[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 2015.

Listed below are the launches of 2015. Also included are some relevant high-points on each car, along with the market's response to it.

• 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 2014 COTY (Tata Zest).
• 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 "floor mat of the year" or "headlamp leveller 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 2015.

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

EDIT: It's the Renault Kwid!

Originally Posted by GTO

2015 has shown us the best market ever in India, and it's a great time to be out shopping for a car. Choices & competition empower only one person - the car owner. Me, you, us.

The top 3 popular choices on the poll demonstrate exactly that. The Kwid, Creta & Baleno are all fantastic cars in their respective segments. These are the kind of models that make the competition work harder & the battle fiercer.

The market has spoken in their favour. The 3 have been rewarded with a phenomenal number of bookings & sales, making them instant successes. Even today, all 3 enjoy a waiting period. While the Kwid & Baleno surprised us with their value-for-money pricing, the Creta was positioned about a lakh above where it should have been. Hyundai took the gamble & it's paid off. After all, the Creta is the only can't-go-wrong SUV in the 15 lakh segment, backed by a powerful & dependable brand.

Of the impressive trio, the Renault Kwid has emerged as the Team-BHP Car of 2015. Renault has demonstrated that cheap cars can also offer great styling, a nice cabin, big boot (300 liters, no less) and comfortable ride quality. Top it up with the segment-best feature list and you have all the makings of a winner. To further improve the package, we hope that a bigger 1.0L petrol engine & AMT find their way to the Kwid's engine bay. Now, that would really be something.

Congrats kid! The title is well-deserved.

[GTO]

Renault Kwid : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Distinctive styling! Looks swell for an A-segment hatchback
• Value-for-money pricing. A lot of car for the money
• Well-packaged cabin with good space, comfy seats & lots of storage
• Huge 300 liter boot. 2nd biggest among all hatchbacks!
• 799 cc petrol has sufficient pep for the city. ARAI fuel efficiency rating is the highest for any petrol car
• Suspension offers a comfortable ride with neutral handling. 180 mm of ground clearance too
• Equipment in a budget car (driver's airbag, digital meter cluster, touchscreen ICE, navigation, full MID & more)

What you won't:
• 3-cylinder engine causes vibrations (especially when idling) & sounds unpleasant (as the revvs climb)
• Some essential features missing (internally adjustable ORVMs, retractable rear seatbelts etc.)
• Mediocre expressway competence. Best driven <100 km/h
• Renault's dealer & after-sales network is far weaker than that of Maruti or Hyundai
• 28 liter fuel tank is the smallest in the segment and its 5 meter turning radius the biggest
• No 1.0L engine variant like the Alto K10 & Eon 1.0

Market Response: Success! 70,000 bookings up, and waiting period running over 9 months in some cities! This is especially good coming from Renault - a brand that can't match Maruti or Hyundai at the mass market level (reputation, dealer reach etc.). November saw 5,500 dispatches, limited only by the production capacity.

[GTO]

Datsun GO+ : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Neutral, inoffensive styling that will please all & offend none. Rear doesn't look like an afterthought
• Practicality of a station wagon at the price & size of a B2 hatchback
• 1.2L engine offers adequate driveability, pep & fuel economy
• Compliant urban ride quality
• Light driving controls, small turning radius & compact footprint make it well suited to the city
• Features such as follow me home headlamps, full MID & speed-sensitive wipers
• Usable as a 5-seater with an accommodating 347 liter boot

What you won't:
• Unusable 3rd row of seats; not a 7-seater! Ingress & egress are tricky too
• Cost cutting is obvious, inside-out
• Very noisy. Overall NVH levels are poor
• Light and flimsy build quality raises safety concerns
• Awful 155 mm Strada brand tyres lock easily. No ABS on any variant
• Datsun still lacks brand recall in India. Also, Nissan's after-sales service network is substandard
• Missing essentials (rear wash & wipe, glovebox lid, retractable rear seatbelts, ORVM adjustment stalks, day/night IRVM, proper head-unit)

Market Response: Flop. Sales are currently hovering between the 600 - 700 / month mark. Datsun brand itself was a flawed strategy and Indians don't like any car that screams c-h-e-a-p.

