[karan561]

Abarth Punto is the winner to me majorly for the following reasons;

1) Manual Gearbox
2) Hydraulic Steering
3) Excellent Dynamics & Stability
4) Fantastic Braking
5) Accesible Pricing

All the best to other cars tho

[vanam]

Good post GTO. I would add the Honda Brio. Even though it is not perceived as a "Hot Hatch", the 4 pot 1.2 Vtec is a very peppy engine. Combine that with the low weight, well distributed chassis with wheels almost at the corners, and you have a cracker of a car.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by cp171185

Great post! Going through the post feels delicious for car enthusiasts like us! However, I am wondering, why Hyundai Verna 1.6 litre Diesel engine could not find place in the list. Excellent Car in all respect my opinion, except a tight rear space.

Cheers!

Is it just the engine or the car as a whole you are referring to?

If it is the car, please do provide some points for it be in this thread since I am not aware of any enthusiastic bit in it apart from the engine which was a stonker anyway from the first gen Verna diesel.

[cp171185]

Originally Posted by tharian

Is it just the engine or the car as a whole you are referring to?

If it is the car, please do provide some points for it be in this thread since I am not aware of any enthusiastic bit in it apart from the engine which was a stonker anyway from the first gen Verna diesel.

I have actually mentioned "in all aspect" though, which can be taken from the official review itself.

And the engine is the heart of the matter, so of course its the main point of when analyzing any car, though obviously other aspects do matter a lot. For Verna you can find the details here:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...ml#post4314791 (Hyundai Verna : Official Review)


PS: Its my personal opinion, not necessary to buy it.

[agambhandari]

Tiago JTP and the Freestyle diesel would be my best pick for the affordable cars that are fun to drive. above that Honda city is the evergreen choice but then there is a big gap between the city and Octavia vRS or even TSI.

Another point i would like to make is that apart from vRS the other TSI cars use the dreaded DQ200 which personally is a deal breaker for me. And in something like GT TSI, it not only hurts the reliability but also affordability. Imagine a Manual 1.2 TSI at under 8 lacs ex showroom, most of us would be happier to buy that at a premium over the NA 1.2 and 1.0 . VW given its vast engine range and good number of cross compatible parts could easily give us a car for enthusiasts at a realistic price, dont see a clear reason why they dont.

Edit: How could i forget my own Ecoboost Ecosport? I would consider it to be adequate and with just the right amount of power and good dynamics. All the aspects are good in isolation and the overall product is fantastic, but a big part about it is the competition that still doesnt have as good a combination in all aspects. But the current pricing borders on ridiculous at 11-12 lacs for a well loaded model ex showroom. Launch pricing was perfect and ford is making hay while the competition is catching up. (Remember how 3rd gen city got a random price correction, hoping that happens with the facelifted ES as well). I would recommend looking at the freestyle and city more closely since they are much better VFM with equal fun.

[arindambasu13]

Another addition to the list would be the Ecosport. With its new Dragon engine, both the diesel as well as the petrol variants offer decent fun factor. Of course, neither are road scorchers in terms of performance, but certainly a fun to drive pick in the compact SUV segment.

In fact, the compact SUV segment is one of the most coveted in the Indian market due to the versatility that GTO has mentioned in the opening post of this thread. I do feel it deserves a mention.

Also, I am eagerly awaiting the facelifted Figo Sports version. Hopefully Ford will launch it soon after the revised Figo hits our market. Early 2019 perhaps?

I continue to be disappointed at the lacklustre initiatives of all automobile giants when it comes to launching performance variants for the Indian market. The sports bike segment was launched hesitatingly in India, but it has grown in leaps and bounds with plentiful choices being offered at all budgets. How long will car manufacturers keep crying that India will not buy higher priced performance variants of their hatchbacks? The delay and hesitation on this one aspect just irritates me no end!

[Surya-TJet]

Fantastic Thread...

Just wondering why you left out the compact SUVs on offer..

I currently own a Ford Ecosport Titanium TDCi (2017 Pre-Facelift). While its not a sedan in terms of cornering ability; its go-anywhere nature and the stability at good triple digit speeds is most endearing to me.

Now with a plan for remap on the cards, that 125 bhp / 270 Nm tune would suit it just right with those sticky Michelin P3STs which I opted for on Day-Zero of my car purchase (that 21k premium for 5 new tires is worth even today after 23k kms in 1.5 years).

