[Dippy]

It's back again; The Team-BHP Car of the Year 2010, where YOU the BHPian will choose the car of the year. Via a public poll of course.

Given below is a list of all the cars launched in India in 2010. Included are some relevant highlights on each car. The list has been sorted by price-ascending order. Look forward to your votes and also the reason why you voted for the car that you did.

Previous COTY - 2009 Team-BHP COTY Thread

[Dippy]

Maruti Wagon R

• The same successful formula, now improved
• A practical value-for-money package
• Better road manners, especially urban ride quality
• Improved interior space
• Precise gear shifts, unlike the previously lousy quality
• Optional ABS & Dual Airbags on the VXi variant
• Maruti's stellar after-sales quality & network
• Higher NVH levels, inherent to 3 cylinder engines. Average low rpm throttle response
• Iffy build & interior part quality
• Smaller boot compared to the outgoing gen. 180L capacity
• Looks are not as contemporary as other recent launches

[Dippy]

Chevrolet Beat

• Funky styling inside & out
• Nippy city hatch character. Light, easy to drive and chuckable
• Compliant ride quality. No bumpiness
• Unique superbike-inspired speedometer
• Well packaged interiors (for 4)
• ARAI fuel efficiency topper
• Chevy's 3 year service guarantees
• Unconventional styling isn't to everyone's taste
• Compact 170 liter boot. 50 - 60 liters smaller than competition
• Very dull dark-grey interior shade. No beige option either
• Horribly undertyred (155 mm width). An upgrade is a must
• Some goodies missing (keyless entry, driver seat height adjust, steering mounted controls)
• Small rear window creates a claustrophobic ambience at the back

[Dippy]

Ford Figo

• Robust build and construction
• Interiors more comfortable than chief competitors i10 & Swift
• 1.4 Diesel's proven driveability and fuel efficiency. No turbolag
• The Ford Figo's mature big-car-like ride quality
• Ford's DNA in the on-road behaviour and quick steering
• Class-topping 284 liter boot space
• Lacks the modernity of recently launched hatchbacks
• Both of the engines in the Figo are lacking in outright performance. Neither engine can exploit the car's dynamics
• No true top-end variant (tilt adjustable steering, rear power windows, MID etc.)
• Average backseat legroom. Not in the league of, say, an Indica Vista
• Ford's sub-par dealership experience

[Dippy]

Nissan Micra

• Cheeky styling. A touch of retro too
• Quality, well-designed, interiors
• Driver airbag standard across the range (including base variant)
• Compliant ride quality. Suspension tuned for comfort
• Gizmos : Keyless entry & go, engine start / stop button, electric folding mirrors, climate control
• 3-pot fuel efficiency. ARAI = 18.06 kpl
• Ordinary three-cylinder petrol engine, dull to drive. 1.5 Diesel model recently launched.
• Inexistent under-thigh support from the rear seat
• Quirky design may not be to your taste
• The wafer-thin dealer network
• Nissan's cost of ownership is yet unchartered territory

[Dippy]

Volkswagen Polo

• A well-built solid European hatchback
• Clean and contemporary styling. Absolutely no quirkiness
• "Big car like" ride quality. Suspension setup ideal for Indian roads
• Neutral handling & mature road behaviour
• Fuel efficient range of engines
• 280 liter boot. Figo-like & substantially larger than direct competition
• Short-throw slick gearshift (petrol especially). Amongst the best in India
• Commuter 3-cylinder engines do not hit the sweet spot nor match the segment benchmarks. New 1.6 Petrol is better
• Some niceties missing. Climate control, USB / AUX audio input, electric ORVMs etc.
• Ordinary rear bench legroom. Comparable to the Ritz
• Thin 40 dealership network
• VW's cost of ownership is yet unknown territory

[Dippy]

Toyota Etios

• A practical family sedan. Realistic pricing too
• Spacious interiors can easily carry 5 adults
• Stunning in-city driveability. Torquey engine & nice gearshift
• Well-tuned suspension. Safe handling and flat ride
• Cavernous 595L boot swallows holiday luggage
• Toyota’s excellent after-sales service
• Dated, plain-vanilla styling. Lacks contemporariness
• Missing equipment (climate control, height adjustable seat, electric ORVMs etc.)
• Cost-cutting glaringly evident in some areas
• Unconventional dashboard will meet mixed opinions
• Buzzy engine over 4,500 rpm. Doesn't like the redline

[Dippy]

Mahindra Thar

• Available in two variants; an MDI engine and a modern common-rail diesel
• 2.5 times the torque of its closest competitor, the Maruti Gypsy
• Independent front suspension will not please the purists
• Better on-road behaviour than old school Jeeps
• Don't go by the MM540 looks. It's actually a Scorpio underneath the skin
• BorgWarner 4wd system is standard
• 2.48 ratio low range gearbox

