Diesel used to be the default engine under a luxury sedan’s bonnet in India. That has flipped, and most premium sedans sold here now either skip diesel entirely or push it into a secondary role. This list ranks the ten petrol-engined luxury sedans genuinely on sale in India this month, by price, from the most accessible option to the flagship.
To qualify, a car had to be on sale in India as of September 2026 with a real petrol engine on offer (pure petrol, mild-hybrid, or full-hybrid), not diesel-only or a full EV. That filter explains two absences: the Volvo S90, discontinued after Volvo pulled it from its Indian website, and the Jaguar XF, now tracked only as discontinued. Both would have featured a few years ago; their absence shows how thin this segment has gotten here. Note also that India’s September 2025 GST 2.0 reform cut car taxes significantly, and several prices below reflect that. Always confirm the on-road number for your city before signing anything.
1. Audi A4
Ex-showroom price: Rs 46.88 lakh to Rs 55.83 lakh
The A4 is the most affordable petrol-only German luxury sedan in India, with no diesel option, only a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and a mild-hybrid assist. It suits a buyer who wants the badge without stretching into 5 Series or E-Class territory. Differentiator: that mild-hybrid system recovers braking energy to smooth out stop-start town driving, something older diesel-only cars here never offered.
2. Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Ex-showroom price: Rs 61.20 lakh to Rs 99.00 lakh across petrol trims
The C-Class earns its spot for breadth: the C200 is a usable 1.5-litre turbo-petrol entry point, while the C43 AMG turns the same shell into a 4MATIC performance sedan, a spread wider than almost anything else here at a comparable price. A C220d diesel still sits alongside it, a rare case of petrol and diesel genuinely coexisting.
3. Audi A6
Ex-showroom price: Rs 64.81 lakh to Rs 71.66 lakh
Audi has gone further with the A6 than the A4: sold exclusively as a petrol-electric mild-hybrid, no diesel offered on this generation. The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol makes 265hp, a step up from the A4 that puts it closer to a 5 Series buyer’s shortlist than a 3 Series one. Anyone assuming Audi still leans on diesel for its bigger sedans is working off outdated information.
4. Lexus ES 350h
Ex-showroom price: Rs 66.10 lakh to Rs 71.80 lakh
The ES 350h is a self-charging hybrid, running entirely on petrol with no plug required, launched in India only in mid-2026. It is likely the most fuel-efficient car here without changing owner habits, and Lexus’s smaller Indian dealer network still carries a strong reputation for low running costs and reliability: the pick for a quiet, low-drama ownership experience.
5. BMW 5 Series LWB (530Li M Sport)
Ex-showroom price: from Rs 72.35 lakh after the September 2025 GST revision
BMW sells the long-wheelbase 5 Series in India as a single specification, the 530Li M Sport, petrol-only with no diesel on this generation. The 2.0-litre TwinPower turbo is tuned more for rear-seat comfort than pace, which fits how this car is bought here: with a driver, rear legroom mattering more than lap times. That stretched wheelbase, built for markets like India and China, separates it from the global-spec 5 Series sold in Europe.
6. BMW 3 Series (M340i xDrive)
Ex-showroom price: Rs 77.10 lakh
BMW no longer bothers with a mainstream, low-powered 3 Series for India. The only variant on sale is the M340i xDrive, with a 3.0-litre straight-six turbo-petrol making 374hp and all-wheel drive as standard, aimed at a buyer cross-shopping a performance sedan rather than a chauffeur-driven one. Nothing else in this price band on this list offers six cylinders.
7. Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Ex-showroom price: Rs 94.95 lakh (E 200) to Rs 1.72 crore (E 53 Hybrid 4Matic+)
The E-Class covers the widest price band of any single nameplate here, from a straightforward E 200 petrol to a 4Matic+ E 53 blending a turbo-petrol six with a performance hybrid boost, the default step-up for a buyer moving on from a C-Class. An E 220d diesel remains available too, but petrol is now the larger part of the line-up.
8. BMW 7 Series (740 M Sport)
Ex-showroom price: Rs 1.95 crore, after a September 2026 facelift launch
The 7 Series is where flagship engineering starts to matter as much as badge value. The 740 M Sport’s 3.0-litre turbo-six carries 48V mild-hybrid assistance adding roughly 18hp and 200Nm on demand. A 740d diesel sits alongside it at the same launch price, so unlike the smaller BMWs, the 7 Series buyer still gets a real choice of fuel type.