[GTO]

Ford Figo : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Aston Martin-esque face looks very stylish!
• Value for money positioning. Priced lower than the Swift
• Powerful & efficient 1.5L diesel engine. Good driveability too
• Compliant ride quality. Suspension is tuned for comfort
• Airbags across the range. Titanium+ variant gets 6 airbags!
• Well-packaged cabin offers good legroom, lots of features and a chilling air-con
• Dual-clutch Automatic with a bigger 1.5L petrol, ESP, traction control & hill start assist

What you won't:
• Commuter 1.2L petrol is unimpressive. A mediocre engine
• Ordinary handling and lighter build quality are a departure from the usual Ford characteristics
• Cabin width makes the Figo suited to 4 adults, not 5
• 14" rims look too puny. Tyres could be wider, especially for the fast diesel
• Rear headroom is limited. Headliner brushes the heads of taller passengers
• Automatic unavailable in the fully-loaded trim
• At highway speeds, downshifts aren't as immediate as you'd expect from a dual-clutch automatic

Market Response: Too early to tell, but the first 2 months of full production hint toward an ordinary run. October & November saw 3,534 & 2,790 dispatches (respectively). 1st-gen Figo had started off on a much stronger note in 2010, but the competitive landscape then was less brutal.

[GTO]

Tata Bolt : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Build quality, fit and finish are on par with competitors. Tata has made significant improvements here
• Spacious well-designed interiors. A rare hatchback that can seat 5 adults without a fuss
• Competent 1.2L turbo-petrol & 1.3L diesel. Both offer good driveability
• Balanced suspension offers safe & neutral handling. Nice EPS too
• Light controls & agreeable ergonomics. Drives like no Tata hatchback has before
• Superb 8-speaker Harman Kardon entertainment system with navigation & video playback
• Features: 3-driving modes (Eco, Sport, City), projector headlamps, 5" touchscreen, voice commands etc.

What you won't:
• Neither engine offers strong outright performance. Both are commuter motors, nothing else
• Impractical 210 liter boot is among the smallest from this segment
• Pricing of some variants is too close to the Zest (Bolt XT vs Zest XT diesel = merely 31k)
• Ride quality is firmer than the Zest. Noise insulation not as tight as its sibling either
• AMT (automatic gearbox) & higher-tune 89 BHP diesel not on offer. Might follow later
• Poor in-cabin storage & missing niceties (Zest's DRLs & parking sensors, dead pedal, height adjustable seatbelts)
• Concerns over long-term reliability. Also, Tata's sub-par after-sales service is far from that of Maruti & Hyundai

Market Response: Flop. Since June, monthly sales have ranged between 400 - 900 cars only.

[GTO]

Ford Aspire : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Aston Martin-esque face looks very stylish!
• Value for money price & positioning
• Powerful & efficient 1.5L diesel engine. Good driveability too
• Compliant ride quality. Suspension is tuned for comfort
• Dual airbags as standard (a segment first). Titanium+ variant gets 6 airbags!
• Well-packaged cabin offers adequate space, lots of features, comfy leather seats and a chilling air-con
• Dual-clutch Automatic with a bigger 1.5L petrol, ESP, traction control & hill start assist

What you won't:
• Commuter 1.2L petrol is unimpressive. A mediocre engine
• Drives like any other mass market sedan...but not like a Ford. Ordinary handling
• Lighter build quality isn't as solid as Fords usually are
• Cabin width makes the Aspire suited to 4 adults, not 5
• 14" rims & 175 mm tyres are too puny, especially for the fast diesel
• 359 liter boot is smaller than that of the Amaze & Xcent (~400 liters)
• AT unavailable in the fully-loaded trim. Period

Market Response: Will have to watch the numbers for a bit longer. 4 months since launch, but each month has seen a drop over the previous (November = merely 2,366 units). Expected to settle at ordinary levels.

