[GTO]

It's time to look back at the year and cast your vote for The Team-BHP Car of the Year. This is where YOU the BHPian will choose the car of 2014.

Listed below are the launches of 2014. Also included are some relevant high-points on each car, along with the market's response to it.

NOTE:

• The contenders have been sorted in a price-ascending order (cheapest first).
• It's only NEW cars that are included in our COTY award. That excludes the "refreshed" headlamp & tail-light versions, facelifts and engine variants.
• This is a public poll. Other BHPians will be able to see what car you have voted for.
• Models costing over 50 lakh rupees, and many fully-imported-cars (CBUs), have been excluded from our COTY. Reason = Low relevance & commitment to the marketplace.
• Link to our 2013 COTY.
• As has always been the case, we insist there will be only ONE Team-BHP Car of the Year. Why? Simply because we don't believe in handing out an award for the "fender of the year" or "best rim design of the year" (as examples). Some award ceremonies have 20 awards to ensure there's one for each car manufacturer (aka advertiser) in India. We have no such inclination, and will only focus on the best, most important new car of 2014.

Look forward to your votes, and also the reasoning behind your choice. Thanks!

EDIT on 26th December, 2014:

Originally Posted by GTO

Garnering nearly 40% of the 2,454 BHPian votes on this thread, the Tata Zest is the Team-BHP Car of the Year, 2014

This is the second time that Tata was won the award; the li'l Nano won our inaugural COTY in 2009.

Here's hoping to see more competent, all-rounded products from Tata.

[GTO]

Maruti Alto K10 : Official Review



What you'll like:
• A much improved Alto K10 at the same price point
• The cheapest automatic car available in India. VXI AMT starts at merely Rs. 3.80 lakhs
• Power-to-weight ratio of 91 BHP/ton makes this one peppy li'l hatchback
• More fuel-efficient than before. AMT variant is also an easy sipper @ 24.07 km/l
• Compliant low speed ride quality. Soft suspension is absorbent
• Convenient city car: Light, agile & easy to drive (especially the AMT variant)
• Driver-side airbag & factory fitted CNG kit available
• Maruti's excellent after-sales service & fuss free ownership experience

What you won't:
• Cramped rear bench. Also, the seatback is very short
• Sensitive steering & nervous handling at speed. Best driven <100 kph
• AMT lacks the refinement & shift-speed of conventional ATs
• VXI (O) trim & airbag unavailable with the AMT. No ABS on any variant
• Questionable structural strength. The car which it's based on (Alto 800) fared poorly in crash tests
• Skinny 155 mm tyres beg for an upgrade
• Flimsy build & economy grade quality. Poor NVH levels as well
• More accomplished WagonR & Celerio are priced not too far away

Market Response: Only just launched. Considering the Alto has been India's best-selling car, we can safely assume that the 2014 K10 will continue the success story.

[GTO]

Datsun Go : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Clean, inoffensive styling that will please all & offend none
• The Go is a size bigger than its direct competitors. Evident on the inside & outside
• 1.2L engine results in the segment best power & torque-to-weight ratios
• Urban ride quality is superior to most other entry level hatchbacks
• Light driving controls & small turning radius make it well suited as a city car
• Large 265 liter boot is very accommodating
• Features such as follow me home headlamps, full MID & speed-sensitive wiper

What you won't:
• Cost cutting is obvious, especially with the interiors
• Too noisy. Overall NVH levels are rather poor
• Datsun is an unknown brand & Nissan's after-sales service is substandard
• No ABS or Airbags offered on any variant
• Awful 155 mm Strada brand Tyres
• The Micra Active is close, especially from an EMI perspective
• Missing essentials (glovebox lid, retractable rear seatbelts, ORVM adjustment stalk, day/night IRVM, proper head-unit)

Market Response: Flop.

[GTO]

Maruti Celerio : Official Review



What you’ll like:
• Cheap Automatic - LXi AMT starts at merely Rs. 4.14 lakhs
• Celerio AMT is a breeze to drive in the city. Has 'manual mode' too
• Well-packaged cabin. Decent legroom, excellent headroom and a 235 liter boot
• K-next engine has peppy performance & good fuel economy
• Suspension offers neutral ride quality & predictable handling
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service & wide dealer network

What you won’t:
• ZXi trim and safety features (ABS & Airbags) unavailable with the AMT. Also, VXi trim is poorly equipped
• AMT lacks the refinement & shift-speed of conventional ATs
• 3-cylinder 1.0L against competitors that have smoother 4-cylinder 1.2L engines
• Flimsy build & economy-grade quality. NVH levels could be better as well
• Manual variant is overpriced. The more accomplished Ritz costs only a little more
• The Celerio AMT currently has an extremely long waiting period

Market Response: Success.

