[Samurai]

When I came to vote on this thread, I thought I will be voting for XUV5OO, for obvious reasons. Then I had second thoughts... if Mahindra had priced it differently, say in the similar lines as in Tata Aria, would it have attracted similar attention?

If you compare Aria with XUV5OO without considering price, they are almost neck-to-neck. Each have certain pros and cons, but neither one is blowing the other away in any department except in price. The XUV5OO price is a coup indeed. But should I pick my choice of COTY 2011 merely on price?

For me cars are also about quality and ingenuity of engineering. May be because I am a product engineer, I have a soft spot for well designed cars. When I say design, I mean under the hood, and not merely the curves of the sheet metal.

My choice is Skoda Rapid TDI. Not often that a test drive takes my breath away, but this one certainly did in the engineering aspect. How the hell did they tune that suspension to be so perfect. The Rapid TDI has the perfect balance between ride comfort and handling. Extremely hard to achieve, but Rapid has come closest in all my car driving experience.

In fact, I couldn't find any serious fault in this car. The looks, brakes, the power, the torque, the FE, the interior room, and NVH are all well above average. And all this below 10L. A.S.S is the only scary part, but then it is not the fault of the car. As far as the car is concerned, it ticks all the right boxes for me with a Montblanc pen.

[gitartha]

Originally Posted by Samurai

The XUV5OO price is a coup indeed. But should I pick my choice of COTY 2011 merely on price?

+1
Also not merely on exterior Design (verna / eon). If we were to vote for a "revolutionary" product that rises above the other products from the same company, we may as well vote for the Kizashi

My vote goes for the New Swift ZDI (i am rating the Top End version, guess its no point rating stripped down variants of any vehicle on the list, because thats what they are precisely - STRIPPED DOWN, they are meant only for the price conscious and do not reflect the actual product)

My reasons -
(1) Driving dynamics (I dont think I need to elaborate on that, do I ?)
(2) VFM (well for that price you do get ABS/EBD, digital climate control, airbags, integrated audio with steering mounted controls, alloy wheels,rear washer wiper with defogger, integrated keyless entry, electrically adjustable ORVMS, MID. Nothing much more you can add to that list other than maybe cruise control & leather seats)
(3) Brand equity
(4) Will get spares & service when I need them.
(5) Unparallel RESALE VALUE

The EON and Fluidic Verna are well designed (on paper) vehicles with poor support from engineering (nearly every part of the EON shakes like crazy while on the move or even standing still). The Skoda Rapide is very tempting but in India a car is only as good as its service network. The Nissan Sunny and the New Ford Fiesta will only appeal to people with extreme tastes (massive space & driving dynamics respectively) but fail miserably to cater to basic mass market requirements of their segment. The Honda Brio & Toyota Liva are oven - fresh, but still somehow lack the "X" factor that pleases both masses & enthusiasts alike (The SWIFT factor). The New Volkswagen Jetta & Passat actually resemble the Vento from some frontal angles . The Force One , Renault Fluence/Koleos basically offer nothing new that others preceeding them haven't offered. And Honestly, the Volvo S60 & Audi A6 are way above my league.

[pugram]

I voted for the Skoda Rapid.

This is one brilliant car derived from the Vento, but has managed to retain its Skoda identity.

The reviews are excellent and I believe this car will be a game changer in the segment.

The Vento & Rapid are sure giving Honda sleepless nights forcing them to release a corporate edition @6.99 lacs.

[K.S.]

Voted for XUV5OO! Took a test drive sometime back and impressed with the ride quality. Interiors are so-so though! Definitely a break through from an Indian manufacturer considering the price in my view.

[blackbeast]

Originally Posted by Samurai

price is a coup indeed. But should I pick my choice of COTY 2011 merely on price?

Well, NDTV just announces Fluidic verna as car of the year. It goes to show that practicality,market appeal play a role. if well engineered product is all we are talking about without the price factor into consideration, then small cars don't make to the list of nominees. But i dont largely differ from you. Rapid is second choice, XUV is first. And am an avid safari fan and a critic of M&M.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by blackbeast

if well engineered product is all we are talking about without the price factor into consideration

I am indeed taking price into consideration, but not just price. Do note that among Petrol models, Rapid is cheaper than Vento, City, Fiesta, Verna and SX4, that is everybody in that segment. Rapid also offers the cheapest AT sedan. And among diesel models, it is cheaper than Vento, Fiesta and Verna.

