[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 our car of 2017.

Listed below are the launches of 2017. 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 55 - 60 lakh rupees, and many fully-imported-cars (CBUs), have been excluded from our COTY. Reason = Low relevance & commitment to the marketplace.
• The 2016 COTY.
• As has always been the case, we insist there will only be ONE Team-BHP Car of the Year. Why? Simply because we don't believe in handing out an award for the "door pocket of the year" or "foglamp of the year" (as examples). Some award ceremonies have 25 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 2017.

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

EDIT on 28th December:

Originally Posted by GTO

With 44% of BHPian votes, it's a clean sweep for the Compass! This Jeep is the Team-BHP Car of 2017 .

It's also the 1st time that a brand has won our COTY with its debut product (am ignoring the CBU Cherokee & Wrangler which had zero relevance & sales). It says a lot about the Compass' price & positioning. Yes, the cabin space, owner-reported niggles & weirdly planned variants are disappointing. But the combination of the Jeep brand + styling + pricing + solid build + mature suspension + sweet 2.0L diesel has clearly proven irresistible for many.

Very well-deserved, Jeep & FCA. Now go out and take the utmost care of your 2-million-rupee customers. They've put a lot of faith in an unknown product, backed by a company with a damaged reputation.

[GTO]

Maruti Ignis : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Unique, funky design - exterior & interior stand out in a crowd. Customisation options available
• Smart packaging! Good legroom & headroom in such a small car. Useable 260-liter boot too
• Peppy petrol & efficient diesel. What’s more, the AMT automatic is available with both engines
• Dual airbags, ABS with EBD and ISOFIX child seat anchors are standard across all variants
• Maruti's widespread service network, excellent after-sales support & fuss-free ownership experiences
• Features such as LED projector headlamps + DRLs, reversing camera, Apple & Android ICE, navigation, electrically-foldable ORVMs etc.

What you won't:
• Simply overpriced, not a VFM Maruti. Top trim is especially pricey
• You can buy more accomplished cars for the same (Grand i10) or a little more (Baleno) money
• Weird rear end styling. Overall, the unconventional looks will polarize opinions
• AMT, although improved, still can’t match conventional ATs on smoothness or speed
• Narrow cabin width. Rear seat is better for 2 adults than 3
• 32-liter fuel tank is too small for this segment. Even the humble Alto gets a larger tank

Market Response: Decent. 6-month average of 3,725 / month which is nice for an overpriced car with polarising looks, but not at all 'excellent' by Maruti's usual standards.

[GTO]

Tata Tigor : Official Review



What you’ll like:
• Great styling. A chic-looking compact sedan. Solid build too
• Tata has put in a lot of effort on quality and it shows
• Well-priced for what it offers; undercuts all the direct competitors
• High quality, nicely designed cabin. Lots of storage and a segment best 419-litre boot
• Good driveability (both engines), a compliant ride & neutral road manners
• Amazing 8-speaker Harman entertainment system. Sounds top class!
• Feature list with 2 driving modes, parking sensors, cooled glovebox, touchscreen ICE etc.

What you won't:
• Mediocre 3-cylinder engines. They lag behind the competition in performance & refinement
• Most other compact sedans have standard airbags. The Tigor doesn’t (only on top variant)
• Concerns over long-term reliability, more so of the freshly developed engines
• 6-month service interval is too frequent! A 1 year interval is the segment norm
• A rare Tata car that cannot seat 5 (best for 4 adults)
• Tata's after-sales experience remains a gamble. Service quality is far from that of Maruti & Hyundai

Market Response: Poor. A new mass-market sedan that's not even able to sustain the 2,000 / month level in 3 of the last 6 months. Sales will sink lower in 2018 unless commercial segment is aggressively tapped. Launch timing couldn't have been worse as it was too close to the new Dzire's launch.

