[GTO]

There are cars and then, there are cars. As BHPians, we aren't looking at a mere mode of transportation from point A -> point B. To us, the journey is as important as the destination...be it that simple early morning drive in the city, or the pleasurable 1000 km road trip with our families.

Good thing is, the vibrant Indian market offers petrolheads a wide variety of fun-to-drive cars. Turbo-charged petrols and EVs have spiced up the game too. And if you thought you need to spend big bucks to have fun, think again. Excellent options are available at each & every price point.

Best part is, most of these rides will keep the driver as well as the family man in you happy. After all, the car of a typical Indian household just has to be a multi-tasker (ghat cornering on Sunday, work on Monday, kids to football ground on Wednesday, late-night revving on Friday, visit in-laws on Saturday, breakfast run with BHPians on Sunday morning).

Listed below, in no particular order, are the best enthusiast cars on sale today. Only those with a price tag of ~75 lakhs & under have been included, to keep the line-up relevant to gearheads.

Each of these cars will bring a smile to your face (*guaranteed*) in their own special way, every time you head out for a drive ! What's more, if you wish to enhance the driving experience, they are modification-friendly too.

[GTO]

BMW M340i xDrive

What's hot: Ferocious 6-cylinder turbo-petrol motor with 382 BHP on tap! Lives for 7,000 rpm, all-wheel-drive gives the BMW M340i leech-like grip & solid stability levels, sporty and well-tuned exhaust note is addictive at high revs, ZF 8-speed AT is the best gearbox in the segment...fast & smooth, 0 – 100 in 4.4 seconds with 4-door everyday practicality...go touring with the family, lovely cabin, premium build, very supportive seats & a fab driving position, BMW’s strong track record for reliability (among the luxury marques), 5-star NCAP rating, awesome brakes & a laundry list of safety equipment

What's not: Ride is much firmer than a regular 3-Series...liveable, but you feel everything on the road, sad boot space with a spare wheel, we don’t like the radiator grille, same rim design (as the 330i) and gunmetal-coloured ORVMs, rear floor hump is enormous! The car is better as a 4-seater than 5, your fuel costs will be a lot higher than say, a 530d, runflat tyres come with many compromises...wear out soon & are expensive to replace, we hate the all-digital instrument console...also, the rev counter is weirdly inverted, some irritants such as the lack of keyless entry (!!!), w-i-d-e 6-meter turning radius & annoying speed warnings

Official Review

[GTO]

Citroen C3 1.2L Turbo-Petrol (you'll be surprised!)

What's hot: Striking design! Very funky, yet likeable at the same time, good-looking cabin that is practical too, fast 1.2L turbo-petrol is genuinely fun-to-drive, 6-speed MT is slick and light to operate...definitely one of the better gearboxes in the segment, sorted suspension offers a very good ride & handling package, compact size and light controls are perfect for the urban environment, 10-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay is excellent to use, lots of customization options and accessories to make your car truly unique

What's not: Missing plenty of features = electric ORVM adjustment, IRVM dimmer (not even manual), climate control, rear wiper & defogger, reversing camera, alloy wheels, tachometer! Just 2 variants at launch (no true top variant), no automatic transmission on offer, quality of cabin materials doesn't feel great; cost-cutting is pretty evident in certain areas, some ergonomic issues like the placement of rear power window switches, unusable rear headrest, cabin width makes the interiors suitable for 4 adults...not 5, long-term reliability & after-sales service quality are big unknowns; dealer network is tiny

Official Review

[GTO]

The Hyundai N lines

i20 N Line

What's hot: Aggressive styling with distinctive touches that set it apart from the garden-variety i20, punchy 1.0 turbo-petrol motor with 118 BHP on tap, firm yet compliant suspension coupled with a weighted steering + paddle shifters + fruity exhaust note, tasteful N Line-exclusive steering wheel, gear selector, red accents etc. liven up the interior, feature-rich equipment list includes cruise control, LED projectors, voice-activated sunroof, wireless charging & more, spacious cabin with a 311-liter boot makes this a practical yet fun-to-drive car, price premium over the regular i20 is totally justified by the additions & improvements, safety kit = ESP, 6 airbags, rear disc brakes, Blue Link SOS, Hill Assist…

