Team-BHP > The Indian Car Scene


View Poll Results: Your choice?
Hyundai Santro 113 5.75%
Maruti Swift 179 9.11%
Honda Amaze 266 13.54%
Maruti Ertiga 116 5.91%
Toyota Yaris 107 5.45%
Mahindra Marazzo 726 36.97%
Mahindra Alturas G4 86 4.38%
Honda CR-V 20 1.02%
Mitsubishi Outlander 11 0.56%
Mini Countryman 6 0.31%
Volvo XC40 227 11.56%
BMW X3 61 3.11%
Lexus NX 300h 7 0.36%
Audi Q5 10 0.51%
Lexus ES 300h 29 1.48%
Voters: 1964. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 7th December 2018, 16:53   #1
GTO
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Team-BHP Car of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Mahindra Marazzo

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 2018. The Team-BHP COTY is by car owners & enthusiasts, not advertorial experts & paid jury members. Just as well since us car owners are the ones who pay the auto industry's bills .

Listed below are the launches of 2018. 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 ALL-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 Indian marketplace.
  • The 2017 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 "sunroof of the year" or "bonnet 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 2018.
Looking forward to your votes, and also the reasoning behind your choice. Thanks!

EDIT on 27th December:
Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Gathering 37% of the poll & with 726 BHPian votes, the Mahindra Marazzo is Team-BHP's Car of 2018!

In terms of product engineering & market positioning, Mahindra has hit the bull's eye. A true all-rounder, and the 4-star NCAP safety rating was the icing on the cake. Wishlist? A competent 6-speed AT. Mahindra did a fantastic job with the XUV500 AT and I expect as good a match between the engine & gearbox for the Marazzo .

Impressed with the Honda Amaze getting the 2nd spot. Should tell Honda why it shouldn't diverge from its brand values. The new Amaze is so much improved over the older car, while the CVT + Diesel combination is a master-piece in the budget segment. Equally amazed with the Volvo XC40 garnering 227 votes. I believe this is the first time that a luxury car has gotten this volume of votes in our COTY. Says a lot about Volvo's turnaround in terms of image & product, both. I don't think any luxury car has ever been on the Team-BHP podium.


Last edited by GTO : 27th December 2018 at 10:43.
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Old 7th December 2018, 16:53   #2
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Hyundai Santro : Launch thread



Market Response: Only just launched, so can't tell. That said, considering it has already clocked over 40,000 bookings, we can safely assume that the Santro is a success.

Last edited by GTO : 7th December 2018 at 17:05.
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Old 7th December 2018, 16:53   #3
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Maruti Swift : Official Review



What you'll like:

• The same successful formula (including good looks)...now improved
• Stylish black cabin, with better rear seat space & boot capacity than the outgoing car
• Sweet petrol & an efficient diesel. AMT available with both engines for just 47k extra
• Fun to drive, especially the slick Petrol MT. Enjoyable handling & on-road behaviour
• Impressively equipped (Auto LED headlamps + DRLs, reversing camera, Apple & Android touchscreen ICE…)
• Dual airbags, ABS & ISOFIX child seat mounts are standard across the range
• Maruti's widespread service network, excellent after-sales support & fuss-free ownership experiences

What you won't:

• The more spacious & comfortable Baleno is priced not too far away. Likewise with the i20
• Old 1.3L DDiS motor is nowhere as competent as the i20, Figo & Polo diesels
• Mediocre plastic quality (interiors) is typical Maruti grade; very ordinary
• Diesel AT is too jerky. AMT, although improved, can’t match conventional ATs on smoothness & speed
• 163 mm of ground clearance & small 37-liter fuel tank raise our eyebrows
• Some misses (auto-dimming IRVM, skinny 165 mm tyres on L & V variants, rear air-con, smaller spare tyre on the Z trims...)
• Waiting periods still exist for some variants

Market Response: A smash hit! Maruti has been selling an average of ~19,000 units every month, making it one of the best selling cars in India.

