With the implementation of BS6 emission norms from April 1, 2020, many auto manufacturers had to rethink their product portfolio in the new emission regime. Manufacturers have worked hard on upgrading their model lineups to ensure their portfolio meets the upcoming emission norms. While petrol engines go through minimal updates, diesel engines require extensive changes to meet the upcoming norms. This would’ve resulted in higher costs which would reflect in the vehicle’s overall price. Fearing lack of sales due to high costs, certain manufacturers have pulled the plug on diesel variants from their lineups. In this article, we take a look at all the diesel engines that failed to make the cut in the BS6 era.
Fiat 1.3 litre DDiS Multi-jet
Unofficially termed as the national engine of India, Fiat’s 1.3-litre Multijet has powered a dozen cars from Fiat, Tata, Chevrolet and Maruti Suzuki, the major user of this engine. Despite being a Fiat make, it was best tuned in Maruti cars. The engine was available in two states of tune: 75PS/190Nm and 90PS/200Nm while mated to a 5-speed manual and the option of a 5-speed AMT. It was known for its free-revving nature and punchy performance but was most popular for its impressive mileage (ARAI: 28 kmpl for Swift). It was offered in a host of vehicles such as Maruti-Suzuki Swift, Vitara-Brezza, Dezire, Baleno, Tata’s Bolt and Zest, and Fiat’s own range of Punto, Linea and Avventura.
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Maruti-Suzuki 1.5-litre DDiS 225
Indigenously developed by Maruti, the 1.5-litre DDiS diesel engine was the carmaker’s second attempt at making an oil-burner after developing the DDiS 125 motor which powered the Celerio. The 1.5-litre DDIS unit developed 95PS and 225Nm, 5PS and 25Nm more than the 1.3-litre DDiS motor. The bigger engine was easier to live with and scored high on driveability. During its short-lived existence, it powered the S-Cross, Ertiga and the Ciaz.
Hyundai 1.4-litre U2 CRDi
Known for its punchy torque and refinement, Hyundai’s 1.4-litre diesel was a charmer. It was also the more affordable diesel engine option for larger cars like the Verna and Creta. This 1.4-litre diesel engine produced 90PS and 220Nm and was only available with the 6-speed manual gearbox. This engine will be replaced by the Hyundai Group’s new 1.5-litre diesel engine, which will now power the entire Kia and Hyundai range in India.
Hyundai 1.6-litre U2 CRDi
This particular engine can be credited for setting the diesel-powered performance standard in the compact sedan and SUV segment. Like the 1.4 litre unit, this unit too was known for its refined nature. The Hyundai diesel powerplant was tuned to deliver 128PS and 260Nm with a 6-speed manual gearbox along with the option of a 6-speed automatic. It has been replaced by the 1.5-litre BS6 diesel engine (115PS and 250Nm) that does not offer the same kind of performance, at least on paper.
Tata Motors 1.05-litre Revotorq
This 3-cylinder, extremely small diesel engine was developed by Tata Motors to power its smaller offerings like the Tiago and the Tigor. The 1047cc diesel engine was only available with a 5-speed manual transmission and produced 70PS and 140Nm. The motor was extremely efficient and provided adequate performance for the kind of cars it was paired with.
Mahindra 1.2-litre mFalcon
Surprisingly, Mahindra will be updating most of its large diesel engines to meet BS6 norms. But the 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder mFalcon D75 diesel engine offered in the KUV100 will not be available from April 2020 onwards. This engine produced 78 PS of power and 190Nm of torque, mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The KUV100 Nxt mini-SUV is likely to continue being offered with the 1.2-litre mStallion petrol engine showcased at the AutoExpo 2020.
Volkswagen-Skoda 1.5-litre TDI
Volkswagen was and is a master in making diesel engines but henceforth, the VW Group will not be offering small-capacity diesel engines in India. Powering the likes of the Polo, Vento and the Rapid, the 1.5-litre TDI was offered in two states of tune. In the regular variants of the Polo and Vento, it was tuned to an output of 90PS and 230Nm with the 5-speed manual. However, in the Ameo, Rapid and GT Line variants of the Polo and Vento, the same engine produced 110PS/250Nm, mated to a 5-speed manual with the choice of a 7-speed DSG automatic.
Volkswagen/ Skoda / Audi 2.0-litre TDI
Offered in different states of tunes for different products, this engine powered the likes of Audi’s entry-level and mid-level sedans and SUVs and the Skoda Kodiaq and Superb, along with the Volkswagen Tiguan and Passat. Paired with a 7-speed DSG mostly, for Skoda and VW cars, the motor could be tuned to deliver either 150 PS and 340 Nm or 190 PS and 400 Nm according to the vehicle it powered.
Nissan-Renault 1.5-litre K9K dCi
This diesel engine was a true workhorse across most models sold by Nissan and Renault in India. The 1.5-litre diesel engine was offered in three different states of tune – 64PS/160Nm (Micra), 85PS/200Nm (Sunny, Terrano, Duster) and 110PS/245Nm (Terrano, Duster, Captur, Lodgy, Kicks). While the most powerful tune is mated to a 6-speed manual with an AMT option, the less powerful versions of the same engine are mated to a 5-speed manual only. The engine delivered great driveability in its 85 PS form and sucker punch in the 110 PS guise, once the turbo woke. It was efficient, reliable and one of the engines (110 PS version) we’ll miss dearly in the BS6 era for sure.
Toyota 1.4-litre D-4D
Toyota has now officially announced the discontinuation of its 1.4-litre diesel engine. This engine powered the likes of the Etios Liva hatchback, Etios Cross and the Etios compact sedan as well as the more premium Corolla Altis sedan. In the Etios models, this engine was tuned to produce 68PS and 170Nm while mated to a 5-speed manual. However, in the Corolla Altis, it was mated to a 6-speed manual and produced 88PS and 205Nm. All these models have been discontinued in India.
Ford 2.2/ 3.2 TDCi
Both these engines were exclusively offered in the Ford Endeavour. Where the 2.2-litre unit generated 160 PS pf power and 385 Nm of peak torque, the 3.2-litre unit churned out a healthy 200 PS of power and 470 Nm of peak torque. Both these engines have been discontinued and are replaced by a smaller, yet capable, 2.0-litre turbo-diesel unit which produces 170 PS of power.
