[Dark water]

Voted for the Mahindra Scorpio N,
Main reason for me being the competitors were not good enough, some cars are very good in some aspects, like looks and stance of most of the cars are much better than Scorpio N while interior and comfort are obviously better of the costlier cars. Tucson was a serious contender for me but don't know why Toyota and hyundai are increasing the prices of their cars in a way that they are themselves being ruled out of some segments. The Scorpio N comes out as a better package, more practical for Indian conditions. Yet it's not a runaway winner for me like the xuv7oo was.

[wocanak]

I voted for Atto 3, yes I know Chinese and all, but I am not buying and voting with my wallet.

From the specs and a few videos I have seen it is a very modern looking car with advanced technology. It is almost up there with Kia EV6 at half the price.

Guess it would have fared far better if this was from a non-Chinese company. In that case, I can see myself stretching my budget to get this as a once in a life time dream car.

[ramgkulkarni]

I wanted to vote for Slavia or Virtus as they made the most sense to me while buying one. But clearly the market has gone somewhere else. Since I keep travelling to different parts of Karnataka on a regular basis, I have realized that the Skoda/VW cars are not really seen in the District/Taluk places. When I travel with my red Kushaq, it feels like the only car in that place. This I think is a challenge for the VW group, their customer strategy is mostly urban/metro
individuals.

However as far as the vote goes, this year is clearly Scorpio-N's. I absolutely loved the design and the utilitarian nature of that car. It clearly doing good numbers now. Its one of the few ladder frame chassis this year, kudos to Mahindra for keeping some things same!

[rrsteer]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Look at it this way. The 2023 COTY is going to be a straight fight between the 5D Thar vs 5D Jimny.

Enjoy the choice this year

The Hycross may just pull the rug from under their tyres.

[Osteon206]

Voted for the VW Virtus
My choice is not biased because I drive a Taigun. It’s just that it’s a well put together sedan in a long time. Not as feature rich as the Korean twins, but drives well, power delivery is linear and body roll is minimum. Boot space is also adequate and on par with the high standards set by the Japanese. I feel it’s one well rounded sedan in an ocean of Compact and sub compact SUVs. Both the engines are really good. Just hope VW paid attention to the lacking insulation on the 1.0L TSI especially. The reason I chose it over the Slavia is because I personally like the looks of Virtus better and in general have heard more complaints on after sales issues with Skoda as compared to VW. These are the exact same reasons for me choosing the Taigun over Kushaq as well.

[Nithesh_M]

Voted for the Ev6 even though it is way outside my comfort zone. The Ionic and the EV6 have been taking the electric car world by the storm beating even the Teslas in terms of popularity in the developed markets. Makes sense because Korean electronics are right up there with the Japanese brands be it home appliances or televisions of yore. Its not a surprise that the Chinese are successful in the EV world either by that logic and for me the BYD Atto 3 is a close second if I have to be forced to buy an EV at gunpoint.

[motorworks]

Ironically I voted for the Car that I originally wanted to buy but later changed my mind after 2 test drives!

The Scorpio-N did not suit my needs, but it really is a good car! Excellent fit and finish, well put together interiors, good build quality and reasonable equipment as well.

Also, I liked the fact that Mahindra took their time, but launched with Scorpio-N with an Automatic option in both diesel and petrol and also the 4x4 variant.

Mahindra has now got this knack of marketing a product very well. They created a lot of buzz, all their launch events, test drive videos had their representatives talk about the features like the suspension setup etc, so they really made a fantastic impression.

All said and done, I did not pick up the scorpio-n simply because a ladder on frame vehicle is not really my need. The middle row is still a bit jumpy, a lot of movement for passengers in this row. And lastly the steering is just too light.

But the Scorpio-N sets a new benchmark for ladder on frame SUVs in the 20-30 lakh segment. Actually there isnt much of a competition and buyers will cross shop. To many, terminologies like ladder on frame or monocoque does not really matter.
Another good thing about this new Scorpio-N is that it would get customers from all across, even from urban markets, not necessarily like the earlier Scorpio.

[msa.30789]

Voted for ScorpioN as COTY. The big dady of SUVs gets a makeover that suits the GEN X and GEN Y. A perfect blend of features that attracts urban buyers along with the name plate that is being trusted by the rural India. Its here to stay for another two years.

[VishTks]

I would vote for the Volkswagen Virtus.

The reason is because Volkswagen has finally understood what Indians want. They have acted accordingly by -

*They have made it very practical by localising the car upto 95%. Hence, the spares are not ridiculously expensive now.
Though the quality of plastics and materials used are not pre Volkswagen standards , they still compete with the segment best for that matter.

*Rear seat comfort has been prioritised and the Virtus has a pretty comfortable rear seat. Space at the rear is also very sufficient and taking long distances are no problem.

*Volkswagen cars are always known for their best in class drivetrains and the Virtus with the 1.5l 150 bhp tsi with Dsg is unmatched by any car of the segment. For enthusiasts, this is definitely the car to choose.

*Ride quality is fantastic. It can keep the passengers happy.

*Handling and straight line stability is again phenomenal. Volkswagen cars always have this magical stability giving the drivers loads of confidence on road.

*It is feature loaded unlike the previous Volkswagen cars wherein the main complaint was the lack of features.

*5 star Latin NCAP means the Virtus is one of the safest cars you can buy.

*The car has also been priced well along with its segment unlike previous Volkswagen cars. You get what you pay for

*The car looks amazing in person with its sporty persona and the length is massive. Road presence is significant.

*Service cost has also been made reasonable. It is no longer a horror story and one can easily mainten these cars. All this again, owing to the localisation.

