[ChiragM]

Toyota Camry Hybrid

What you'll like:

• An extremely well-rounded luxury sedan. Lots of road presence due to its sheer size too
• Spacious, comfortable & well-equipped cabin. Ideal for self-driven or chauffeured owners alike
• High-tech and environment-friendly hybrid powertrain mated to a butter-smooth CVT automatic
• Terrific fuel efficiency! 15 km/l or more in the city
• Compliant ride quality with sorted road manners
• Loaded with kit (amazing sound system, ventilated front seats, reclinable rear seats, head-up display)
• Top-notch safety ratings. Equipment includes 9 airbags, ESP & more
• Toyota’s bullet-proof reliability and superb after-sales service. Camrys age very well

What you won't:

• Weird front styling isn't to everyone's taste. You'll either love it or hate it
• Expensive! The VW Passat & Skoda Superb are both priced noticeably lower
• Not as much fun to drive as its German competitors (although it's no longer boring either)
• A couple of missing essentials (rpm counter, Android Auto / Apple CarPlay, folding rear seat...)
• Back seat is better suited to 2 adults, rather than 3
• Just a single trim. No choice of variants at all
• Long waiting period. Over 3 months in some cities

Link to Official Review

Volkswagen Passat

What you'll like:

• A solid European sedan with classy & understated styling; will age well over time
• Premium, upmarket cabin and a cavernous 586-litre boot
• Loaded with features & technology (adjustable dampers, 360-degree area view camera...)
• Fast & practical 2.0L TDI engine mated to a smooth & quick 6-speed DSG
• Mature suspension brings balanced road manners
• 5-star NCAP safety rating (9 airbags & a full suite of electronic aids)

What you won't:

• Many of you will find the styling to be too conservative
• Sibling rivalry from the Superb (more rear legroom etc.)
• Lacks the brand cachet that customers desire at this price point
• Explosive 1.8 TSI petrol engine isn't offered, and neither is a manual transmission
• Long-term reliability concerns over the DSG transmission
• Volkswagen's dealership & service experiences are a hit or miss

Link to Official Review

Honda Accord Hybrid

What you'll like:

• Fuel-efficient, environment-friendly Hybrid technology
• Fast performance, with good low-end torque
• Comfy low-speed ride quality
• Safe handling matched with a steering that's nice to use
• Spacious interiors, well-bolstered seats & lots of equipment
• 5-star safety rating. Kit includes 6 airbags, lane-watch system, ESP & more

What you won't:

• An overpriced CBU! Almost 6 lakhs more expensive than chief competitor, the Toyota Camry
• Misses many rear seat features that the Camry has (reclining seat, air-con settings, audio controls...)
• Despite the fast performance, it is boring to drive
• Excessively soft suspension means an unsettled high-speed ride
• No spare tyre! Additionally, low-profile tyres are prone to damage on Indian roads
• Small boot for such a large luxury car. Hybrid hardware eats up space

Link to Official Review

Skoda Superb

What you'll like:

• The benchmark D2-segment luxury sedan...all over again. Well priced for all it offers
• Timeless, elegant styling. Fit, finish & build quality are top notch
• Amazing rear seat comfort. Beats luxury cars costing twice as much
• Classy cabin is practical & user-friendly. Cavernous 625 liter boot!
• Terrific diesel & petrol engines mated to fast gearboxes. Manual tranny available too
• Loaded with features & technology. Equipment list runs pages long
• 5 star safety rating & kit - 8 airbags, ESP, TC, ABS + EBD, EDL and lots more

What you won't:

• DSG is known for breakdowns. Old Superb's long-term reliability was overall poor
• Skoda's scary after-sales service. Dealer network doesn't understand customer service
• Diesel's price premium (over the petrol) is 3 lakhs on the road! That's unusually high
• Some product planning goof-ups (limited colours, no navigation, no diesel MT)

Link to Official Review

[GTO]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

The Camry has much improved, no doubt. It's an extremely well-rounded luxury sedan now. However, I like the VW Passat a lot more. The Passat is elegant (Camry's front-end is too weird for my tastes), is more fun to drive and its Connect variant is like ~7 lakhs cheaper than the Toyota. No-brainer choice for me, if I was out shopping.

[Iyencar]

Voted for the Camry simply for the amazing tech on offer. Hybrids are the way forward and the Camry is leading us.

[V.Narayan]

Voted for the Camry. Hybrid is the way forward till all-electric becomes a reality in India. The way the wind is blowing anything not hybrid or all-electric will in a few years be a rapidly diminishing asset. Think of what the resale price of a petrol car will be in 2029 ie ten years on. What has happened in Delhi-NCR on the 10 year diesel-15 year petrol rule will in some form come to at least the top 10 cities over the coming decade.

PS: If you stare at the Camry long enough from the left side you start liking it after three days.

[sharktale]

Camry is the one I've voted for.

I guess I belong to the demographic, which is concerned more about reliability and comfort, than acceleration and top speed numbers.
Toyotas (though not very niggle-free now) still get a +1 over the other competitors.

The front grill shall grow on you, and I'm really happy that they are atleast venturing into a more unique design language, unlike Honda. Remember, I hated the new Octy Facelift, but it's grown on me definitely overtime. It's looks cool, especially at night!

Hybrid addition of the Camry can be regarded as a major price differential amongst the competitors.

Yes, there are certain features which definitely should have been incorporated in the Camry. However, it's like getting a feature rich TV from a brand like Mi, vs getting the most reliable display TV from a company like Sony. If I want to keep the car for long, Toyota will be my first choice.