[Dippy]

Volkswagen Vento

• A well-built, robust, European sedan
• Clean and contemporary styling. Boot is superbly integrated
• Competitive pricing, especially for a German car
• Stunning diesel engine. New torque king of the C segment
• Mature suspension setup. Balanced ride & handling
• Segment firsts : Reach adjust steering, gear recommender, adjustable driver armrest etc.
• All-rounded nature; Jack of all trades
• 6.99L Trendline (entry) variant is simply too basic. No Comfortline (middle) variant
• Petrol engine isn't as impressive as the diesel. Average low rpm response
• Electric power steering. The Vento deserves a pure hydraulic unit
• Some goodies missing (steering-mounted audio controls, AUX / USB stereo, dead pedal & folding rear seat)
• Thin 47 dealer all-India network. After sales has yet to prove itself
• VW's long-term ownership costs are unknown

[Dippy]

Tata Aria

• Solid body-on-frame construction. Seemingly robust
• Futuristic styling, especially the face. Good street presence
• Spacious 1st & 2nd seat rows. Interior quality a big leap ahead for Tata
• Balanced road behaviour. Strong brakes too
• Premium level of equipment. Many segment firsts, including AWD
• Safety : Traction control, ABS, 6 airbags & all-round disc brakes
• Rs. 14.75 lakh (base) - 17.75 (top variant) on-road is simply overpriced
• Third row of seats best suited to kids only
• Unsettled ride quality at highway speeds
• Apprehensions over initial niggles with new Tata cars
• Tata's un-premium after-sales service experiences

[Dippy]

Skoda Yeti

• Premium, solid build quality, inside and out
• Smooth and responsive diesel engine
• Compact enough for the city. Easy to drive
• Sedan like handling and road behavior at high speed
• A host of electronics and features on the Elegance version
• Safety: ABS, EBD, Hill-hold, TCS, ESP, 6-airbags, active head restraints and 3-point seatbelts for all passengers
• Quirky looking from some angles, might not be to everyone's tastes
• Firm low-speed ride quality
• Cramped rear seat when seating more than 4 in the Yeti
• No Auto or DSG transmission currently offered on the Indian Yeti
• Skoda’s after-sales horror stories

[Dippy]

BMW X1

• Based on the 3 Series platform
• Two engine options. 1.8 Petrol and 2.0 Diesel
• High quality fit and finish. German trademark
• Longer wheelbase gives better legroom at the rear
• Low placed rear seats not comfortable for tall passengers
• Good boot space. Rear seats fold 40:20:40
• Compact Size. Easy to drive in city traffic
• Run flat tyres not suited for Indian roads
• Fantastic brakes. Loaded with safety features
• Excellent BMW after sales maintenence packages

[Dippy]

BMW 5 Series F10

• Classic BMW styling. A timeless design, no more quirkiness
• 7 series quality, inside out. Actually based on the exact same platform
• Stunning performance, flexibility & refinement from the 6 cylinder diesel
• Immaculate balance in ride and handling
• Cutting-edge tech (8 speed gearbox, regenerative braking, full iDrive etc.)
• 5 star safety. 6 airbags & endless electronic aids. Outstanding brakes
• 5 year / 100,000 kms all-inclusive maintenance packages
• Electric power steering. Drive is not as pure as the E60 on the limit
• Runflat tyres mandatory. No room for a space saver spare either
• Legroom about the same as the E60. No perceptible increase. Rear headroom at a premium
• E60 fans wont take kindly to the conservative styling

[Dippy]

CBUs (fully imported cars) have not been included due to their limited applicability to the Indian market.

[GTO]

I actually had to spend some time thinking between:

- The Ford Figo : Right car at the right price. Entered a domain dominated by Maruti, Hyundai & Tata, and gave them a tough fight. Emerged as a highly successful car. No real deal breaker with the product, it's well-rounded. The diesel is the undoubted pick.

- Toyota Etios : A sedan that beats the Dzire at its own game. Spacious, torquey petrol, safe ride & handling and the "T" badge for 5 - 6 lakhs.

- VW Vento : The only sedan that can challenge the Honda City's 13 year hold on the C+ segment. Priced well for a European, good build, excellent ride & handling and a stunning diesel engine.

- Tata Aria : A giant leap ahead for Tata in terms of product engineering. However, an equally large step behind in terms of VFM...something that Tata has always stood for.

In the end, I have to pick the Figo...Ford pulled off a master-class move in the hatchback segment. Evidently, the market seems to agree too.