Diesel cars in general are missed in today’s day and age. Most of us loved that raw feel, which only a good diesel engine could provide us with, and the massive surge of torque which even the Turbo petrol fail to generate. However, just to get the memories back and feel the joy which sadly we are missing in the present times, it’s good to reminisce some good diesel cars that we once had access to.
The joy of diesels was in the low down torque and the efficiency they provided even after driving them hard. Unlike many other countries, diesel is cheaper in India which meant that it provided a better value still even though the initial costs of getting a diesel was much higher. The strict emission norms and the government cracking down on diesels with bans is a grave concern and what has actually made the customers of diesel engines. Many manufacturers like Volkswagen and Maruti Suzuki have completely given up on them and stopped production all together. Here are the top 5 diesel cars that we wish would come back.
Volkswagen Polo GT TDI
The Polo TDI was quite a performance machine and very popular with enthusiasts.
The Polo GT TDI was available in the Indian market from 2013 to 2019 and was a sweet compact diesel hatch that was quite a joy to drive. Initially for a year or so it was offered with a 1.6 litre TDI diesel engine which was a four-cylinder unit producing 105 horsepower and 250 newton meters of torque. Later, this 1.6 diesel engine was replaced by a 1.5 litre four-cylinder TDI engine, with which the power went up from 105 horsepower to 110 horsepower and the torque figures remained the same at 250 newton meters. The standard Polo diesel used to produce 90 horsepower and 230 newton meters of torque. So, the GT TDI had about 20 horses and 20 newton meters extra, making it more powerful and punchy. It was a free revving engine which was mated to a five-speed manual gearbox and the clutch was on the heavier side. The turbo used to kick in post the 1800 RPM mark and the steering had decent weight and feedback for better handling. The Polo GT TDI is missed by many enthusiasts, and some are still running in different parts of the country.
FIAT Punto Multijet
The Punto was another enthusiast favourite and was quite efficient as well.
The FIAT Punto Multijet was available in the Indian market from 2009 to 2019. It was offered with FIAT’s fabulous 1.3 litre Multijet diesel engine, which is also known as the king of diesel engines in India, as it was used and still is used in many diesel cars, like the Jeep Compass, Tata Harrier, MG Hector, Maruti Suzuki Swift and so on. Initially FIAT offered the diesel Punto with the 75 horsepower 1.3 Multijet engine which produced a torque of 197 newton meters. Later, FIAT updated this diesel engine with a 90hp Multijet engine, and that is when the Punto MJD 90hp was born. This improved the torque figures, now producing a good 209 newton meters, and of course the performance improved as well. The Punto MJD always boasted of great fuel economy figures and that too with cheap running costs of diesel. It used to return about 15 to 20 kilometer per liter. Handling was always a strong forte of FIATs and things were no different with the Punto, in addition to the solid build quality that it had. The gearings were tall, and it was great fun exploiting this engine of the power it had. Woah man, I miss driving this one.
Hyundai i20 1.4 Crdi
The i20 was one of the most feature loaded cars in the segment.
The Hyundai i20 1.4 Crdi was available in the Indian market from the year 2014 to about 2023. It was offered with a 1.4 litre, four-cylinder engine, producing a power output of 90 horses and 220 newton meters of torque. The car was a very fuel efficient one and would easily return about 16 to 22 kilometer per liter, while producing pretty good power. The thrill of the vehicle was enhanced with the 6-speed manual gearbox on offer, which was slick to use. The drive was very torquey and once you pressed the throttle, you would receive immediate response from the engine. It was very easy to drive in the city as well with its super-light Electronic Power Steering system.
Maruti Suzuki S-Cross 1.6 DDIS
The S-Cross 1.6 diesel was in a class of its own and the only car with this engine.
The S-Cross 1.6 was available in the Indian market from the year 2015 to 2017, and was offered with FIAT’s 1.6 litre Multijet engine, which strangely enough, FIAT never used in any of its cars in India. A 1.6 Multijet Linea would have been something interesting. This engine was a delight to drive, producing power worth 118 horses and 320 newton meters of torque. This was mated to the superb 6-speed manual gearbox which was really smooth to use. Sadly, this car did not receive much demand from the Indian market and finally it was discontinued.
Ford Endeavour 3.2 Diesel
The Ford Endeavour 3.2 had brutish power and had a 5-cylinder engine.
Ford offered the Endeavour 3.2 in India between 2016 and 2021. This was a beast and not a car to say the least. It came with a massive 3.2 litre, 5-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The power output from this engine was superb, boasting of 197 horses and 470 newton meters of torque. The car came with a capable four-wheel drive system, which made it worth the expensive price-tag. This gave the Fortuner a tough competition and still many enthusiasts are buying used ones for almost the same price that they would have paid for a new one, while it was available in the market.