I have figured that coaxing the heart is a bit simpler than months of tension on the mind. :P

[karan561]

Toyota Camry - Too expensive & Hybrid Tech deserved a Petrol Turbo this time instead of carrying forward the older engine.

VW Passat - VW's future in India is uncertain & resale too poor (definitely less than the Skoda Superb)

Skoda Superb - Had booked but never got delivery, related post;
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...ml#post4037076 (Skoda Superb Diesel: No deliveries until August. EDIT: Deliveries finally begin)

Honda Accord - Too expensive & too old as already new gen has been revealed globally.

Hence did not vote for anything < inverted downwards

[Gausum]

Voted Camry for sheer reliability and low running cost. Passat and Superb are great cars however service and resale are big question marks.

[AYP]

I have almost always vouched for the VW equivalent when it comes to selecting a product between the Skoda and the VW siblings. However, the new Superb is an exception to this. I love the way it looks on road and even when it comes to the interiors, I like the Superb more than the Passat. DCC is perhaps something I will miss on the Superb, but since I have never experienced an adaptive/dynamic suspension, I can't really gauge how important or not important that feature is.

So for me, the Superb it is. It's availability in a manual avatar is an icing on the cake. This will be followed by the Passat and only then will the Camry and the Accord follow. Infact I feel that discounts will also play a big role when it comes to deciding between the German siblings. If the Passat diesel comes out to be significantly cheaper than the equivalent Superb diesel, I'd be difficult to plonk the extra money for the Superb. However, since Superb on an average sells 2-3 times that of the Passat, long term support and spare availability would be slightly better for the Superb.

Voted for the Superb.

[extreme_torque]

Camry used to be a safe choice simply because of how reliable it was. Now that it is fun plus loaded with equipment, is refined and economical and fast at the same time, I dont think the Germans stand a chance. Too many horror stories with German cars on the forum plus Camry is faster and economical than almost all of them without being a diesel.

No surprise I voted for one.

[GTO]

I had commented on the Camry's Official Review how the package has much improved and - in Sport Mode - you can actually have a little fun with it.

And now, it's leading the poll on an enthusiasts website . Despite being so much more expensive than the Europeans.The Camry has come a long way indeed.

Would a Corolla ever get more votes than an Octavia / Jetta? Going by this poll, guess we can't rule that out. Never say never.

[Swap_Abarth]

Camry for me. Car is big, inside out. It is luxurious and refined. Camry comes with Toyota brand reliabity and peace of mind. Hybrid motor is frugal and powerful. Service issues at VW group and lower resale values are the downers for Superb and Passat.

My vote goes to Toyota Camry.

[blackwasp]

My Vote goes for the Camry. Despite the 4-5L premium over the Germans, I can totally see this car outlasting the others. Most Toyota owners end up keeping their cars for long, simply because nothing happens to them. Just routine servicing and you are done.

There have been innumerable complaints by German car owners - DSG, electronics, EGRs etc. not to mention the steeper price of servicing relatively. Toyota is a peace of mind. A Camry buyer (or potential D-segment owner) would definitely consider the new Camry. Compared to the old gen, it is significantly better and looks 'cool'.

I would even go one step ahead and say that those buying the C / A4 / 3-Series should also look at the Camry for what it offers. Chauffeur driven folks would definitely pick the Camry unless they want the German brand.

[Aaron:)]

This battle is mainly down to the Camry-Superb-Passat trio. The Accord is way too old now to compete, with the next gen model already on sale abroad.

The Passat, for some reason, just doesn’t appeal to me that much. It doesn’t wow me like the other two. It’s immensely capable but a little too plain jane for my tastes. When one is spending big money on a luxury sedan, one expects some pizazz.

Can’t choose between the Camry and Superb. Love both of them, hence not voting. Have to say, the Camry has come a LONG way. It’s no longer the ‘boring’ choice. And hybrids are the future.

PS: At the risk of sounding like a broken record, can Honda and Hyundai get the Accord and Sonata here ASAP. And the Kia Optima too. Good looking premium sedans are such a breath of fresh air amidst all the SUVs and crossovers.

[Axe77]

I'll also pick the Camry for multiple reasons:

1. Clean fuel option.

None of the other german options here (I am not even considering the Honda on any parameter), offer a hybrid variant. You only have the option of dirty diesel or guzzling petrol. Remember, guzzling petrol is not just a cost downer but also means more fuel burnt = more pollution. (I understand a battery in itself has its own aspect of environment pollution but keeping that aside for a moment).

2. Reliability over short term & long term and resultant ability to use long term:

In terms of sheer longevity on account of service cost as well as dependability, the Toyota will trump its competition. This is of course assuming you're the sort who likes to hold his cars long and not replace every 3 - 4 years. Even if the latter, it'll likely depreciate less aggressively. The Superb may sell more than the passat but both are depreciation disasters.

3. Dependability:

If I have only one car at my disposal (or even a hatch + only 1 luxury car at my disposal), I want minimum no of down time days spent either in extraordinary issues / spare part access time. Even if VW improves on warranty handling on account of reliability concerns, it is still admin cost / time implication for the owner. The Toyota gives that additional peace of mind.

4. Practicality:

Small but important point for me is that with the current gen Camry a major grouse of boot space has been addressed. Its still no Superb or Camry matching spec but with the batter moving under the seat, the boot space is far more acceptable in volume terms.

______

I feel the build quality of the premium Toyotas seem to be getting better and better (unlike Honda which seems to be going the other direction).

If I had only one ask of the Toyota, I wish the ground clearance could have been a touch higher.

[Kireet]

Voted for Camry due to the Hybrid technology which is the future, however after the price drop Passat may be a more VFM option.