Customers in the market have a long-held opinion that the manual version of a car, especially a SUV, will always offer better mileage when compared to the automatic version of the car/SUV. To the credit of the public, the fact did hold true to some extent in the past, but the recent leaps in automatic transmission technology has led to a whole new generation of the automatic transmission equipped cars that not only match but also leave behind in some cases, the manual versions when it comes to mileage. Let us take a look at some models in the Indian car market whose automatic transmissions offer better or even equal mileage as compared to the manual versions of the same.
Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza
Highlights – Maruti offers their sub-4 meter compact SUV Brezza in only a diesel engine variant that comes paired with either a 5 speed manual gearbox or a 5 speed AMT automatic gearbox. The 1.3L engine on Brezza is rated to deliver 89 Bhp and 200 Nm. However, the manual as well as AMT automatic gearbox on the SUV offer similar mileage figures of 24.29 kmpl!
Tata Nexon
Highlights – Indian maker Tata Motors offers their sub-4 meter compact SUV Tata Nexon with both diesel as well as petrol engine options. The petrol model comes with a 1.2L turbo engine whereas the diesel model comes with a 1.5 liter turbo engine. The power ratings for the petrol and diesel engine are 108 Bhp and 170 Nm and 108 Bhp and 260 Nm respectively. The diesel as well as petrol engines come with the option of a manual and AMT automatic gearbox in the market. While the diesel power models of the Nexon are rated to deliver an ARAI certified mileage of 23.97 kmpl, the petrol model is rated to deliver 17.88 kmpl. This figure is the same for both automatic and manual variants of the SUV.
Honda BR-V
Highlights – Honda BR-V comes with a 1.5L petrol unit rated to deliver 118 Bhp and 145 Nm. This engine comes paired to either a 5-speed manual or a CVT automatic gearbox. The mileage for the manual version is 15.4 kmpl whereas the automatic variant punches above the manual version with an ARAI rated mileage of 16 kmpl.
Hyundai Creta
Highlights – Hyuundai Creta is the best selling vehicle in its segment in the market and comes with both a diesel as well as petrol option. The petrol option is a 1.6L engine rated to deliver 122 Bhp and 151 Nm. This engine is offered with a 6 speed manual or a 6 speed automatic gearbox. The mileage figures for both the manual as well as automatic gearbox stands the same at 15.29 kmpl.
Toyota Fortuner
Highlights – The 2.7L petrol engine here is rated to deliver 164 Bhp and 245 Nm. The engine comes mated to either a 6-speed manual gearbox or an automatic gearbox. Automatic gearbox variant’s mileage is rated at 10.26 kmpl while manual variant’s mileage is 10.01 kmpl.