Best diesel SUVs under ₹20 lakh (2026)
15 cars that fit, ranked by expert review score and crash-test rating, then price. Prices are ex-showroom for the cheapest variant that qualifies; on-road prices depend on your state. Filter these by your own must-haves →
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Mahindra XUV 7XOFrom ₹15.36 L · SUV · Petrol, Diesel9/10 expert score · 5-star Bharat NCAP - 2
Hyundai CretaFrom ₹12.61 L · SUV · Petrol, Diesel9/10 expert score · 3-star Global NCAP · 17.4–21.8 km/l - 3
Tata NexonFrom ₹10.52 L · SUV · Petrol, CNG, Diesel8/10 expert score · 5-star Bharat NCAP · 17.01–24 km/l - 4
Mahindra XUV 3XOFrom ₹10.59 L · SUV · Petrol, Diesel8/10 expert score · 5-star Bharat NCAP · 17.96–24.7 km/l - 5
Hyundai VenueFrom ₹11.00 L · SUV · Petrol, Diesel8/10 expert score · 5-star Bharat NCAP · 17.9–20.99 km/l - 6
Tata SierraFrom ₹12.99 L · SUV · Petrol, Diesel8/10 expert score · 5-star Bharat NCAP · 15.3–21.26 km/l - 7
Mahindra Thar RoxxFrom ₹14.23 L · SUV · Petrol, Diesel8/10 expert score · 5-star Bharat NCAP · 15.2 km/l - 8
Tata HarrierFrom ₹14.00 L · SUV · Petrol, Diesel8/10 expert score · 5-star Bharat NCAP · 11.98–16.8 km/l - 9
Tata SafariFrom ₹14.85 L · SUV · Petrol, Diesel8/10 expert score · 5-star Bharat NCAP · 14.1–16.3 km/l - 10
Mahindra Scorpio-NFrom ₹14.19 L · SUV · Petrol, Diesel8/10 expert score · 5-star Global NCAP - 11
Jeep CompassFrom ₹17.99 L · SUV · Diesel9/10 expert score · 16.2–17.3 km/l - 12
Tata CurvvFrom ₹12.30 L · SUV · Petrol, Diesel6/10 expert score · 5-star Bharat NCAP - 13
Hyundai AlcazarFrom ₹15.50 L · SUV · Petrol, Diesel8/10 expert score · 17.5–20.4 km/l - 14
Mahindra Thar OGFrom ₹10.32 L · SUV · Diesel, Petrol7/10 expert score - 15
Mahindra Bolero NeoFrom ₹10.39 L · SUV · Diesel6/10 expert score · 1-star Global NCAP · 18.04 km/l
Quick answer
- What are the best diesel SUVs under ₹20 lakh?
- By expert scores and crash-test ratings: the Mahindra XUV 7XO, the Hyundai Creta, the Tata Nexon. The XUV 7XO leads with 9/10 expert score · 5-star Bharat NCAP. The right pick depends on your budget, fuel and must-have features.
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