[Omkar]

Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 4MATIC

Launch Thread

Mini Cooper S

What's hot: More fun than a Ferrari in India, sexy retro styling, punchy motor + snappy gearbox give effortless performance, go-kart-like handling, communicative steering, solid build, impressive fit & finish, near infinite levels of customisation, top-notch safety equipment

What's not: Grossly overpriced, imperfect ride quality, optional extras are terribly expensive + standard car is bare bones, no manual gearbox, cramped rear seat, no spare wheel, not practical as your only car

Official Review

[Omkar]

The Fun EVs

Kia EV6 AWD

What's hot: AWD variant has a combined output of 321 BHP and 605 Nm! Plenty of grip from the AWD system, goes around corners like it’s on rails, easy to drive fast on the track, 0-100 km/h in 5.2 sec, has a healthy realistic driving range of 500 km, 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating

What's not: Tall floor compromises backseat comfort, no spare wheel

Track drive report

Volvo C40 Recharge

What's Hot: Sharply styled crossover...Volvo’s designs sure are head-turners! Solid build & top-notch quality, inside out, powerful drivetrain with 402 BHP, 660 Nm and AWD gives it sportscar-like performance, real world range should be ~400 km, which is enough for most users, excellent high-speed stability coupled with sorted handling...mature ride quality at speed too, loaded with features such as panoramic pixel technology headlamps, electric front seats with extendable seat bases, one-pedal driving, button-less starting procedure, air purifier, 13-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, etc. 5-star NCAP rating, top-notch safety kit & level 3 ADAS to keep you safe

What's Not: Rear seat comfort levels are mediocre...raised floor & upright seatback. It’s best for just 2 & ingress / egress are tricky too, due to the sloping roofline, coupe-like rear styling can be polarising...will divide opinions, poor rearward visibility due to the acutely-angled rear windscreen & C-pillar design, spare tyre is placed above the boot floor and eats into luggage space, missing features such as ventilated seats, head-up display, adjustable regenerative braking, wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, rear wiper, full-size spare tyre (has a space saver tyre) etc. firm low speed ride...liveable, but not plush in the city, small dealership and service network isn't a patch on its German competitors

BMW i4

Launch Thread

[Omkar]

The Value-for-Money Marutis

Maruti Swift

What's hot: Fab looking, slick revv-happy petrol engine, power-to-weight = 101 BHP/ton, enjoyable handling & on-road behaviour, good legroom & headroom in such a small package, stylish black cabin, adequate equipment list, tons of after-market support, Maruti's fuss-free ownership

What's not: Revvs limited to just 6300 rpm, mediocre interior plastic quality, more spacious & comfortable Baleno is priced not too far away, jerky AMT, 163 mm of ground clearance & small 37-liter fuel tank raise our eyebrows

Official Review

Maruti Ignis

What's hot: Surprisingly fun due to the wheels pushed to the 4 corners of the car, funky design, good legroom & headroom in such a small package, peppy petrol is very rev-happy

What's not: Weird rear end styling, narrow cabin width...rear seat is better for 2 adults than 3

Official Review

Maruti Alto K10

What's hot: Peppy performance with a healthy power-to-weight ratio, a much improved...well-rounded city car as compared to the outgoing generation, excellent fuel efficiency....ARAI figures: 24.39 km/l (MT) and 24.90 km/l (AMT), convenient AMT available at a premium of Rs. 50,000 makes it the cheapest automatic car available in India, sufficient cabin space to accommodate four 6-footers, small dimensions, good visibility, light controls & a tiny 4.5 m turning radius make it a great choice for city driving as well as first-time car buyers, good touchscreen ICE with Android Auto + Apple CarPlay + steering mounted controls, Maruti's fuss-free ownership experience & widespread dealer network

What's not: Significantly more expensive compared to the previous generation, narrow width makes it a strict 4-seater, basic ride quality...feels wobbly over rough patches and can bottom out on when going over larger potholes, poor high speed dynamics & NVH...best driven at double-digit speeds, skinny low grip 145 mm tyres given the power on offer, missing essentials such as rear power windows, rear wiper/defogger, day/night IRVM, etc., light and economy-grade build quality...sibling S-Presso scored 0 stars in the GNCAP crash tests

Official Review

Pre-worshipped Cars

If you are a fan of pre-owned cars, the world is your playground . And there is something to fit every budget. From the Ford Figo S & Freestyle to the Polo / Rapid 1.0 TSI. From the pristine Octavia vRS & Punto Abarths to excellent M5s, Boxters & Mustangs...just take your pick and join in on the fun !

[Omkar]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line.

[fhdowntheline]

XUV7OO is missing here, especially the petrol variant. 200 horses pulling 380NM are too strong to ignore!

[JunkyardHunter]

Xc40 recharge is missing from the list. 400BHP and 600+ Nm in a hatchback makes for craaaazy results!

[gck_tourer]

Hey Omkar, I agree with all your cars except Honda City in the list. It's one of the most boring cars to drive especially on ghats. I don't like the interiors of XUV 300 and XUV 400 although the engines are super refined.

[BleueNinja]

If someone wants to experience 200 bhp or 450 NM Torque and doesn't want to spend north of 30 lacs then I think XUV 700 makes a strong case for itself. Beautiful M-stallion and M-hawk engines with torsional rigidity benchmarked against the Kodiaq, The 700 can be a good family mover and bring a smile to your face when that enthusiast within you has an itch to go faster.

[kal-el]

Love seeing our 330 Li make it to this list. Although a small rectification, it does get keyless entry and panoramic sunroof.

Originally Posted by JunkyardHunter

Xc40 recharge is missing from the list. 400BHP and 600+ Nm in a hatchback makes for craaaazy results!

XC40 has been discontinued as of now.

[Abhisheknott]

Good thread to point out that there no enthusiast cars at the entry/mid level except the C3 Turbo which takes over the mantle from the first gen Swift. The current Marutis don't have the pep.
Korean horses always seem to be weaker than the others but the N Line are better but don't handle well.
The VW/Skoda twins are now the performance benchmark taking over from the likes of the Ikon and the City.

[FAIAAA]

Thank you Omkar and Team Bhp for this most awaited thread which comes out towards the end of the year. Perfect timing too, to kick off Diwali festivities. Each of these cars are sure to lighten up the spirit and the roads. Agree with the list having driven most of these and owning one of them.

[Zippy_wheels]

The article should have been updated with current information. For example Virtus/Slavia are now available in other variants too with 1.5 l engine. Also electric driver seat adjustment is available now.

[VWAllstar]

Tata Tiago EV qualifies for this thread as well. Perfect city hatch which is like a point and shoot camera.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/elect...ic-review.html (Tata Tiago Electric Review)

[XDriver]

Great list of cars in different segments. I would add the X3 M40i and Merc AMG C43 coupe. Truly fast and ferocious SUVs.

[Amrit@wheels]

I feel like the Mahindra twins, 700 and Scorpio-N deserve to be on the list. The XUV700 in the petrol version is a hoot to drive and the 4x4 variant of the Scorpio-N is an enthusiast's do-it-all SUV.