As the year comes to a close, it is time again to honor the best in the automotive industry. When it comes to India, nothing comes close to the Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) and Indian Motorcycle of the Year (IMOTY) awards. Modeled on the lines of popular international titles such as North American Car of the Year and European Car of the year, the ICOTY and IMOTY awards are deliberated and decided by a group of automotive journalists from leading publications in the country. After analyzing every car and bike that was launched in India this year, the expert jury have zeroed in on the winners of 2013 ICOTY and IMOTY titles. The awards were presented recently at a glittering ceremony organized by the title sponsor JK Tyres.
To be eligible for the award, the car or motorcycle should have been launched in India in the first 11 months of the previous year. Facelifts or new variants of an existing model aren't eligible to participate as are cars and bikes that aren't made in India. In short, the Indian Car of the Year and Indian Motorcycle of the Year should represent the tag line "Made in India and Made for India".
To be eligible for the award, the car or motorcycle should have been launched in India in the first 11 months of the previous year. Facelifts or new variants of an existing model aren't eligible to participate as are cars and bikes that aren't made in India. In short, the Indian Car of the Year and Indian Motorcycle of the Year should represent the tag line "Made in India and Made for India".
Despite having over 20 cars that qualified for the 2013 ICOTY award, the jurors shortlisted the number to just 11 finalists. When all the analysis and scoring were done with, the Renault Duster, that has turned around the fortunes of Renault in India and is rewriting sales records, came out on top. Being the first compact crossover to be launched in India would have helped matters here, as would have it's all-round capabilities of rugged design, superb ride quality, decent handling, two fuel-efficient diesel engine options and an abuse-worthy build quality. That the Duster's storming success sent many other manufacturers running to get their compact crossovers ready meant that there wasn't much competition for this year's award.
Maruti-Suzuki Ertiga and Hyundai Elantra, both of which are game-changers and sales leaders in their respective segments, finished second and third in the contest. To think of the fact that the Elantra won the 2012 North American Car of the Year award amidst much-tougher competition and arguably much-higher standards and still finished behind the Duster and Ertiga shows the increasing significance of Utility Vehicles in the Indian market. It's high time brands like Hyundai, Honda, Volkswagen and Ford start working on getting their Utility Vehicles here at the earliest.
2013 ICOTY RESULTS:
Winner - Renault Duster
PREVIOUS ICOTY WINNERS:
* 2012 – Maruti-Suzuki Swift
* 2011 – Ford Figo
* 2010 – Tata Nano
* 2009 – Honda City
* 2008 – Hyundai i10
Moving over to two wheels, it was the KTM Duke 200 that was chosen the winner. A joint development by KTM and Bajaj, the Duke 200 is making waves not just in India but across the globe in all countries where KTM has a strong presence. Unlike the 2013 Indian Car of the Year, choosing the Indian Motorcycle of the Year was apparently tougher with the Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS giving tough competition to the Duke 200 before losing out on the title by a slender margin. A stunningly aggressive design, sporty razor-sharp handling and a thumping power-to-weight ratio makes the Duke 200 an enthusiast's delight. That it excels in the race track and still costs less than the Yamaha YZF R15 and Honda CBR 250R seals its position as a game-changer.
The Pulsar 200NS, which is nothing but a Duke 200 in Bajaj's attire, came in a close second. The suave 'Naked Sports' styling and a host of advanced technologies underneath make the newest Pulsar the best ever. If this is the sign of things to come, Pulsar is all set to reach dizzying heights in future. Honda's much-awaited entry into the commuter segment where Splendors and Discovers rule the roost currently came in the form of Dream Yuga. As with all Hondas, the Dream Yuga comes across as a competent all-round performer, finishing the contest in third.
2013 IMOTY RESULTS:
Winner – KTM Duke 200
PREVIOUS IMOTY WINNERS:
* 2012 – Honda CBR 250R
* 2011 – Honda CB Twister
* 2010 – Kawasaki Ninja 250R
* 2009 – Yamaha YZF R15
* 2008 – Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi
The elantra looks even worse than a ssayong rodius .
ReplyDeleteWe are sorry, there should be something wrong if someone is making this statement. One of the finest looking sedans existing in the market should never ever be compared with something that will feature in the top of a list of all-time hideous automobiles.
Deletehe's joking . The rodius looks hooooooorrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiibbbbblllllllleeeeeeeee. However the spy pics of the new rodius confirm ssayong has solved that problem.
ReplyDeleteWe agree, the new Rodius seems to be S.I.G.N.I.F.I.C.A.N.T.L.Y better looking than the existing model.
DeleteHow come did this rubbish come that the duster is an all-rounder? Plus , this tank of rubbish won car of the year. A true all rounder is a car that combines the well engineered capabilities of a duster and the premium feel of an Xuv500.
ReplyDeleteYou should drive the duster before you say anything.
DeleteHi, thanks for voicing your opinion. We agree with you that the Duster lacks the premium feel of the XUV500, but the fact is the Duster rides better, has lesser body roll, has a more tractable engine inside the city and the interiors will last longer than that of the XUV500's. Reliability is also a plus. We think it's these all-round capabilities that made the Duster win 2013 ICOTY.
DeleteWhy no new posts?
ReplyDeleteTied up elsewhere.. Posts lined up already and will be up soon..
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