[GTO]

Maruti Dzire : Official Review



What you'll like:
• A great looking Dzire…and an all-rounder too
• Smart packaging! Spacious, stylish & practical cabin. Boot has grown to 378 litres
• Sweet petrol & efficient diesel. AMT available with both engines for just 47k extra
• Suspension offers a compliant ride & neutral on-road behaviour
• Impressively equipped (LED headlamps + DRLs, reversing camera, Apple & Android touchscreen ICE…)
• Dual airbags, ABS & ISOFIX child seat mounts are standard across all variants
• Maruti's widespread service network, excellent after-sales support & fuss-free ownership experiences

What you won't:
• “Z” trims are pricey. The top-end diesels & automatics cost a million bucks!
• Old 1.3L diesel is nowhere as competent as the Ford & VW 1.5L diesels
• AMT, although improved, can’t match conventional ATs on smoothness & speed. Still gets jerky
• You can buy proper ATs (e.g. torque-converter or DCT) for the same $$$ as the Dzire AMT
• 163 mm of ground clearance & small 37-liter fuel tank do raise concerns
• Some misses (auto-dimming IRVM, skinny 165 mm tyres on L & V variants, smaller spare tyre on the Z trims...)
• Waiting periods have already begun. They currently stretch up to 3 months

Market Response: A smash hit - Maruti hit this one out of the park! Has sold over 30,000 units in August & September. The Dzire alone sells more than the cumulative sales of the no.3 car manufacturer in India.

[GTO]

Tata Nexon : Official Review



What you’ll like:
• Very well-priced for what it offers. Undercuts all rivals
• Funky styling ensures that the Nexon stands out from the crowd
• Solid build & construction, unlike many of its flimsy competitors
• Nice, spacious cabin with comfortable seats. You get a practical 350-liter boot too
• 1.5L diesel & 1.2L petrol offer good performance. Diesel is especially impressive
• Balanced road manners for such a tall car. Fine EPS & 209 mm of ground clearance!
• Loaded with features: Driving modes, LED DRLs, reversing camera, 8-speaker ICE etc.
• Dual airbags, ABS & Isofix child seat mounts are standard on all variants

What you won’t:
• Overdone design will be a turnoff for many of you. Rear end is way too busy
• Jiggly low speed ride; bumps are felt in the city (unlike other Tata cars)
• 3-cylinder petrol can't match 4-cylinder competition in NVH. Has lag too
• The observant eye will notice some rough edges in fit, finish & quality
• Concerns over long-term reliability, more so of the freshly developed engines
• Missing essentials (telescopic steering adjustment, auto-dimming IRVM, proper dead pedal)
• Tata's inconsistent after-sales experience is far from that of Maruti & Hyundai
• Shorter service / checkup interval of 6 months & 7,500 km (rivals have 12-month gaps)

Market Response: Too early to tell as we only have 3 months of sales data, yet I can say that the initial response is encouraging (4,163 in November).

[GTO]

Honda WR-V : Official Review



What you’ll like:
• Crossover styling, taller seating position & 188 mm of ground clearance
• Interior space is awesome, with a practical boot too. Honda’s packaging skills are brilliant!
• 1.5L diesel offers excellent driveability & fuel economy
• Well-tuned suspension; a supple, cushy ride matched to neutral handling
• Features such as the segment-first sunroof, feather-touch climate control, LED DRLs, cruise control, reversing camera, touchscreen ICE & more

What you won’t:
• Unimpressive 1.2L petrol has a weak bottom end. Honda should’ve gotten their tasty 1.5L here
• Diesel’s NVH still has holes to fill, especially at higher revs
• Strangely, no automatic! This & the Mobilio are the only Hondas without an AT option
• Petrol is inexplicably lesser equipped than the diesel (keyless start & go, cruise control)
• Missing features! Magic seats, rear air-con vents & adjustable headrests, auto-dimming IRVM, height adjustable seatbelts, auto headlights

Market Response: Good. Sales average of ~4,300 cars over the last 6 months. In October & November though, the numbers dropped to the 3.5k level - Honda needs to push the WR-V harder and also sort out its variant / equipment problems.

[GTO]

Hyundai Verna : Official Review



What you'll like:
• A true all-rounder. Elantra-esque styling packs appeal too
• The overall package is well-priced. Offers good value for money
• Refined 1.6L diesel & petrol engines mated to smooth 6-speed MTs & ATs
• Precise build & quality (including interiors) are easily among the segment best
• Suspension delivers a compliant ride & neutral road manners
• Loaded with kit! Hands-free boot, cooled seats, sunroof, rear sunshade, AutoLink etc.
• Dual airbags, ABS & ISOFIX mounts are standard on all variants. SX(O) gets 6 airbags
• Hyundai's reliability, competent after-sales & 3-year unlimited km warranty

