[SaNdY_AR]

And guys, you have left out the I20's!!!! Both old and new(Elite).

These are fun to drive machines. Except for the turbo lag in the old one I have nothing to complain about and that too the rant surfaced after when I drove the elite I20. Still I believe the I20's should have been on the list. Hyundai has redefined the hatchback's with I20's and gave the others a run for their money in this segment. Of course price wise a tad higher but who is complaining for the extensive list of features it offered/offers.

[The Alchemist]

Originally Posted by Biraj

Wish there was a fresh write-up or format for this year's line-up. >70% of the content is copied from last year's thread. At least the opening post could have been changed a bit. A better option would have been to edit the earlier thread and add or remove a few cars.

Completely agree with Biraj here.

We normally see a lot of manufacturers going the 'mass-market' way and I wonder whether this thread is a contribution from T-BHP to that way of thinking!

Last year when the list of enthusiast's cars was published (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ars-india.html), there was a lot of pressure from many readers to include EcoSport, Cruze, City and the likes. Although the moderators and many other enthusiasts defended the omissions pointing to lack of handling, light-steering, turbo-lag etc., we ended up adding EcoSport. Still we didn't include Cruze though. Wonder what has changed in Cruze this year, to make it an enthusiast's car!

Also, I must add that the omission of 2014 Fiesta is shocking especially when we have included many under-powered cars in the list already. Fiesta's steering is a gem and the handling is unmatched in my honest opinion.

And that is the problem. Everyone will have different opinions when it comes to discussions such as these, and one way to address this would be to lay-out the parameters defining an enthusiast's car upfront and rate cars on each of these bullet points. Outright power maybe important to some and handling to some others. Otherwise this thread will just be an opinion of the OP and nothing more

Team-BHP has helped me to increase my knowledge about cars in a big-way and I'm hoping that our community will help many others in the same manner. When the title says '2014 Lineup: The Best Enthusiast Cars in India', it is equivalent to our official reviews and hence quality control should be top-priority here. I'm a Team-BHP fan for many years and I mean no offence to anyone when I say that this thread disappointed me a little, in terms of the research gone behind it.

[TheQuarterMile]

I think that many of the contenders in the list are family type cars that happen to have some fun factor rather the other way around. Although it doesn't fit the 20lac criteria in India but I think an apt example of a performance car with family benefits would be the Mitsubishi Evo X. It's really sad that the petrolhead quotient
in cars below 12 lacs hasn't improved much. That being said the Octavia 1.8Tsi seems bliss!

[Car-go-man]

Since you've mentioned Swift, I might also add the Figo 1.4 TDCI and may be Punto to the list.

[civic-sense]

Originally Posted by SaNdY_AR

And guys, you have left out the I20's!!!! Both old and new(Elite).

These are fun to drive machines.

Seriously? I never thought anybody would call any hyundai a fun-to-drive car. Soft suspension and dead steering; no fun.

Originally Posted by TheQuarterMile

I think that many of the contenders in the list are family type cars that happen to have some fun factor rather the other way around.

I agree, I would have loved to see a leaner list.

Originally Posted by Car-go-man

Since you've mentioned Swift, I might also add the Figo 1.4 TDCI and may be Punto to the list.

Right. A Figo is any day more fun to drive than a Swift.

[PVPal]

Agree on most of the cars listed here, except those on which I am not eligible to have an opinion as I have not driven them (Octavia, BMW, Gurkha, Gypsy, off-roaders, etc).

In my opinion, the Fiesta is a big and bold omission, though I take the point that it is not the most powerful of the lot. But most would agree that there is a smile on the face when you are at the steering of one, not to mention the joy of driving on curves.

Although a lot has been said about the Ecosport, it has just not touched that string in me when it comes to driving with its slightly odd steering feedback.

[audioholic]

Forget reliability and aftersales issues, if any, and I am buying the Germans with the TSi and DSG. That can be a Polo or an Octavia, depending upon my ability to spend Since the car has a lot of tweaks and kits, one can transform these cars into their liking.

If I am on a budget, it will be a Brio or an Alto again depending upon the budget. The brio is one hell of a car to drive and the Alto is always a pocket friendly rocket.