What's not: Although well-priced in relation to the i20 Asta variant, it is still an expensive hatchback, offering an iMT and not a proper MT on the i20 N Line is ridiculous! 1.0L DCT variant shows initial lag...even otherwise, it’s not as explosive as VW’s 1.0 Turbo, some misses such as auto wipers, split folding rear seats, you absolutely need a tyre upgrade...the OEM rubber gives up easily, this 3rd-gen i20’s styling can be polarizing, unlike the more neutral previous generation cars, dual-clutch ATs have had a troubled reliability record in India, more of a warmed-up hatchback in terms of power & handling, rather than a “hot hatch” like an Abarth Punto

Official Review

Venue N Line

What's hot: Aggressive styling and distinctive touches set it apart from the regular Venue, punchy 1.0L turbo-petrol motor with 118 BHP mated to a fast shifting dual-clutch AT, firm yet compliant suspension coupled with weighted steering + paddle shifters + fruity exhaust note that make the Venue N Line a fun little package, tasteful N Line-exclusive touches liven up the otherwise drab interior, feature-rich equipment list includes 4-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat, auto-dimming IRVM, cabin air purifier, BlueLink telematics, Home to car (H2C) with Alexa / Google Voice assistant, voice-activated sunroof, wireless charging & more, price premium over the regular Venue is totally justified by the additions & improvements, safety kit = ESP, 6 airbags, rear disc brakes, Blue Link SOS, Hill Assist, factory-fitted dual camera dash-cam, Hyundai's wide & competent after-sales network

What's not: More of a warmed-up compact crossover than a proper hot crossover, 1.0L DCT variant shows initial lag...even otherwise, it’s not as explosive as VW’s 1.0 TSI, handling is not as confidence-inspiring as one would expect from a "hot" crossover...tyre upgrade is mandatory! The OEM rubber gives up easily, diminutive street presence...looks more hatchback than SUV from some angles, especially the rear, strictly a 4-seater; the rear bench has very awkward seating for the middle occupant, no manual transmission even as an option! Long term reliability of the DCT is a concern, missing kit (auto wipers, steering reach adjustment...)

Official Review

[GTO]

Skoda Octavia 2.0 TSI DSG

What's hot: A well-rounded premium sedan...80% of the A4 / C-Class / 3-Series at a significantly lower price, understated exterior & interior styling matched with solid build quality, a comfortable cabin with good quality materials, supportive seats and plenty of storage, insanely fun 2.0 turbo-petrol engine with 187 BHP & 320 Nm on tap, fast & improved wet-clutch 7-speed DSG (instead of the notoriously unreliable DQ200), excellent ride quality (with tyres set at 32 PSI) and sorted handling, cavernous 600-liter boot gobbles up big bags! This is your airport express, loaded with features such as Bi-LED headlamps, wireless connectivity & smartphone charging, hands-free parking, high-res touchscreen with gesture controls, hands-free boot operation etc., 5-star Euro NCAP crash test rating, loaded with safety features such as 8 airbags, 3-point seatbelts for all passengers, ESP, EBD, hill hold, brake assist, fatigue alert etc., sheer attention to detail (touch-sensitive cabin light controls, felt-lined glovebox, two boot lamps, memory seats for passenger too, umbrella holders, USB-C port on the IRVM, smartphone pockets at the rear, keyless sensors on all doors, washer on the parking camera, storage nets…), 6-year extended warranty & 4-year all-inclusive service package

What's not: L&K variant is overpriced by 4-lakh rupees...in our opinion, lack of powertrain options...no diesel engine for heavy users or a cheaper, more reliable MT, new-style large radiator grille will divide opinions...some like it...some find it ugly, misses in the equipment list such as a sunroof, ventilated seats & 'sport' driving mode, pathetic stock tyres are among the worst we've experienced...an upgrade is compulsory, no longer gets the premium 610W Canton ICE with 11 speakers & subwoofer, DSG reliability woes (although we're a bit more optimistic about this new DQ381 gearbox), Skoda’s notorious dealerships...after-sales horror stories & suspect long-term reliability, petrol revs to just ~6,000 rpm! That's too low for such a beautiful turbo-charged motor, single digit fuel economy of the turbo-petrol AT in the city...drops drastically if you drive it hard, no full-size spare wheel...also, we don’t like the after-market’ish design of the L&K rims, merely 137 mm of ground clearance seems risky for broken Indian roads & tall speed humps, massive rear floor hump makes things uncomfortable for the 5th occupant