What you won't:
• Rear seat isn't as spacious as that of the City & Ciaz. SX(O)'s hard seatback makes it worse
• Missing essentials! Reach-adjustable steering, auto wipers, auto-folding ORVMs…
• Diesel AT is unavailable in the fully-loaded variant!
• On select variants, the diesel motor carries a steep premium over the petrol (SX = 1.69 lakhs)
• Petrol AT isn't as fuel efficient as a couple of its rivals
• While the driving experience has improved, some competitors are still more exciting to drive
• Loses the rear disc brakes that the last-gen Verna was launched with. Braking feel & bite leave a lot to be desired

Market Response: Success. With the City & Ciaz ruling the C2-segment, Hyundai had to pull out all the stops. They did & how! The car is an all-rounder, backed by very good pricing. The Verna was the segment no.1 in September & October and no.2 in November. Such cars intensify the segment's competitiveness and make things better for the people who matter most = us customers.

[GTO]

Renault Captur : Launch Thread



Market Response: It's only just started production, so can't tell.

[GTO]

Tata Hexa : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Smart styling & substantial presence. Solid build & paint quality too
• Spacious, high quality and comfortable interiors. Even 3rd row is rather useable
• 6-speed AT is smooth & competent. Perfectly mated to the 2.2L diesel
• Excellent ride quality. Comfortable over any kind of road
• Features such as selectable driving modes, auto headlamps & wipers, ORVM demister...
• Awesome 10-speaker JBL audio system. Sound quality is fantastic!
• Topnotch safety kit includes 6 airbags, ESP, TC, ABS, EBD, hill hold / descent control etc.
• AWD with electronic wizardry & 200 mm of ground clearance

What you won't:
• Automatic variant unavailable with AWD, ESP & super drive modes
• Missing essentials (steering reach adjustment, smartkey entry & go, auto-dimming IRVM...)
• Access to the 3rd row is flawed in the captain seat (6-seater) version
• Heavy steering (low speeds), long travel MT shifter, big size & wide turning radius are annoying in the city
• Fat 2,280 kg kerb weight blunts performance & efficiency. Competition is 400 kilos lighter!
• Concerns over niggling issues & long-term reliability
• Tata's after-sales service remains a hit or miss

Market Response: There are two ways of looking at it. First, the Hexa is getting clobbered by its direct competitors; despite being newer, it's sold less than half of the XUV500 in the last 6 months. On the other hand, the Hexa is selling multiple times that of the car it's basically an improved version of (the flopped Aria). Furthermore, an average of 1,150 customers each month have paid 15 - 20 lakh rupees for an expensive Tata product. That in itself is an achievement as brand Tata still carries a lot of baggage in the marketplace. I'll say that the Hexa has performed 'above expectation'.

[GTO]

Jeep Compass : Official Review



What you'll like:
• Handsome Cherokee-inspired styling & loads of character
• Solid build. Feels very robust, just as a Jeep should
• Powerful 2.0L diesel. Good driveability in the city, fast on the open road
• Mature suspension setup, nicely-tuned EPS & rock-solid stability
• Capable AWD available (unlike some competitors)
• City-friendly: Compact size, higher seating, smooth gearshift, soft clutch & low NVH
• Topnotch safety: Strong all-disc brakes, a plethora of electronic aids & 6 airbags
• We think the Compass is well-priced for what it offers. The driving experience & overall package feel premium

What you won't:
• Small size for the price! A sentiment echoed by most people who saw it in person
• Suitable for 4 adults, not 5. Narrow cabin
• Inexplicably, only the AWD Diesel gets 6 airbags! All other variants have 2
• Tiny dealership network. Plus, after-sales quality & long-term reliability are unknown factors
• AWD's premium is over 2 lakh rupees on-the-road. Includes 4 extra airbags, but is still too much
• Diesel Automatic is still sometime away
• Turning radius of 5.65m is more than the Safari Storme's. Also, 17º approach angle is too low
• Missing goodies (blanks on the steering, auto-dimming IRVM, auto wipers & headlamps, lumbar adjustment, reclinable rear seats)

Market Response: Success - the car that brought FCA back on the map! A 20-lakh SUV from the most damaged car company in India selling an average of 2,500 / month (September - November) is super impressive. The allure of the Jeep brand & its sexy styling have proven too hard to resist. And once you drive the 2.0L diesel, you can't help but reach for your cheque book. The automatic variants (especially the upcoming Diesel AT) will only widen its appeal.