9. Mercedes-Benz S-Class (S 450e)
Ex-showroom price: Rs 2.20 crore to Rs 2.38 crore
The genuine surprise here: the S-Class, Mercedes-Benz‘s flagship, is currently sold in India only as the S 450e plug-in hybrid, no standalone diesel or pure-petrol option at all. It runs on a 3.0-litre turbo-petrol paired with an electric motor, which is why it qualifies, but needs a charging point to use its electric range fully. For an S-Class buyer who wants no plug-in commitment, the Maybach below is oddly the simpler petrol choice.
10. Mercedes-Maybach S-Class (S 580)
On-road price: approximately Rs 2.88 crore in Delhi
At the top sits the Maybach, the only true flagship petrol sedan here with no hybrid or plug-in involved: a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 making 503hp, with standard all-wheel drive. It exists for a buyer who has decided the regular S-Class is not exclusive enough. That V8, in an era when even the standard S-Class has gone hybrid-only, is what closes this list at its most extreme.
Verdict: which one actually suits you
| Sedan | Ex-showroom price | Best for |
| Audi A4 | Rs 46.88 – 55.83 lakh | Entry petrol luxury |
| Mercedes-Benz C-Class | Rs 61.20 lakh – 99.00 lakh | Widest single-nameplate choice |
| Audi A6 | Rs 64.81 – 71.66 lakh | Mid-size, no diesel guilt |
| Lexus ES 350h | Rs 66.10 – 71.80 lakh | Low running costs, no plug |
| BMW 5 Series LWB | From Rs 72.35 lakh | Rear-seat space, chauffeur use |
| BMW 3 Series (M340i) | Rs 77.10 lakh | Driver-focused performance |
| Mercedes-Benz E-Class | Rs 94.95 lakh – 1.72 crore | Step-up from C-Class |
| BMW 7 Series | Rs 1.95 crore | Flagship with real fuel choice |
| Mercedes-Benz S-Class (S 450e) | Rs 2.20 – 2.38 crore | Flagship badge, plug-in hybrid |
| Mercedes-Maybach S-Class | ~Rs 2.88 crore (on-road, Delhi) | Ultimate petrol flagship |
There is no single “best” here, since these cars barely overlap in who buys them. Worth noting: at the top, Mercedes-Benz has moved almost entirely to hybrid petrol (S 450e) or a pure-petrol V8 halo car (Maybach), while BMW still lets 7 Series buyers pick between petrol and diesel at the same price. If a straightforward petrol engine with no hybrid hardware matters most, the M340i, 530Li, and Maybach deliver that without qualification; everything else here carries some electrification. Browse the full range on Motozite’s new cars section, or see the under Rs 1 crore shortlist if budget is the main filter.
FAQs
Is diesel disappearing from luxury sedans in India?
Not entirely, but it has moved from default to alternative. The 7 Series and C-Class still offer diesel alongside petrol, while the A6, A4, and 530Li LWB here are petrol-only, with no diesel option at all.
Why isn’t the Volvo S90 or Jaguar XF on this list?
Both are discontinued in India. Volvo delisted the S90 from its Indian website, and the Jaguar XF is now tracked only as a discontinued model. Neither can be bought new here anymore.
Are hybrid petrol sedans like the S 450e or E 53 counted as “petrol” cars?
Yes, since their engines run on petrol, not diesel, and they are not full EVs. The S 450e is a plug-in hybrid that can also run on electric power alone, while the E 53 and Lexus ES 350h are non-plug-in hybrids always using petrol as the primary energy source.
Which is the most affordable petrol luxury sedan in India right now?
The Audi A4, from Rs 46.88 lakh ex-showroom, is the most affordable car here, and one of the few in this segment with no diesel variant to weigh up at all.
Should I consider a pre-owned petrol luxury sedan instead of a new one?
Worth comparing both. A pre-owned E-Class or 5 Series LWB can cost well under half the new price with much of the same experience, though warranty and service history need closer scrutiny. Marketplaces connecting buyers to pre-owned listings, such as Motozite’s pre-owned cars section, are a reasonable place to weigh that trade-off.