[GTO]

Maruti Baleno : Official Review



What you'll like:
• A well-priced, smart looking hatchback
• User-friendly cabin with loads of space! Can easily seat 5 tall adults
• Accommodating 339 liter boot. The 2nd biggest among hatchbacks (after the Jazz)
• Peppy petrol, efficient diesel & smooth automatic - take your pick
• Comfortable ride quality matched to neutral handling
• Dual Airbags & ABS with EBD are standard across all variants!
• Maruti's excellent after-sales service & fuss-free ownership experience
• Loaded with features such as UV-cut glass, projector headlamps + DRLs, reversing camera, Apple CarPlay, navigation, electrically-foldable ORVMs and more

What you won't:
• Ordinary interior quality is Swift-like. Several budget parts in here
• Rear seat headroom & under-thigh support are limited for tall passengers
• Light build quality (weighs merely 865 kilos). Lacks the solidity of its rivals
• CVT variant only in Delta trim (one above base). Suffers from rubber-band effect on the highway too
• More substantial & premium Elite i20 is priced only Rs. 17,000 - 37,000 above
• Waiting period running over 4 months for some variants / cities
• Sold exclusively through Nexa outlets. Limits the reach of the car

Market Response: Super success! 40,000+ bookings up. 9,000+ factory dispatches in November.

[GTO]

Honda Jazz : Official Review



What you’ll like:
• Versatile package wearing sharp clothes. One car for several roles
• Spacious, user-friendly cabin. Easily the roomiest hatchback in India
• Big 354 liter boot is the segment best. Magic seats bring tons of flexibility
• Practical & efficient diesel, refined & revv-happy petrol and a convenient CVT. Take your pick
• Comfortable ride quality. Much improved over the older Jazz
• Light controls and easy maneuverability. Effortless to drive in the city
• Features such as feather-touch climate control, reversing camera, touchscreen ICE, paddle shifters (CVT) & more

What you won’t:
• Loud diesel engine is nowhere as refined as the Elite i20's. Doesn't like high rpms either
• 1.2L petrol has a weak bottom end. Feels lethargic <2,500 rpm
• On-road premium for diesel is Rs. 1.3 - 1.5 lakhs! That's higher than the competition
• Magic seats only on the top variant (earlier Jazz had them on all trim levels)
• CVT unavailable with the VX trim! No fully loaded Automatic
• Skinny 175 mm tyres. All competitors offer thicker rubber (Elite i20 = 195 mm)
• Missing goodies (steering reach adjustment, keyless entry & go, rear air-con vents, driver armrest & proper dead pedal)

Market Response: Success. Performance has been strong since launch (though nowhere as good as the i20).

[GTO]

Mahindra TUV300 : Official Review



What you'll like:
• 7-seater SUV at a price comparable to budget sedans
• Robust, abuse-friendly build & construction. Great street presence too
• Nice & roomy cabin. 1st & 2nd seat rows are spacious
• 1.5L diesel offers good city driveability & fuel economy
• AMT available. The cheapest automatic SUV in India
• Dual airbags & ABS offered on every variant
• Features such as static bending lamps, 2 front armrests, adjustable lumbar support, Blue Sense App, economy modes etc.

What you won't:
• 3-cylinder diesel has no top-end. Slow expressway performance
• Mediocre NVH levels, especially in the area of vibrations
• Ride quality is nowhere as cushy as its car-based rivals. Does get bouncy
• Steering is on the heavier side at parking / low speeds
• 4x4 not available, even as an option
• Mahindra's after-sales service quality is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble
• Some important features missing (rear a/c vents, seatbelt height adjustment, dead pedal etc.)

Market Response: Has had a successful start. Expected to continue its strong performance.

[GTO]

Renault Lodgy : Official Review



What you’ll like:
• An all-rounded & practical 7 seater MPV. 3rd seat row is usable too
• Priced between the Ertiga & Innova. Top variant is ~Rs. 4 lakh cheaper than the Toyota
• Robust, abuse-friendly build & construction
• 109 BHP diesel is fast, refined & fuel-efficient. 84 BHP variant has superb driveability
• Outstanding ride quality. Comfortable over any kind of road
• Car-like to drive. Balanced handling and dynamics
• Features: Touchscreen ICE, cruise control, navigation, adjustable lumbar support etc.
• Boot space of 207 - 1,861 liters. Innumerable passenger : cargo combinations possible

What you won’t:
• Limited 2nd row legroom. This seat lacks the fore & aft adjustment of its competitors
• 109 BHP diesel suffers from turbo-lag below 1,800 rpm
• Boxy, unappealing styling (especially the rear end)
• Low 3rd-row seat means you sit with your knees pointing upward
• 185/65 R15 tyres are too small for a people carrier. Same tyre size as the Swift!
• Renault's service network isn't a patch on that of Maruti or Toyota
• Owners of the mechanically-identical Duster have reported the occasional niggles

Market Response: Flop. Selling merely 250 - 500 copies a month since July.