[blackbeast]

Originally Posted by Samurai

I am indeed taking price into consideration, but not just price. Do note that among Petrol models, Rapid is cheaper than Vento, City, Fiesta, Verna and SX4, that is everybody in that segment. Rapid also offers the cheapest AT sedan. And among diesel models, it is cheaper than Vento, Fiesta and Verna.

That sounds fair and i rightly agree.But the team-bhp board doesn't seem to. Barely few votes to rapid and plenty to swift which is almost just a facelift . The impact and offering in the segment took me to xuv.

[SDP]

Originally Posted by blackbeast

That sounds fair and i rightly agree.But the team-bhp board doesn't seem to. Barely few votes to rapid and plenty to swift which is almost just a facelift . The impact and offering in the segment took me to xuv.

If you were in the market for a new car, which one would you choose? That plays a huge part in one's decision about choosing the TBHAP Car of the Year. e.g. My next buy is definitely not a hatch. So out goes all contenders from hatch segments, irrespective of how nice they could be.

[blackbeast]

Originally Posted by SDP

If you were in the market for a new car, which one would you choose? That plays a huge part in one's decision about choosing the TBHAP Car of the Year

Come on buddy. Firstly, COTY has nothing to do with your requirement or mine. Its a recognition to the NEW launches of 2011 for what they offer and not what you are going to buy

[SDP]

Originally Posted by blackbeast

Come on buddy. Firstly, COTY has nothing to do with your requirement or mine. Its a recognition to the NEW launches of 2011 for what they offer and not what you are going to buy

I understand that. What I meant was, you can not leave personal bias out of the equation. Why don't the Beemers and the Audis ever get the COTY? Most likely they are better cars and the possibly the only thing that goes against them is that they are not VFM. Is VFM the most important criteria for COTY? I don't think so.

Look at it the other way around. If somebody has picked up a newly launched vehicle sometime during that year, wouldn't that person by more likely to vote for the same model for COTY at the end of the year? Confirmation bias!

[Axe77]

Interesting ... Both OD and CNBC awards have a different COTY, swift and Verna respectively. I'm only saying interesting since it seems such a landslide vote for XUV on this thread (at least when I saw the results a while ago.

[blackbeast]

Originally Posted by SDP

Why don't the Beemers and the Audis ever get the COTY? Most likely they are better cars. Is VFM the most important criteria for COTY? I don't think so.

If somebody has picked up a newly launched vehicle sometime during that year, wouldn't that person by more likely to vote for the same model for COTY at the end of the year?

VFM is an important criteria if not the most important. But VFM in the segment is the key. Lets say if X1 is priced 20L it would surely get the prize.

You are right about bias. In otherwords, we should leave the bias out and look at the product as a jury.

[vb-saan]

^^I guess it’s a mix of all the above. VFM tag, brand affinity etc., and IMHO, more than everything it’s the shock value (positive) certain brand /model provides. M&M delivered something which is a notch above from what was expected from them. Last year Ford gave a reasonably good Figo with a killer pricing, and hence we got the winner there (and to note, this year they almost killed a product with pricing – extremes indeed).

Originally Posted by SDP

Look at it the other way around. If somebody has picked up a newly launched vehicle sometime during that year, wouldn't that person by more likely to vote for the same model for COTY at the end of the year? Confirmation bias!

May not be the case – at least with team-bhp polls. We have enough examples in the previous pages where folks have voted for a car different than what they have purchased recently. And similarly, I feel a lot of those who voted for a specific model (say XUV) may not pick that car as their next drive.

[Tgo]

I have a feeling that the XUV 5OO will be a car of the year on this forum. Good thing Mahindra launched it late in the year so that people don't get to know how it performs on the road.

A relative had bought the car a month ago. The electronics failed to the extent of both headlamps and keys were not working. Just heard from him that Mahindra is changing the engine also.

What are we looking at here?

[DriveAddict]

Its the XUV 500 from me. I was also collecting views from my close friends, some of them are auto enthusiasts, a few do not know much about cars. Most of them were amazed by looking the XUV 500 in flesh in my office basement (apart from this i showed them the T-Bhp oficial review thread as well). Many were surprised once they saw the price and more surprised to know that it is from Mahindra! My other choices would have been either the Maruti Swift DDiS or the Honda Brio. But XUV 500 won my heart (in terms of looks) as well as my mind (for the VFM pricing and the features).