[GTO]

Tata Zest : Official Review



What you'll like:
• India's first diesel-automatic in the C1 segment. Affordable, convenient & low running costs
• Build quality, fit and finish are on par with competitors. Tata has made significant improvements
• Spacious well-designed interiors & comfortable seats. A rare compact sedan that can seat 5 adults
• 1.2L turbo-petrol has class-leading torque and impressive low-end driveability
• Balanced suspension offers compliant ride quality mated to neutral handling. Nice EPS too
• Light controls, agreeable ergonomics and good refinement. Drives like no mass market Tata car has before
• Features: 3-driving modes (petrol), LED DRLs, projector headlamps, 5" touchscreen, parking sensors, voice commands & more

What you won't:
• Automatic transmission isn't available on any variant other than the mid-level diesel
• When driven hard, the AMT can't match the smoothness & shift-times of a conventional automatic
• Turbo-petrol lacks mid-range punch and fails to excite at higher rpms. Not to an enthusiast's tastes
• Poor in-cabin storage & missing niceties (rear seat armrest, dead pedal, seatbelt height adjustment)
• Thick A-Pillars create severe blind spots while driving
• Concerns over long-term reliability & durability. Previous Tata cars haven't fared well in this area
• Tata's sub-par after-sales service quality is far from that of Maruti, Hyundai and Honda

Market Response: Off to a good start! Though only 2 months of proper dispatchment data is available yet.

[GTO]

Hyundai Xcent : Official Review



What you'll like:
• All-rounded package in a contemporary design
• Interiors have best-in-class fit, finish & quality. Accommodating 407 liter boot too
• Fuel-efficient, practical diesel & peppy petrol. Smooth gearbox
• Loaded with features (keyless start & go, reversing camera, rear air-con, cooled glovebox etc.)
• Comfortable ride quality and predictable handling
• Hyundai's fuss free ownership experience & excellent after-sales service

What you won't:
• 1.1L 3-cylinder diesel lacks the top-end punch of competition. Ordinary highway performance
• Steering & dynamics aren't to an enthusiast's tastes
• Narrow width makes it more suited as a 4 seater, rather than 5
• Boot aside, the premium i20 is closely priced with more power, space, equipment & refinement
• Adjustable front neck restraints, seat-belt height adjustment, full MID, auto-locking doors & dead pedal missing

Market Response: Success.

[GTO]

Hyundai Elite i20 : Official Review



What you'll like:
• All-rounded package in a sharp design. Improved over the 1st-gen i20 in nearly every way
• Spacious interiors with outstanding quality, fit and finish. Practical 285 liter boot too
• 1.4L diesel has excellent driveability, refinement, performance & fuel economy. 6-speed gearbox is smooth
• Mature suspension offers a comfortable ride and neutral handling characteristics
• Hyundai's fuss-free ownership experience & excellent after-sales-service
• Loaded with features & gizmos (16" rims, keyless entry & go, 8-speaker stereo, rake & reach steering, rear air-con, reversing cam, cooled glovebox and lots more)

What you won't:
• Missing equipment vis-a-vis old i20: Rear disc brakes, side & curtain airbags, sunroof, auto-wipers & DRLs
• 1.2L petrol is nowhere as impressive as the diesel. Mediocre highway performance for a premium hatchback
• Anyone over 5'11" will find rear headroom to be insufficient. Sloping roof eats into cabin height at the back
• Dynamics & steering aren't to an enthusiast's tastes. Swift, Polo etc. are more fun to drive
• On-road price difference between the petrol & diesel is ~1.3 lakhs. That's higher than the competition
• Rear wiper only on the top Asta trim! No fuel-efficiency indicator, auto-locking doors or height-adjustable seatbelts on any variant

Market Response: Success.