Last edited by GTO : 7th December 2018 at 17:05.
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Old 7th December 2018, 16:53   #4
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Honda Amaze : Official Review



What you'll like:

• An all-rounded compact sedan & one that's well-priced too
• Spacious, practical interiors. Ambience is far better than the outgoing car's cheap cabin
• Diesel + CVT combination is unbeatable! Indisputably the segment best
• Suspension offers comfortable ride quality with neutral on-road behaviour
• Features such as cruise control, paddle shifts (petrol AT), touchscreen ICE with Android & iOS, reversing camera…
• Dual airbags, ABS, rear parking sensors & ISOFIX are standard across the range
• 3-year unlimited km warranty, extendable to 5-years & unlimited km

What you won't:

• Tall rear passengers will find headroom to be insufficient & the fixed headrests useless
• Diesel's NVH, although improved, is far from class-leading. Not high-rpm friendly either
• Petrol CVT is fair within the city, but rather mediocre on the highway
• Automatics are unavailable in the top VX variant. Period
• Dzire offers more 'bling' & features (LED projector headlamps, auto-headlamps, flat-bottom steering, rear air-con, nicer ICE…)
• Look closely and you'll find a few faults in part quality, fit and finish (uncool for a Honda)
• The 175 mm tyres are too thin & the 35-liter fuel tank too small

Market Response: A success, and the best-selling Honda till date! Doing 9,000 odd cars in most months, even crossing 10,000 on occasion.

Last edited by GTO : 7th December 2018 at 17:04.
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Old 7th December 2018, 16:53   #5
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Maruti Ertiga : Launch thread

Team-BHP Car of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Mahindra Marazzo-dsc08980.jpg

Market Response: Launched late in November, so it's too early to tell.

Last edited by GTO : 7th December 2018 at 17:03.
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Old 7th December 2018, 16:53   #6
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Toyota Yaris : Official Review



What you'll like:

• A well-built sedan; feels sturdier than the City and Ciaz
• Good quality cabin with built-to-last materials & excellent NVH insulation
• Mature ride comfort with sorted road manners
• Smooth CVT automatic is available in all trim levels
• Features such as the auto headlamps + wipers, electric driver's seat, front parking sensors, rear sunshade etc.
• 5-star safety rating & kit! 7 airbags, all-disc brakes, ESP, HSA, TPMS, 3-point seatbelts for all & more
• Toyota's excellent after-sales quality, fuss-free ownership experiences, low service costs & up to 7 years of extended warranty coverage

What you won't:

• Simply overpriced, especially the higher variants. Toyota has gotten it wrong
• Rear seat's width is enough for 2 adults only, while rear headroom is limited too. Passengers will complain
• Engine feels adequate, but isn't exciting at all. CVT gets sluggish with an enthusiastic driving style
• Many will find the over-styled face to be a turnoff
• No turbo-diesel option for the torque lovers
• Missing auto-dimming IRVM, reach-adjustable steering, dead pedal, auto-folding ORVMs, sunroof & 195 mm tyres
• Top variant's audio head-unit has several flaws. Misses Android Auto & Apple CarPlay as well

Market Response: Flop of the year. Sales in recent months have woefully been in the triple digits. Not so much because of the product which is decent (not segment-best), but because of Toyota's insane pricing. The Yaris is way too overpriced. Fat discounting has begun, although it's too little, too late.

Last edited by GTO : 7th December 2018 at 17:03.
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Old 7th December 2018, 16:53   #7
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Mahindra Marazzo : Official Review



What you'll like:

• A clean looking Mahindra (for a change!) with a robust, abuse-friendly build
• Nice & roomy cabin. 1st & 2nd seat rows are spacious, while the captain seats are terrific
• A 3rd-row seat that can actually be used by adults
• 1.5L diesel offers good driveability & fuel economy. 6-speed MT is smooth to use
• Compliant ride quality with neutral road manners for an MUV
• Impressively refined & more carlike-to-drive than other body-on-frame UVs
• Dual airbags, all-wheel disc brakes, Isofix & ABS are standard
• Features such as 2 front armrests, adjustable lumbar support, cruise control, rear window sunshades, rest reminder, economy mode etc.

What you won't:

• With the 3rd seat row in place, the boot is rather small for a vehicle of this size
• Concerns over niggles in a freshly baked product & engine from Mahindra
• M8 variant's price overlap with the XUV500 & Hexa (especially after discounts on the latter two)
• Bench seat option is unavailable on the top variant
• No automatic variant on sale. Almost all competitors have an AT in the line-up
• Some design errors such as the cramped engine bay (try accessing the battery) & hard-to-use handbrake
• Mahindra's after-sales service quality is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble
• Many important features missing (keyless entry & go, auto-dimming IRVM, leather-wrapped steering, telescopic steering adjustment, auto headlamps & wipers etc.)

