Top 4 compact SUVs with the longest driving range

The compact SUVs are the new favourites amongst the car buyers in the country. They have smaller capacity engines with a balance between power and fuel efficiency and carry four people over rugged surfaces with ease. But can they be perfect partners for long distance touring which the full-size SUVs are usually associated with?

For that, they need a large fuel tank combined with a frugal motor both translating into a better driving range. During our CarWale road tests, we calculate the exact driving range of the vehicles through our fuel efficiency tests. Here are the top four compact SUVs with the longest driving ranges on sale in the country as per our testing figures.

Ford EcoSport 1.5 TDCi Titanium+ - 720kilometres

The EcoSport kick-started the sub-4 metre compact SUV segment when it arrived in India back in 2012. It received an update last year with a new petrol engine, while the diesel has remained the tried-and-tested 1.5-litre TDCi producing 99bhp and a healthy 205Nm. With a tank capacity of 52 litres, the American boasts the highest range of 720kilometres. That’s approximately same as driving from Mumbai to Aurangabad and back in a single tank of fuel.

Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza ZDi+ - 680kilometres

Maruti’s segment leader sells almost an equal number of units each month as all the other compact SUVs combined. It won the 2017 ICOTY award and received an AMT transmission in May this year. Its frugal 1.3-litre DDiS diesel produces 89bhp/200Nm and can go 680kilometres in a single fuel tank. The fuel tank capacity is 48 litres but the combined fuel efficiency of the Vitara Brezza is more than that of the EcoSport.

Tata Nexon ZX+ - 614kilomtres

Tata’s take on the compact SUV segment came in the form of the Nexon and it proved to be a runaway success for the Indian carmaker. The Nexon’s high stance, flared wheel arches and a stylish fascia grille give it the required brawn despite its curvy body lines. Under the hood is a 1.5-litre four-pot oil burner producing 108bhp and 260Nm (the highest power figure in the segment). With a fuel tank capacity of 44 litres, the Nexon has an impressive range of 614kilometres. 

Honda WR-V VX D - 580km

Honda has built the WR-V especially for developing markets like India and Brazil. Being based on the Jazz, the WR-V looks butch yet stylish for its size. Even the powertrain options are the same as the Jazz. So it comes with the 1.5-litre i-DTEC producing 99bhp and 200Nm. Despite having the smallest tank capacity in the segment (40 litres), the WR-V is capable of going 580kilometres between two fuel stops.