[GTO]

Honda Mobilio : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Great choice of engines. Both - the diesel & petrol - are fast and fuel-efficient
• Suspension offers compliant ride quality & neutral handling. 189 mm of ground clearance is a big plus
• Light controls, slick gearshift and easy maneuverability for the city. Effortless to drive
• 1st & 2nd row of seats have ample leg & headroom. Middle row beats most C2 segment sedans
• 3rd-row access is easier than in the Ertiga. 3rd row fold-down doesn't affect 2nd row space (like the Ertiga)
• Practical 223 liter boot with all seats up. 521 liters of capacity with the last row folded away
• Honda's reliability & fuss-free ownership experiences

What you won't:
• Low 3rd-row seat is best for kids or occasional usage only. This isn't a full time 7-seater
• Noticeably more expensive than the Maruti Ertiga
• The Brio's unconventional dashboard & interior design are too basic for this class of car
• Front styling is identical to its smaller siblings. Face should have been differentiated
• i-DTEC isn't as refined or high-rpm friendly as the Ertiga diesel. Also, overall NVH insulation is poor
• Brio-level cost cutting doesn't work at this price (thin sheet metal, slim seats, uneven shut lines, missing insulation & cladding)
• Many practical features missing (seatbelt height adjustment, adjustable front neck restraints, auto-locking doors, bluetooth connectivity, full MID etc.)

Market Response: Strong, although October (3K) and November (3.6K) saw a dip from the earlier 5K levels.

[GTO]

Maruti Ciaz : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Clean styling & big footprint. Among the longest & widest sedans from its class
• Spacious cabin with lots of practical features. Rear legroom is particularly impressive
• Diesel & petrol, both, have segment-topping ARAI fuel efficiency ratings
• Soft, compliant ride quality. A suspension that's tuned for comfort
• Big 510 liter boot will swallow your airport & holiday luggage
• Maruti’s excellent after-sales service, wide dealer network & fuss-free ownership experience
• Loaded with equipment (7" touchscreen ICE, navigation system, rear sunshade, leather seats, keyless entry & go, reversing camera etc.)

What you won't:
• 1.3L diesel can't match the performance of the Vento, Verna & Rapid. Has turbo-lag too
• 1.4L petrol has the lowest power rating in the segment. City i-VTEC & Vento TSI are in a different league
• Uninvolving to drive. Steering & dynamics aren't to an enthusiast's taste
• Mediocre under-thigh support of the low rear seat. Also, limited rear headroom for 6 footers
• Some might find the styling to be too bland. Rear end is uncannily similar to the Honda City
• Light build quality. Lacks the sheer solidity of its European rivals

Market Response: Off to a strong start! Recent launch, hence data is limited.

[GTO]

Honda City : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Practical diesel, fast petrol and convenient CVT. Take your pick
• Loaded with equipment (sunroof, feather-touch climate control, keyless entry & go, rear air-con, reversing camera)
• Extremely spacious cabin. Loads of sensible touches make it easy to live with
• Diesel & Petrol, both, have segment-topping ARAI fuel efficiency ratings
• Big 510 liter boot will swallow your airport & holiday luggage
• Light controls, slick gearshift and easy maneuverability for the city. Effortless to drive
• Honda's reliability & fuss-free ownership experiences

What you won't:
• Same diesel as the Amaze. Outright performance & refinement levels are lower than the Verna, Vento & Rapid
• Front looks like a mere facelift. Too similar to the outgoing car. Garish chrome grille too
• Skinny 175 mm tyres & boring alloy wheel design. Both need to be upgraded
• Light build quality. Lacks the sheer solidity of its European rivals
• Electric steering remains light & sensitive at high speed. No feedback either
• 6 footers will find rear headroom to be in short supply
• Some features missing (proper dead pedal, folding rear seat, height-adjustable seatbelts, boot lid cladding)

Market Response: Success.

[GTO]

Mahindra Scorpio : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Same popular SUV package, now improved in the 2014 avatar
• Robust, abuse-friendly build & construction
• Aggressive front-end styling. Has good street presence
• mHawk turbo diesel is a jewel of an engine. Great driveability, performance & fuel economy
• New chassis brings better road manners
• 4x4 available on S4 variant too. More affordable than the Safari 4x4 & Duster AWD
• The Scorpio enjoys strong resale value in the used car market
• Features: 6" touchscreen system, GPS navigation, projector headlamps, LED tail-lamps, auto-headlamps & wipers, cruise control, 17" rims etc.

