The Tata Sierra and the Kia Seltos are among the few mid-size SUVs to offer a diverse range of engines, namely a naturally aspirated petrol, direct injection turbo-petrol, and a diesel engine. Depending on the engine chosen, both offer a variety of gearbox options ranging from manual, CVT, DCT and iMT and a torque converter automatic. In this article, we compare the ARAI mileage figures of both SUVs across all their respective powertrain options to find out which offers higher claimed efficiency numbers.
Tata Sierra vs Kia Seltos: Claimed mileage comparison
Except for the turbo-petrol, the Sierra is more efficient than the Seltos
Tata Sierra vs Kia Seltos: Claimed fuel efficiency (in kpl) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Tata Sierra | Kia Seltos | Difference | |
Petrol manual | 17.4 | 16.5 | +0.9 |
Petrol DCT | 16.9 | - | - |
Petrol CVT | - | 16.5 | - |
Diesel manual | 21.26 | 19.4 | +1.86 |
Diesel automatic | 19.22 | 17.8 | +1.42 |
Turbo-petrol automatic | 15.3 | - | - |
Turbo-petrol DCT | 17.5 | - | |
Turbo-petrol iMT | - | 15.6 | - |
The Sierras’ claimed mileage figures for the naturally aspirated petrol engine are more than those of the Seltos. It is ahead of the Seltos here by 0.9kpl in manual guise, while its DCT variant is 0.4kpl more efficient than the Seltos petrol-CVT. This is because the Sierra’s naturally aspirated engine uses the Atkinson cycle that prioritises efficiency.
The same is also the case for diesel engines, wherein the Seltos’ figures fall short of the Sierra’s by 1.86kpl and 1.48kpl for the manual and automatic gearboxes, respectively. But compare the turbo-petrol automatics, though, and it's the Seltos turbo-DCT with a 2.2kpl higher claimed mileage than the Sierra turbo-petrol with a 6-speed automatic. The Seltos also offers an iMT gearbox with its turbo-petrol engine, with a mileage of 15.6kpl.
Tata Sierra vs Kia Seltos: Engine specs, price and rivals
Sierra begins at a slightly more expensive price point
Both the Sierra and Seltos are powered by a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, a 1.5-litre direct injection turbo-petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engine. In naturally aspirated petrol guise, the Sierra delivers 106hp and 145Nm while the Seltos delivers 115hp and 144Nm of torque. Both SUVs’ turbo-petrol engines produce 160hp, but the Seltos delivers slightly more torque (253Nm vs 250Nm). The Sierra’s diesel engine produces 118hp and 260Nm (280Nm AT) while the Seltos diesel delivers 116hp and 250Nm.
Prices of the Sierra range from Rs 11.49 lakh to Rs 21.29 lakh, while the Seltos ranges from Rs 10.99 lakh to Rs 19.99 lakh. Both SUVs compete in the mid-size SUV space, comprising the Hyundai Creta, Tata Curvv, Citroen Aircross and Basalt, Maruti Victoris and Grand Vitara, Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq, MG Astor, Honda Elevate and the Renault Duster.