Best Diesel SUVs Under Rs 25 Lakh In India

While diesel engine options are no longer as widespread as they once were prior to 2018, there still exists a market for the powertrain even in 2026. So, if you’re in the market for a diesel SUV in the more mass-market sub-Rs 25 lakh price segment. Here are our top picks:

Hyundai Creta

The Hyundai Creta is a very well-rounded product in the sub-Rs 25 lakh segment, with a spacious, feature-rich cabin backed by Hyundai’s fit and finish quality and reliability. Buyers wanting an efficient and refined diesel will not be left wanting, with the SUV’s 1.5-litre diesel an effortless mile-muncher and offered with an automatic gearbox for ease of use. Buyers also have a wide range of variants to pick from – eight out of nine variants can be optioned with the diesel. The Creta is also the most fuel-efficient diesel SUV in the Indian market with an ARAI-certified mileage of 21.8 kmpl for the diesel MT and 19.1 kmpl for the diesel automatic.

Prices for the diesel Creta range from Rs 12.53 lakh up to Rs 20.11 lakh (ex-showroom).

Kia Seltos

The Seltos also makes for a compelling package in the compact SUV segment, especially with the second-gen SUV that arrived in the market earlier this year. Debuting a new design language for the brand as well as sitting on a new platform, the new Seltos is larger and more spacious than the model it replaces and packs in all the tech one could want.

On the powertrain front, Kia has left the formula unchanged with the engines from the first-gen SUV carried over, including the 1.5-litre diesel engine paired with either a manual or automatic gearbox. Buyers can pick the diesel engine right from the base variant all the way to the fully loaded models, though the latter are offered only with the 6-speed torque converter automatic. The diesel SUV is efficient too, with a claimed 19.4 kmpl for the manual and 17.8 kmpl for the automatic. Prices for the Seltos diesel range from Rs 12.61 lakh up to Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom).

Tata Harrier & Safari

Those wanting a larger SUV than the likes of the Seltos and Creta will like the Harrier and its larger sister model, the Safari, for their size, space and features offered, though the fully loaded diesel-automatics do fall north of the sub-Rs 25 lakh price bracket. The long-serving 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine makes a strong 168 bhp and 350 Nm and is paired with a 6-speed manual or torque converter automatic, depending on the variant, with the latter being our pick of the gearboxes.

As with other Tata models, the ride and handling remain a strong suit of Tata’s largest SUVs, with the recent addition of new fully-loaded Ultra variants bumping up the feature list to include tech from the Harrier EV. These include a powered co-driver seat and a larger 14.5-inch touchscreen, aside from kit such as Level 2 ADAS, 360-degree cameras, a powered driver seat, rear ventilated seats (Safari 6-seater), and more.

Mahindra XUV 7XO

Launched in January 2026, the Mahindra XUV 7XO is essentially a facelift of the popular XUV 700 and carries over almost all the latter’s strengths. When it comes to outright numbers, the 7XO is one of the most powerful diesels in its class, with the 2.2-litre mHawk mill pushing out 182 bhp and 420 Nm (MT) or 450 Nm (AT), with the option of all-wheel drive also available. Buyers have plenty of variants to pick from, with the diesel mill available as an option across all six trim levels, with the top variants offered with the option of captain seats in the second row.

Those wanting features too won’t be lacking, with top variants offering features such as ventilated front and second-row seats, three screens atop the dashboard including a passenger display, a 540-degree surround-view camera, a panoramic sunroof, Level 2 ADAS and more. Even the all-wheel drive variants just creep under the Rs 25 lakh mark. Prices for the diesel 7XO range from Rs 14.96 lakh up to Rs 24.92 lakh (ex-showroom).

Mahindra Scorpio-N

The only ladder frame model in the list, the Scorpio-N comes across as a capable, muscular and comfortable SUV that would be at home inside the city, out on the highway and tackling dirt roads. While not as feature-loaded as its sibling, the 7XO, the Scorpio-N fields the same 2.2-litre diesel engine, though it develops a lower 172 bhp and 370 Nm (MT) or 400 Nm (AT) across most variants. The base models, meanwhile, get the unit in a lower 130 bhp and 300 Nm state of tune.

As with the XUV, the Scorpio-N is offered across all trim levels with the diesel engine option, with select variants also offered with optional shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive – giving it proper off-road capabilities. There’s plenty on offer in terms of features too, including a Sony 3D sound system and Level 2 ADAS tech as of mid-2025. Prices for the Scorpio-N diesel range from Rs 13.99 lakh up to Rs 24.95 lakh (ex-showroom).