Like the smaller and lighter 123-136 kg Sonet, the 1.5-liter diesel engine is also very economical in the larger and heavier Seltos. In urban and highway conditions, it managed 15.3kpl and 19.1kpl in manual operation, and 12.9kpl and 17.8kpl in automatic operation. In contrast, the 1.4-liter turbo gasoline engine is more eager, returning only 9.4kpl and 14kpl in the 6-speed manual transmission, and only 8.5kpl and 14.1kpl in the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Kia Seltos fuel efficiency analysis

The excellent diesel engine is not only responsive and has negligible turbo lag, so it is very easy to drive, and its high gear ratio also helps to improve fuel efficiency. Especially on highways, both manual and automatic gearboxes rotate at a steady speed of 100kph at 2200 rpm in 2nd gear.

In contrast, turbocharged gasoline engines are more sporty, with strong and linear power output. Like a typical turbo gasoline engine, this engine is very sensitive to long idling times and ambient temperature, and you will notice that the fuel needle will drop quickly in heavy traffic. The Kia uses the Eco mode, but the engine performance or responsiveness in this mode is not much different from the default City settings. However, since this will reduce the air purification efficiency, users will avoid using this drive mode, especially in summer. Increasing the gear ratio can help the automatic transmission to a certain extent, making it more efficient on the highway. For reference, it runs the engine at 100kph at 1,900rpm, which is 300 revs lower than the manual speed of the top gearbox.

Fuel efficiency test in automotive India

Before the actual fuel efficiency test, we will fill the fuel tank of the test car until it is full, and maintain tire pressure according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. These cars drive in fixed city and highway loops, and we maintain a certain average speed. In order to check for any abnormal changes, we always have a reference car driving, and we have tested this car in the past. Regular driver exchanges further offset the changes in driver mode. At the end of each cycle, we calculate efficiency by filling it up to the edge. Throughout our testing process, there is only one person in each car, when needed, like ordinary users, running air conditioners and other electrical equipment, such as audio systems, indicators and wipers. We are proud of the test data, which is not only consistent, but also can accurately explain to users their expectations in the real world.

Please also read:

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