[GTO]

Maruti S-Cross : Official Review



What you’ll like:
• Solid build & good quality, inside out
• Powerful 1.6L diesel with 320 Nm of torque. Superb mid-range and top-end performance
• Mature ride & handling package. High speed behaviour is exceptional
• Practical interiors, spacious cabin and supportive seats
• Maruti's excellent after-sales support network
• All variants get 4 wheel disc brakes, ABS & dual airbags
• Feature loaded: Bi-xenon headlamps, leather seats, cruise control, 7" touchscreen ICE etc.

What you won’t:
• Unappealing styling. Looks like a big hatchback (not a crossover / SUV)
• 1.6L diesel variant is overpriced. 3 lakh rupee premium over the 1.3L!
• 1.6L diesel suffers from turbo-lag until 1,750 rpm
• No petrol engine, no automatic transmission, no AWD
• 353 liter boot - though well shaped - is small for a car of this size & positioning
• Sold only through ~35 NEXA dealerships, thereby limiting its availability
• Noise insulation is below average for a premium car

Market Response: Continuously declining. 4 straight month-on-month losses. I expect it to settle at mediocre levels.

[GTO]

Hyundai Creta : Official Review



What you’ll like:
• An all-rounded urban SUV. Perfect size for Indian cities...good looking too!
• Well packaged interiors offer sufficient legroom & headroom
• Excellent 1.6L petrol & diesel engines. Awesome refinement levels
• Automatic + diesel combination available. 6-speed AT is very smooth
• Balanced suspension offers comfortable ride quality & neutral handling
• Hyundai's reliability, competent after-sales & 3 year unlimited kms warranty
• Equipment such as 6 airbags, ESP, touchscreen ICE, hill-start assist, reversing camera & more

What you won’t:
• Premium pricing! Most BHPians feel that it's overpriced by Rs. 1 - 1.5 lakhs
• Several missing features, big & small. Disappointing at this price point
• Petrol MT & Diesel AT are unavailable in the SX(O) trim. Petrol AT not offered at all
• Rear seat is more suitable for 2 adults, not 3
• No AWD capability like the Duster & XUV500. Adventure tourers, look elsewhere
• Some competitors offer you 3 seat rows for the same money
• Waiting periods have already begun. Over 6 months in many cities

Market Response: Super success! Currently the best selling Rs. 10 - 15 lakh SUV in India.

[GTO]

Chevrolet Trailblazer : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Big size & presence matched to a solid build
• Spacious interiors with ample room in the 1st & 2nd seat rows
• Fast 2.8L turbo-diesel with 500 Nm of torque! Smooth 6-speed AT too
• Class-leading 241 mm of ground clearance & 800 mm of water wading capability
• Urban ride quality is more compliant than the Toyota Fortuner
• Equipment such as electric seat (driver), touchscreen audio, reversing camera & 18" rims
• Safety kit includes all-round disc brakes, ESP, TC, CBC, Hill Start Assist & more

What you won't:
• No 4x4 available! All direct competitors offer 4x4 / AWD
• Missing equipment (steering reach adjustment, navigation, sunroof, auto-dimming IRVM etc.)
• Unsettled high speed ride, especially at the rear
• Lazy AT gearbox is slow to respond to kickdown / downshift commands
• Only two airbags in such an expensive car
• Available in a single variant that's more expensive than the Fortuner 4x2 AT
• Mediocre fuel economy due to the 2000+ kilo weight, AT & powerful diesel

Market Response: Too early to tell, but off to a very slow start of merely ~70 units a month. Not expected to make any impact on the segment.

Mercedes CLA-Class : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Gorgeous styling! A head-turner wherever she goes
• 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
• Well-tuned suspension offers a balanced ride & handling package
• Equipment: 17" 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:
• Very expensive for a small sedan
• Mediocre 134 BHP diesel engine. Ordinary highway performance
• A 4-seater at best. Rear headroom is scarce. Legroom comparable to B2-segment hatchbacks
• Transmission isn't as quick to shift as a dual-clutch ought to be
• Spare tyre significantly reduces the usable luggage space
• Diesel's Sport variant costs 5 lakhs more (on the road) than Style. Also, petrol available in a single variant only

Market Response: Good for a premium car

[GTO]

DC Avanti



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Land Rover Discovery Sport



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[GTO]

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