Official Review

BMW 330i

Source

What's hot: Just the right size for a luxury sedan in India, punchy rev-happy engine & well-tuned gearbox deliver superb performance, a great combination of ride and handling; just how a 3 Series should be, big step up in interior quality & design (from the F30), loaded with tech, stylish speedometer & more...iDrive 7 is nice to use

What's not: Sad boot space with the spare wheel underneath, features like keyless entry, HUD, and panoramic sunroof are expected at this price, pricing is stiff for some variants, fake engine noise piped in; tad too fake for our tastes

Official Review

[GTO]

Mahindra XUV300 TurboSport

What's hot: Punchy turbo-petrol engine with 129 BHP and 230 Nm mated to a 6-speed MT, a truly premium crossover...nice build, quality & refinement levels, great looking! Smart design has none of the usual Mahindra quirkiness, cabin has enough space for 5, quality-wise, the interior is more like a Hyundai, a compliant ride with neutral road manners, 5-star NCAP rating & kit...6 airbags, ESP, ABS, all-wheel disc brakes, TPMS, seatbelt reminders for all & more

What's not: The most expensive Compact SUV in India! Not overpriced, but definitely higher than expected, 257-liter boot is the smallest in the segment. There are cheaper hatchbacks which have a larger boot, no automatic offered on the TurboSport variant, Mahindra's after-sales service quality is a hit or miss...remains a gamble, some important features missing (dead pedal, parcel tray, rear air-con, steering reach adjustment, etc.)

Ownership Review

[GTO]

The 4x4 Offroaders

Mahindra Thar

What's hot: Fun, fun, fun! A loveable car that will bring you loads of laughs & smiles, handsome Jeep styling & brute character, tough build too, far more user-friendly than the ol’ Thar due to superior interiors & the amenities, very competent, refined turbo-petrol & diesel engine range, butter-smooth 6-speed automatics available with both engines, 4x4 hardware, offroad capability & 226 mm GC, get ready for slush, muck, deserts, jungles & the mountains! Practical hard-top or fun convertible available in the Thar – take your pick, features such as removable doors, ESP, cruise control, hill hold / descent, TPMS

What's not: Very bumpy ride quality, the Thar is never settled, no matter what the road or speed, poor road manners at high speed, best to cruise at 100 - 110 km/h only, impractical due to the 2-doors, 4 seats (not 5) & difficult access to the back seat, laughably small boot simply isn’t enough for holiday luggage, petrol AT is thirsty due to its hefty weight, 150 BHP & torque-converter AT, premium pricing for the higher variants, lot of money for the Thar's limited usability, sad feature list for a 17-lakh car, no reversing cam, auto-dimming IRVM, auto headlamps & wipers, electrically-folding ORVMs, rear wash & wipe, apprehensions of niggles & Mahindra's hit-or-miss after-sales service quality

Official Review

Force Gurkha

What's hot: A very competent and hardcore off-roader, ample low-end torque, better low-speed ride quality than other purpose-built off-roaders, decent bit of equipment...doesn't feel bare bones like before

What's not: Engine has a narrow powerband with a non-existent top-end, sub-par interior quality, after-sales service quality is unknown; dealer network is tiny too

Official Review

[GTO]

The Skoda-VW 1.5 Turbo-petrols

Virtus / Slavia

What's hot: 148 BHP engine makes the Virtus / Slavia among the most fun-to-drive sedans in the segment, sporty 1.5L turbo-petrol is mated to smooth DSG transmission...Slavia gets a 6-speed MT too, sorted suspension offers a balanced ride & handling package, a ‘complete’ car that just might bring some love back to sedans, classy exterior & interior styling, along with solid build quality, cabin has good legroom on offer, supportive seats, perfect ergonomics & enough storage, 521-liter boot is the largest in its segment, safety features include 6 airbags, ESC, 3-point seatbelts for all, electronic differential lock, brake disc wiping, multi-collision brake and more, features like active cylinder tech, ventilated seats, sunroof, wireless Android Auto and CarPlay, auto headlamps & wipers etc., 6-year extended warranty & 4-year all-inclusive service packages available

