at 26.00 km/l and 34.43 km/kg.

Which is the most fuel-efficient hatchback under Rs 6 lakh?

The Maruti Celerio. The VXi AGS at Rs 5,63,400 returns a certified 26.00 km/l, and the VXi CNG at Rs 5,97,900 returns 34.43 km/kg.

Can I compare km/l and km/kg directly?

No. A litre of petrol and a kilogram of CNG contain different amounts of energy and cost different amounts. Compare petrol cars with petrol cars and CNG cars with CNG cars, then work out cost per kilometre using local fuel prices.

Why are the Tata Tiago and Hyundai Grand i10 Nios missing from the ranking?

Tata and Hyundai do not print certified mileage figures in their brochures for these cars. The same applies to the Tata Altroz, and Renault's Kwid brochure has no figure either. Without a manufacturer-published number they cannot be ranked against cars that have one.

Is the automatic less efficient than the manual?

Not on these cars. Every Maruti AMT here is certified higher than its manual: 26.25 against 25.35 km/l on the Swift, 26.00 against 24.97 km/l on the Celerio, 24.77 against 23.80 km/l on the Baleno.

Which fuel-efficient hatchbacks under Rs 8 lakh have six airbags?

The Swift, Celerio, WagonR, Alto K10 and Baleno have six airbags on every variant. The S-Presso has two.

Does a CNG kit reduce power?

Yes. The Swift and Baleno drop from 82.93 PS to 69.75 PS in CNG mode, and the Celerio, WagonR, Alto K10 and S-Presso drop from about 68.5 PS to about 56.6 PS, by Maruti's brochure figures.

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Prices are ex-showroom Delhi as listed by each manufacturer on 13 October 2026 and vary by city and date. Mileage figures are manufacturer-certified test results, not on-road measurements.