Market Response: Early days yet. We think it'll do fairly well though. Mahindra is hiking its price by 40k from January (wouldn't be the case if the bookings were low), the production is progressively increasing & the car had 10,000 bookings within 6 weeks of launch. Furthermore, the MPV is perfectly positioned between the Ertiga & Innova.

Last edited by GTO : 7th December 2018 at 17:02.
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Old 7th December 2018, 16:54   #8
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Mahindra Alturas G4 : Launch thread

Team-BHP Car of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Mahindra Marazzo-download-2.jpg

Market Response: It's only just begun production, so can't tell. IMHO, the Alturas will face an uphill climb due to its pricing being damn close to the Endeavour & Fortuner. A handful of lakhs doesn't make a difference to the 30-lakh rupee customer. The premium segments aren't price sensitive. Plus, the Fortuner will easily recover the price difference (and then some) at the time of resale.

Last edited by GTO : 7th December 2018 at 17:01.
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Old 7th December 2018, 16:54   #9
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Honda CR-V : Launch thread



Market Response: Too early to tell.

Last edited by GTO : 7th December 2018 at 17:00.
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Old 7th December 2018, 16:54   #10
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Mitsubishi Outlander : Launch thread

Team-BHP Car of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Mahindra Marazzo-outlander.jpg

Last edited by GTO : 7th December 2018 at 16:59.
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Old 7th December 2018, 16:54   #11
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Mini Countryman : Launch thread

Team-BHP Car of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Mahindra Marazzo-mini-countryman.jpg

Last edited by GTO : 7th December 2018 at 16:59.
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Old 7th December 2018, 16:54   #12
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Volvo XC40 : Official Review



What you'll like:

• A sharply styled SUV. Volvo’s new designs sure are head-turners!
• Solid build & top-notch quality, inside out
• Sweet looking cabin that’s loaded to the gills with features
• 9” responsive touchscreen & Harman Kardon sound system are awesome
• Peppy & efficient 2.0L diesel engine mated to a smooth 8-speed automatic
• Excellent high speed stability coupled with sorted handling
• Volvo's 5-star safety rating & equipment

What you won't:

• Rear seat comfort levels are mediocre. It’s best for just 2 & ingress / egress are tricky too
• Firm low speed ride. Liveable, but not plush in the city
• More expensive than its rivals, especially after the discounts on the Germans
• Small dealership and service network isn't a patch on its competitors
• 2.0L diesel is the only engine on offer. No petrol / hybrid options
• Engine & gearbox tuning isn’t as good as that of BMW, or even Mercedes
• Lacks the badge value of the German marques

Last edited by GTO : 7th December 2018 at 16:58.
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Old 7th December 2018, 16:54   #13
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BMW X3 : Launch thread

Team-BHP Car of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Mahindra Marazzo-01-allnew-bmw-x3-xdrive30i-luxury-line.jpg

Last edited by GTO : 7th December 2018 at 16:57.
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Old 7th December 2018, 16:54   #14
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Lexus NX 300h : Official Review



What you'll like:

• Funky styling stands out from the crowd. Decently priced for a CBU too (imported as is from Japan)
• Hybrid powertrain with good low-end torque and a butter-smooth CVT gearbox
• Loaded with kit (adaptive suspension, 14-speaker sound, 360° camera, ventilated seats, panoramic roof)
• 5-star NCAP safety rating & equipment
• Lexus' track record of reliability & exemplary customer service

What you won't:

• Many will find the weird styling to be a turnoff (especially that overdone face)
• Awfully limited boot space makes it impractical for long road-trips or airport runs
• Boring to drive; nowhere as much fun as the European competition
• CVT can get lazy & noisy with a heavy right foot
• Tiny sales network. Period

Note: The Lexus NX 300h was launched on December 21, 2017 and wasn't included in last year's Car of the Year list. Deliveries of the SUV began in April 2018. Hence, we are including it in this year's thread.

Last edited by GTO : 7th December 2018 at 16:56.
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Old 7th December 2018, 16:54   #15
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Audi Q5 : Launch thread

Team-BHP Car of the Year, 2018. EDIT: It's the Mahindra Marazzo-audi-q5.jpg

Lexus ES 300h : Launch thread

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