What's not: DQ200 DSG transmission has a history of poor reliability & breakdowns in India, no MT option available with the Virtus like the Slavia, the backseat is better for 2 healthy adults and a child, rather than 3 adults, lovely 1.5L TSI is only available on the top variant...should have been there in the mid-trim too, interior quality doesn’t feel up to oldschool VW standards...body-coloured interior highlights (in Virtus) are polarising too, missing some features such as a subwoofer, driving modes (sport), 360-degree camera & electric driver's seat adjustment, turbo-petrols are very sensitive to driving style...FE will drop drastically when you drive hard, VW and Skoda’s after-sales service can be a hit or miss, the brand’s long-term reliability can be patchy as well

Virtus Review, Slavia Review

Taigun / Kushaq

What's hot: A breath of fresh (European) air in a sea of Korean, Chinese & Indian SUVs, classy exterior & interior styling matched with solid European build quality, cabin has good legroom to offer, supportive seats, perfect ergonomics & lots of storage, 148 BHP engine makes the Taigun / Kushaq one of the most fun-to-drive crossovers in the segment, sporty 1.5L turbo-petrol is mated to slick 6-speed MT & quick DSG, sorted suspension offers a balanced ride & handling package, safety features include 6 airbags, ESC (all variants), 3-point seatbelts for all, electronic differential lock, brake disc wiping, multi-collision brake and more, 6-year extended warranty & 4-year all inclusive service packages available, features like active cylinder tech, ventilated seats, sunroof, wireless Android Auto and CarPlay, auto headlamps & wipers etc., 5-star GNCAP safety rating - full details here!

What's not: DQ200 DSG transmission has a history of poor reliability & breakdowns in India, narrow width makes a 5th adult completely unwelcome...best for 4 onboard, lovely 1.5L TSI is only available on the top variant, at 385 litres, boot space is lesser than its direct rivals (Creta & Seltos = 433L), both crossovers lacks the street cred / presence offered by some competitors, notorious dealerships & after-sales service can be a hit or miss, missing some now expected features such as driving modes (sport), panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, electric driver's seat adjustment, subwoofer & regular USB ports, turbo-petrols are very sensitive to driving style...FE will drop drastically when you drive hard

Taigun Review, Kushaq Review

[GTO]

Mercedes C300d AMG Line

What's hot: Powerful engine with a 0 - 100 time of ~6 seconds, lovely 9-speed gearbox, AMG Line body kit looks hot, suspension offers the perfect ride & handling balance for India

What's not: Very expensive, spare tyre placed on the boot floor chews into cargo space, some missing features

Test drive report

[GTO]

Honda City 1.5L Petrol

What's hot: This is the benchmark C2-segment family sedan, insanely rev-happy 1.5L petrol is the benchmark naturally-aspirated engine, sounds terrific at high rpm, slick gearbox & sweet clutch (smooth AT available too), quick & responsive steering, compliant ride quality, part quality has overall improved, spacious cabin, practical boot, safety features include 6 airbags, 3-point seatbelts for all, ESP, Hill Start Assist etc., goodies like sunroof, Honda connect with Alexa, auto headlamps & wipers, cruise control, Honda's reliability

What's not: Rear end gets bouncy at high speeds on undulating roads (typical Honda City trait), chassis & suspension don't match the potent engine at 120 km/h and above, jerky rev-limiter in the petrol, puny 185-section tyres give up easily - an upgrade to 195 / 205 mm rubber is mandatory, petrol's midrange feels flat in this era of turbo-petrols, sad audio head-unit has an outdated interface, ICE sound quality is just average, low seating isn't senior citizen-friendly, poor sound insulation at high speeds

Link to my review

[GTO]

Jeep Compass / Trailhawk 2.0 Diesel

What's hot: Handsome styling + loads of character, terrific 2.0L diesel offers good driveability & fast performance, mature suspension setup & rock-solid stability, nicely tuned EPS, robust build quality, capable AWD, top-notch safety, will leave a grin plastered on your face after a highway drive

What's not: Small size for the price, feels overpriced in the light of newer competition, compact cabin + boot, small dealer network, many owners are reporting niggles, ~3 lakh premium for the AWD, wide 5.65m turning radius, some missing features