[SaNdY_AR]

Originally Posted by civic-sense

Seriously? I never thought anybody would call any hyundai a fun-to-drive car. Soft suspension and dead steering; no fun.

Now my turn Dude are you serious to call Hyndai I20's not a fun to drive car. Ask the owners.


And that is the problem. Everyone will have different opinions when it comes to discussions such as these, and one way to address this would be to lay-out the parameters defining an enthusiast's car upfront and rate cars on each of these bullet points. Outright power maybe important to some and handling to some others. Otherwise this thread will just be an opinion of the OP and nothing more

Agree with Alchemist. Everyone will have their opinion and are entitled for the same. For me the so called "dead steering" is something that I cannot trade off for power. You get used to the super smooth steering after a couple of drives. So parameters have to be set to define the enthusiast's car.

Just a suggestion. Why not poll with certain defined parameters. At least we will not have arguments and counter arguments.

[DicKy]

Good write up, but the list is almost the same as last years, except for the Dmax and Datsun GO. And the facelifted K10.
Only if Isuzu got their plant up and running, could have the double cab in white plates and the 4x4 version for the offroad enthusiasts.

Also please..., don't make us guys from south salivate on things like 320Ds for 10 lakhs and 530D for 15 lakhs..!!!!
Here in Tvpm, the W203 C class itself commands 10lakhs.

[Vitalstatistiks]

Everybody wants their car to be classified as enthusiast's car. Just like everybody consider themselves to be enthusiast

Just kidding.

It's all a 'bit of fun' list, please people. This is not a purchase recommendation, not definitely a team-bhp recommendation. For team-bhp views, we have detailed test-drives and even ownership reviews.

[Sanjubose]

Originally Posted by The Alchemist

Completely agree with Biraj here.

We normally see a lot of manufacturers going the 'mass-market' way and I wonder whether this thread is a contribution from T-BHP to that way of thinking!

Last year when the list of enthusiast's cars was published (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ars-india.html), there was a lot of pressure from many readers to include EcoSport, Cruze, City and the likes. Although the moderators and many other enthusiasts defended the omissions pointing to lack of handling, light-steering, turbo-lag etc., we ended up adding EcoSport. Still we didn't include Cruze though. Wonder what has changed in Cruze this year, to make it an enthusiast's car!

No doubt the write up is good. But then when it included almost everything , it lost the Team-BHP touch. It turns out to be more of a general media magazine article. But nonetheless, may be its a learning for many of us that cars we never thought or drove, must be fun to drive too. So guys, lets drive the newbies in the list too.
On lighter side, we can infact have a thread of "Not Fun to drive" list. List would look smaller given that almost everyone made it to here

[ramharis]

Originally Posted by GTO

Definitely on the consideration list. Great steering & handling, let down only by the lack of power.

2014 Ford Fiesta needs to be on this list. As far as I can understand Best Enthusiast car is never about the power on straight line speeds (given time and distance and car can reach high speed), its more about the way the car handles each corner and about the amount of confidence you feel while tackling those corners.

Redbull F1 did not win championships with just power, they won it because they had better handling cars. Period

[anachronix]

I did go back and read the OP again when I saw the Datsun in the list, I agree with most of the cars listed. But I couldnt digest the Alto K10 or the Datsun Go. The power to weight ratio is good in the Alto K10, but dont you need a gearbox that is worthy to keep the enthusiasts engaged.

[acidkill]

I disagree with the list in the sense that it lacks rationale, or atleast the right way of classification.

It includes stuff from all car classes in one silo.

There should be a 2 - 5 Lakh class, 5 - 10 Lakh class etc.

Think of it this way

1. What is to say that a BMW530d or an Audi A7 is not more enthusiast than the Datsun Go?

2. My family owns the Ecosport 1.0 Ecoboost, but frankly until this article we never saw anything that 'enthusiast'y about it. In fact we think our old Vento 1.6 TDI is the fastest thing on our garage

[SunnyBoi]

Slightly controversial, but with all the noise around Datsun Go's safety (rather the lack of it), shall a responsible forum like Team-bhp be endorsing it?

Originally Posted by GTO

Has the Alto K10 been crash-tested?

Crash Tested indeed!

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...atin-ncap.html