We must really appreciate Volkswagen for addressing all the issues it previously had. They have observed the Indian requirements and have made an effort to solve them.
Kudos Volkswagen.

[shashanka]

I vote for the Scorpio-N as COTY. There are a couple reasons for the choice.

1) Nothing else in the market comes close to offering a comparable state-of-the-art body-on-chassis thoroughbred SUV. Not the FWD hatch-on-stilts as offered by the majority of masqueraders from other manufacturers. And this one comes with one with proper off-road credentials - no soft-roader this.

2) The other major reason is the VFM factor. Nothing comparable comes in at a starting OTR price of 14L+. And in a country like ours this is usually the deciding factor - the OTR.

The only reservation I have is in the looks department - it could have been a little different from the generic station wagon profile which everyone is offering - from the Crysta to the X-1 et al. After the stunning BS6 Thar, one could be forgiven for expecting something in keeping with the iconic original Scorpio.

[EV Fan]

Voted for Maruti Grand Vitara. (While technically the vote is for the hybrid twins: Grand Vitara and the HyRyder but Toyota somehow falls short of Maruti when it comes to customer satisfaction.)
Thought process behind Vote - High fuel efficiency, Value for money, peace of mind in terms of product quality & service.

Initial inclination was for selecting one of the EV models but somehow all options - leave something to be desired.
BYD Atto 3 - Great range & product but high cost. Even if it was not manufactured in India atleast a CKD route would have reduced the cost and made it more value for money product. Would have been my first preference if not for this drawback. (Moreover dealer service is quite limited atleast for now.)
Tata Tiago EV - Great value for money, but fear of Tata dealer/service network just would not give the peace of mind to enjoy the actual product.

[Hayek]

When I saw GTO’s message asking us to vote for Car of the Year, my first thought was wondering which cars have been launched this year, other than the Grand Vitara / Toyota Hyrider. I somehow had the feeling the Slavia and Virtus had been launched last year, and that the Brezza was a facelift. Was pleasantly surprised to read the opening post and find that so many cars had been launched.

I must say that I have never seen either the Alto K10 or the Citroen C3 in Bombay roads. I have seen the Baleno (and perhaps the new Glanza) but they honestly look so similar to the previous generation that I thought of them as facelifts. (OT: How do you classify a car as a facelift versus a new launch?).

Have seen the new Brezza - must say it looks much better than the previous generation especially from the back - but once again thought it was a facelift.

Have not seen the Tiago EV - have seen the Tigor EV - so can’t comment on it, but agree it is a brilliantly priced car.

The Carens to my mind has a face that only a mother could love - find it shocking that Kia that produced the beautiful Carnival, Seltos and Sonet could come up with this design. So that rules it out.

The Grand Vitara and the Hyrider are true contenders - they are very visible despite a recent launch date, look better than some key competitors, and have hybrid tech which makes immense sense in urban India.

The Scorpio N is where the XUV700 was last year - has been launched, has massive bookings but I have not seen or noticed one.

The Tucson shows that Hyundai has come of age - it is an amazingly good looking car, and at least on paper, the diesel seems great. The key weakness is the underpowered petrol option, and my lack of comfort with diesels for urban India.

The Jeep Meridian gets it looks almost perfect - if they had put a Grand Cherokee label on it, it would not have looked out of place. The only issue I have with this car is the absence of a petrol option - which rules it out.

The Hilux, Atto3, Q3, Cooper SE, the XC40 Recharge and the EV6 fall into the invisible with negligible sales bucket - irrelevant to the Indian market. That said a neighbour has bought an EV6, and it looks great, so perhaps in claws back into the race.

I somehow missed that a new C Class is out - I may have seen it and perhaps mistaken it for an E. Went back and looked at the Team BHP review - seems like a fantastic car indeed.

Which brings me to my winners, the Skoda Slavia (and it sibling, the VW Virtus). Am no longer a fan of sedans. But these cars tick all the boxes - spacious, fun to drive, great engines and almost certainly great safety. Don’t think anyone should be excessively worried about DSG failures - just get the extended warranty and you should be ok. And since we have to vote for only one car, I picked the Skoda, for its better and fresher looks (the Virtus looks like the previous Jetta).

Amazed that we have so many cars here. If I were in the market for a car, the Slavia, Virtus, C Class and EV6 would have been contenders. Am unlikely to buy anything for 2 more years but each of these would likely be in my list even when that time comes. If Jeep or Hyundai launch the Meridian or Tucson with a powerful petrol, they would come back in contention. But for the Class of 2022, it has to be the Skoda Slavia.

[amartya_bhp]

As a newbie, I think I don't have voting rights, I think; however, could not resist GTO's message. My vote would go to the Toyota Innova HyCross, which I believe will cut through the masses because of its frugal engine and the Toyota Badge. Having said this, I think hybrids are the way to go in case we want to get rid of fossil fuel dependability in India. i dont think India will be EV ready in the next 10 years at least.

[ritedhawan]

Voted for Brezza.
(1) Bullet proof Maruti Suzuki After sales service.
(2) The union of Maruti and Toyota is to the benefit of the former.
(3) The hybrid system coupled with conventional AT in a sea of Hybrid system connected to CVT's.

[DivyanshuDiv]

Thank you, TeamBHP, for approving my membership.

If I had the chance to vote, I would have gone with Hyundai Tucson. It looks amazing inside out, and has a solid road presence. The overall package is not just lucrative but surely promises a peaceful yet enthralling ownership experience. It may not have the badge value for the price however someone who is upgrading from CSUVs would enjoy it drive, dimensions, features, technological package and that head-turning looks.