Link to my review

[GTO]

The Hyundai-Kia 1.4 Turbo-Petrols

Creta / Seltos

What's hot: 138 BHP turbo-petrol offers fast & enjoyable performance, slick dual-clutch AT available, sorted road manners & handling (including at high speed), superbly engineered all-rounders that deliver a premium experience, we find them to be well-priced for what they offer, user-friendly interiors with sufficient space & good quality parts, safety package includes 6 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, TPMS etc., impressively equipped with many cool features

What's not: Seltos barely managed 3-stars in the GNCAP crash tests, Creta's oddball styling, Seltos' suspension is too firm (especially with the 17" rims), back seat's width makes it better for 2 adults and a kid rather than 3 adults, dual-clutch ATs have a history of poor reliability in India, you get bigger SUVs & crossovers for the same money (e.g. Hector, Harrier and XUV700)

Creta Review, Seltos Review

[GTO]

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios Turbo-Petrol

What's hot: A well-rounded, fun-to-drive hatchback, this Hyundai will leave you grinning , fantastic turbo-petrol engine! Transforms the Grand i10 into a hot hatch, precise build & quality (including interiors) are among the segment best, balanced road manners & easy-to-drive nature, features such as all-black interiors, projector headlamps, wireless phone charging etc., Hyundai's competent after-sales, fuss-free ownership experiences & (upto) 7-year extended warranty

What's not: Turbo-petrol carries a stiff Rs. 1.2 lakh ex-showroom premium over the 1.2L n/a petrol, available only in a single variant, 175 mm economy-oriented MRF tyres give up easily, an upgrade to 185 / 195 rubber is mandatory, turbo-petrol doesn’t get the DCT Automatic or iMT seen in the Venue, narrow width makes it a 4-seater, some competitors offer more spacious cabins, low speed ride quality is firmer than what one expects in a Hyundai, bad roads are felt, some misses (full size spare tyre, adjustable neck restraints, rear wash & wipe), ordinary stereo, Hyundai's ICE hasn’t kept up with the times (sound quality = 6/10)

Official Review. Also check out the Aura!

[GTO]

Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 Turbo-Petrol DSG

Source

What's hot: Fast 2.0 turbo-petrol engine with 187 BHP and 320 Nm on tap, improved wet-clutch 7-speed DSG is fast and smooth, stiff suspension lets you have plenty fun in the corners, highway stability is impressive too, loaded with features & technology, 5-star NCAP rating & top-notch safety kit

What's not: Carries a price premium, many will find the design too bland & understated...lacks street cred, lack of powertrain options... no diesel engine or a cheaper more reliable MT, DSG reliability woes, stiff suspension means bumpy ride on bad roads, VW after-sales service can be a hit or miss

Official Review

[GTO]

The 4x4 Pickup Trucks

Isuzu D-Max V-Cross

What's hot: Macho styling & incredible street presence...turns heads wherever it goes, very solid, very robust...build quality is impressive, powerful 1.9L diesel engine puts out 161 BHP, proper 4x4 system with low range transfer case, excellent cargo capacity makes it a talented work truck, user-friendly cabin can easily accommodate 5 adults...rear legroom is sufficient

What's not: Sheer length, heavy steering & 6.3m turning radius make it cumbersome in the city, bumpy ride quality, especially at the rear (due to leaf springs), heavy kerb weight, long wheelbase & rear overhang limit its offroad credentials, Isuzu's wafer-thin dealership network, short 5,000 km service interval...dealer visits will be frequent!

Official Review, Ownership report

Toyota Hilux

(Image source)

What's hot: Fantastic 2.8L diesel engine puts out 201 BHP and 500 Nm of torque, smooth 6-speed automatic gearbox, tough build...Toyota body-on-frame UVs are known to have very long lives, impressive offroad capability with electronic differential lock, electronic drive control and active traction control, Toyota's excellent after-sales quality, fuss-free ownership experiences

What's not: Quite expensive...will cost 40-45 lakhs on road, no cheaper / smaller diesel variant for mass market, bumpy ride thanks to the leaf spring suspension at the rear, no full-time 4x4 like the old Fortuner

Ownership report