What you won't:
• Ride quality, though improved, is far from plush. Still gets bouncy & bumpy
• Surprisingly limited 2nd-row legroom in an SUV of this size
• Overdone rear end styling. Also, decade-old body shell shows its age
• Fit & finish leave a lot to be desired. Rough edges are plentiful
• Price of the higher variants is dangerously close to the more accomplished XUV500
• Niggles & issues, as reported by existing Scorpio owners
• Automatic transmission has been deleted from the options list
• Mahindra's after-sales service quality is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble

Market Response: Off to a strong start! Recent launch, yet we can safely assume that the 2014 Scorpio will replicate the success of the ol' model.

[GTO]

Toyota Corolla Altis



Launch Thread

Market Response: Success. The segment topper!

Hyundai Santa Fe : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Substantial size and presence. Great styling too
• Powerful & refined 194 BHP diesel engine
• Absorbent ride comfort matched to safe & predictable dynamics
• Fresh, high-quality interiors with comfortable seats
• Expansive feature list (xenon headlamps, selectable steering modes, dual-zone climate control etc.)
• 5-star safety rating. Equipment includes 6 airbags, ABS & EBD, ESP & TCS, hill start assist and more
• Hyundai's reliability and fuss-free ownership experience

What you won't:
• Premium pricing strategy. Noticeably more expensive than the Fortuner, Pajero Sport and others
• 3rd row of seats is severely short of headroom. Not a true 7 seater like some of its competitors
• Doesn't have the offroad capability of the body-on-frame alternatives
• No manual transmission with the AWD. The MT variant also loses a lot of safety equipment
• Soft suspension can result in a bouncy rear end at high speeds + undulating roads
• A sunroof, GPS navigation, front parking sensors & auto-dimming IRVM are sorely missed
• Vague steering feel & unenthusiastic AT gearbox take away from the driving experience

Market Response: Mediocre.

[GTO]

Audi A3 : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Clean & timeless design. Styling similar to its bigger brothers
• Premium quality, inside out. Excellent interior fit, finish & feel
• Competent engines: Torquey fuel-efficient diesel & fast petrol
• Quick dual-clutch transmission with smooth shift quality
• Rich dynamics, strong grip levels and solid stability
• 5 star safety & kit (6 airbags, ESC, ABS, ASR, all disc brakes)
• Equipment: Bi-xenon headlamps, MMI system with 7" screen, sat-nav, dual-zone climate control etc.

What you won't:
• Compact size. Length is comparable to the VW Vento!
• Uncomfortable rear seat. Headroom (especially) & legroom are in short supply
• Long-term reliability concerns over the DSG automatic
• Electric power steering lacks the feel & feedback you'd expect in a driver's car
• Premium plus variants are priced dangerously close to the A4, 3-Series & C-Class
• The larger Jetta & Octavia are cheaper. A3 has a lot in common with the Skoda
• Paddle shifters, smartkey entry & go and memory seats are conspicuous by their absence

Market Response: Off to a strong start (1000 units within 3 months of launch).

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Aggressive styling. Stands out from the other crossovers in this segment
• A proper Mercedes on the inside. Top-notch interior quality
• Potent petrol engine with 181 BHP on tap. Good driveability & performance
• 7-speed automatic transmission is extremely smooth. Paddle shifters too
• Car-like dynamics, awesome brakes & 183 mm of ground clearance for rough roads
• Well-kitted: 18" rims, panoramic sunroof, bi-xenon headlamps, memory seats, Harman Kardon ICE etc.
• 5 star NCAP safety rating. 7 airbags, ESP, ABS, attention assist & more

What you won't:
• Expensive for a small crossover. On-road price crosses 40 lakhs!
• Mediocre diesel engine. 40 - 50 horses lesser than the Audi Q3 & BMW X1
• A 4-seater at best. Rear space comparable to B2-segment hatchbacks. Also, poor under-thigh support
• FWD only. No AWD on offer like the Q3
• Ride quality has a firm edge to it. Compliant, yet far from plush
• Transmission isn't as quick to shift as a dual-clutch ought to be
• Spare tyre significantly reduces the usable luggage space

Market Response: Just launched. Too early to gauge.

[GTO]

Mini Cooper



Launch Thread

Market Response: Just launched. Too early to gauge.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class



Launch Thread

Market Response: Just launched. Too early to gauge.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Indian Car Scene!

It's not going to be simple this time. I have a feeling that, unlike earlier years where the choice was obvious (Nano, EcoSport, XUV500 etc.), we're going to see a close battle between 2 - 3 cars.

May the best car win & let the fun begin