Maruti Suzuki will soon reintroduce diesel engines in their product lineup as they are reportedly working on a new 1.5-litre unit. After the BS6 emission norms had kicked in, Maruti Suzuki had to dump its diesel powertrains. And hence the current lineup of products is only available with petrol or CNG options. The new diesel engine will likely make its debut with the XL6, which will likely be launched in January 2022. Multiple reports also suggest that Vitara Brezza will also get this engine at a later stage. And it won’t be a surprise if we get to see this engine in the rebadged models like Urban Cruiser and the upcoming Toyota’s version of the Ciaz.
It is no hidden fact that the future of mobility is electric. But, that does not necessarily mean that diesel engines are absolutely out of demand right now. Diesel engines are best suited for the customers with high usage, as the mileage is way better than its petrol counterpart. With the current rising demand for SUVs in the market, diesel engines are still in much demand. Taking the example of Creta, which is currently the country’s best-selling SUV, with a healthy number of diesel powertrain sales. With the introduction of a diesel option, customers will now have more choices. And this will further improve Maruti Suzuki’s market share in the country, which currently stands close to 50 per cent.
There’s still no official announcement from Maruti Suzuki regarding this reintroduction of diesel powertrains. But, multiple reports are confirming that the 2022 XL6 will very likely have a diesel engine. But, with the fuel price skyrocketing and reaching a new high every day, can a diesel engine make sense to customers? To answer this question, we have to wait and see how the market reacts to this.