[GTO]

Isuzu MU-X : Ownership Report



Market Response: Isuzu doesn't share its sales numbers, but based on hearsay, this SUV has flopped.

[GTO]

Volkswagen Tiguan : Official Review



What you'll like:
• A well-built European SUV with classy styling
• Spacious, high-quality cabin. Big 615-liter boot too
• Smooth 7-speed DSG automatic. Lightning quick upshifts
• Impressive highway stability & handling for a Crossover
• AWD is standard. Good for touring & tackling rough terrain
• Loaded with features & technology (including a beautiful panoramic sunroof)
• 5-star NCAP rating & top-notch safety kit

What you won't:
• Overpriced by a couple of lakhs! Heavy premium over the Hyundai Tucson
• Many will find the design too bland & understated. Lacks street cred
• Engine feels adequate, but isn't exciting. You'd expect more power at this price
• Stiff ride quality, especially on the back seat (our test car had the 18" rims)
• Despite this being a new wet clutch DSG, we have our finger's crossed on its reliability
• No cheaper MT or FWD variants
• VW's sub-par dealership & service experiences

Market Response: Too overpriced, and many deal-breakers too (including the inflated price tag, boring styling & ride quality). Through October & November, the Tiguan has already started gasping for breath (50 - 60 cars). My prediction is this SUV will flop.

[GTO]

Volkswagen Passat : Launch Thread



Market Response: Just driving it and I can tell you that it's an Audi A6 without the badge. A brilliant all-rounder. Problem is, no one wants to pay so much money for a VW. Starting off with 39 dispatches in September, it climbed up to 79 in October before falling to 33 in November. In the same period, the older Skoda Superb managed over 2X the volumes of the Passat. In the premium segments, it looks impossible for VW to beat Skoda, whether in sedans or SUVs (the Kodiaq is also murdering the Tiguan). I predict that the Passat will end up as a flop.

[GTO]

Skoda Kodiaq : Launch Thread



Market Response: Skoda is onto something here. It's priced higher than expected, yet the product is simply awesome. We have merely 3 months of sales data, but the initial response & word on the street is encouraging (289 in October & 267 in November). There's nothing like the Kodiaq in the segment (7-seater premium car-based SUV). While the Official Review is being readied, you can read my first impressions at this link.

[GTO]

Toyota Prius : Launch Thread



BMW 5-Series (G30) : Ownership Report



Audi A5 : Launch Thread



Mercedes E-Class : Review



What you'll like:
• A gamechanger in the Rs. 50-70 lakh segment. Unreal opulence
• Spacious, luxurious cabin. Limousine-like rear seat experience is sublime
• Creamy 6-cylinder diesel (620 Nm of torque!) mated to a fantastic 9-speed AT
• Comfortable ride quality & solid on-road behaviour
• Top notch equipment includes an air suspension, auto-parking, reclining rear seat…
• 5-star safety tech, rating & kit – a Mercedes trademark

What you won't:
• Uninvolving to drive; a cruiser, not a corner carver
• Ridiculous price gap between the E200 & E350 (almost Rs. 18 lakhs on the road)
• No wheel well in the boot. Spare tyre greatly compromises luggage space
• XL wheelbase means it will scrape over large speedbreakers
• 4-cylinder petrol is weak for a car of this class. E200 is for backseat owners only
• Integrity of the trim material, although well-finished (plastic chrome, fake leather, no felt lining in door pockets)

Lexus ES300h : Review & Owner's Take



Volvo V90 Cross Country : Review



What you will like:
• Eye-catching and rugged, yet looks elegant
• Brilliant, best in class interiors
• Well equipped with 4-zone climate control, massage seats, 17-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system
• Balanced and secure handling
• High level of safety
• Strong, punchy performance

What you won't:
• 20" wheels and low profile tyres compromise rough road ability
• Low speed ride is knobbly on rutted roads
• Autobox is slow, indecisive during press-on driving
• Engine is slightly noisy under acceleration
• Boy racers might find the relaxed nature of the car underwhelming
• Sparse dealer network

Volvo XC60 : Thread (launching in December)