Maybe once my extended warranty is over; I might opt for EGR-Delete with blanking plate + Downpipe upgrade (If I retain the car at that point).

Hopefully my dreams of owning a fast performance sedan might get fulfilled in about a decade I suppose (fingers crossed)..

[GTO]

Originally Posted by peus017

I am surprised, SUV's don't get a place here(except Jeep, Gypsy and Thar).

The Compass is a part of the list. Other than that, I can't think of any SUV that is fun to drive.

Originally Posted by cp171185

However, I am wondering, why Hyundai Verna 1.6 litre Diesel engine could not find place in the list.

Handling & steering aren't to an enthusiast's tastes.

Originally Posted by vanam

Good post GTO. I would add the Honda Brio. Even though it is not perceived as a "Hot Hatch", the 4 pot 1.2 Vtec is a very peppy engine.

Thank you sir! Added

[giri1.8]

Freestyle would be my pick! It has the looks, power, handling, reliability and practicality. Safety is not bad either, figo(same platform) had only 3stars, but traction control can help us out of emergency situations, 6 airbags will help too.

Tiago would have been my pick, but bad experience with Tigor has made me realise that reliability matters me more than anything else.

[cp171185]

Originally Posted by GTO

Handling & steering aren't to an enthusiast's tastes.

True that, but I guess the handling has improved a lot in current generation as compared to previous generations. It is mentioned in official review as well, IIRC. May be it has to improve further to get into the list. Anyway, no need to drag this discussion, we can move on.

And if I need to pick from the list, I will choose Octavia VRS. Low GC & after sales support are issues though.

[myavu]

WOW! Thanks for this super compilation

Originally Posted by GTO

Ford Figo Sports Edition

Official Review

Ford Freestyle

Official Review

I may add New 2018 Figo Asprire TDCi to this list too. Absolute FTD with that super duper mileage


Cheers!


Vinu

[JoshMachine]

Wow thread, thanks GTO for "bringing out" the enthusiast in us!

Wondering if a poll of sorts will be a good idea (maybe as per car segment) to see which car takes the maximum cheers from all, us petrolheads.
You know, something like ECOTY = Enthusiast's Car Of The Year?

We could also probably take it to the next level to check for data from the monthly sales analysis (not sure if the variant level info is actually available for such a comparison) and try to find out factual correlation of enthusiast likes to what the aam junta purchases.

If there is a poll, then I would go for the Octavia vRS, without batting an eyelid!

On a related note, wouldn't the Vento 1.2 TSi qualify in this league, or its omission is due its younger sibling stealing the thunder already?

[PrideRed]

The Polo GTI should actually replace the GT TSI. Among the one's mentioned Octavia vRS seem to be bang for the buck. I think SUV's are not FTD is a misnomer. Well it definitely won't accelerate or handle like a hot hatch or a vRS but bring on bad roads/state highways and you will know what is more fun to drive .

D-MAX is a surprise to me in the list. Engine at the best is relaxed and handling is neutral. Barring exclusive looks, Fortuner/Endeavour/Pajero are any day more fun, be it highway or offroad.

[superbad]

Originally Posted by GTO

Maruti Gypsy
Attachment 1814292

Disagree about Gypsy being included in this list. Yes, it is mechanically sound, reliable & is 4x4. But it has probably the worst handling of all cars in India. The steering has huge free play & is absolutely lifeless. There's no connection whatsoever with the road. In my humble opinion, these are extremely important attributes for an enthusiast's car. Note that I've not even touched upon grouses such as thirsty engine, painful ergonomics coupled with cramped & awful feeling interiors (since we are talking from a pure driving pleasure perspective).

Agree with the rest of the cars. Great thread, food for thought for potential enthusiast buyers

Mod Note: Please quote ONLY the relevant bits of a post. Quoting a full, long post inconveniences our mobile readers.

[NaXal]

Happy to have one of the cars in this list. Well, not exactly same but Figo with boot.

Aspire 1.5 TDCi Titanium (pre facelift) felt really value for money. For me, it was given at same rate as DZire (pre facelift) VDi.

This package scores good marks in all subjects, like Practicalities, Reliability, Low Maintenance, great mileage, best in class A/C, Safety, decent headlight performance, great ride quality. Perfect all rounder for commuting, touring or as a family car.

Now on top when you add that explosive 100ps engine, it is really hard to say NO to this car.

Seat behind the wheel and satisfaction is guaranteed.