The Skoda Kushaq and Tata Sierra both pack 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engines and have impressed us with their performance. Here, however, the focus is on fuel efficiency. The ARAI-rated figures stand at 18.72kpl for the Kushaq and 15.3kpl for the Sierra, but as we have seen time and again, real-world conditions paint a very different picture. So, we put the two midsize SUVs to the test to find out how fuel-efficient they really are and how far off they are from their ARAI numbers.
Skoda Kushaq DCT vs Tata Sierra AT turbo-petrol: Specs, price
Before we get to the real-world mileage figures, let’s look at their engine specifications. The Sierra’s 1.5-litre turbo-petrol unit produces 160hp and 255Nm, giving it a 10hp and 5Nm advantage over the Kushaq. Also, the Sierra uses a 6-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox, while the Kushaq comes with a dual-clutch automatic.
There is even a notable difference in pricing. The Sierra offers a more affordable entry into the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol automatic world, undercutting the Kushaq by Rs 80,000 at the lower end of the range. At the top end, however, the tables turn, with the Sierra costing around Rs 2 lakh more.
When it comes to claimed efficiency, the Kushaq has a clear advantage. Its ARAI-rated mileage of 18.72kpl is 3.42kpl higher than the Sierra’s 15.3kpl. Since both SUVs have a 50-litre fuel tank, the Kushaq theoretically offers a range of up to 936km, while the Sierra is rated for up to 765km. It’s also the lighter of the two SUVs, tipping the scales at 1,322kg, which is 230kg less than the Sierra.
Skoda Kushaq DCT vs Tata Sierra AT turbo-petrol: Real-world mileage
What community is saying on the Kushaq?
The Skoda Kushaq emerged as the more fuel-efficient SUV in our real-world tests. In the city, it returned 9.55kpl, which is 2.55kpl more than the Tata Sierra’s 7kpl. The gap narrows slightly on the highway, where the Kushaq managed 15.29kpl, outperforming the Sierra by 1.59kpl.
As a result, the Kushaq posts a higher overall average mileage of 12.42kpl compared to the Sierra’s 10.35kpl, giving it an advantage of 2.07kpl. This translates into a real-world driving range of 621km for the Kushaq and 517.5km for the Sierra. In other words, the Skoda can travel about 103.5km farther on a full tank.
Part of this performance can be attributed to the Kushaq’s lower kerb weight. Additionally, it features cylinder deactivation technology that shuts down two of the engine’s four cylinders during low-load cruising conditions. The results also show that both SUVs are significantly less efficient in real-world conditions than their claimed ARAI figures.
Autocar India’s fuel efficiency testing
Before our real-world fuel efficiency tests, we fill our test cars’ tanks to the brim and maintain tyre pressures based on the manufacturer’s recommendations. These cars are driven in fixed city and highway loops in and around Navi Mumbai, and we maintain certain average speeds.
Throughout the tests, there is only one person in each car, operating the air conditioner and other electricals such as the audio system, indicators and wipers when required, just like a regular user would. Periodic driver swaps further neutralise variations in driver patterns. At the end of each cycle, we calculate efficiency by filling the tanks to full again.
Ex-showroom prices mentioned above are as on June 12, 2026.
Dipan Sur
Glenn Noronha
