16 game changers of 2016

2016 has been a busy year for most auto manufacturers in the country Weve witnessed a flurry of allnew cars across different price segments While most new launches were a mere me too we set aside 16 vehicles that we think made a difference to the Indian auto industry These fourwheeled machines brought something new to the table shook up their respective segments and are poised for a steady innings in the market Without further ado lets hop right into it ndash in no particular orderHatchbacksTata TiagoThe little hatchback will go down in history as the one that turned things around for Tata Almost singlehandedly if we may add The Tiago packed in a spacious cabin feelgood features and frugal engines at a mouthwatering price that undercut its chief rivals by close to half a lakhMahindra e2oPlusMahindra added a dose of practicality and convenience to the e2o giving us the fourdoor avatar The topspec version got an upgraded powertrain producing 41PS of power and a larger 210Ah battery With a top speed of 85kmph and a range of 140km the little electric hatch from Mahindra looks better equipped than ever before to take on the urban jungleSedansHyundai ElantraLike we said in our review the Elantra is better than ever before The Dsegment sedan from Hyundai gets a spot on our list for its intelligent pricing While entry level variants were priced cheaper than the segment leader the Corolla Altis the topspec diesel is priced a whopping Rs 3 lakh cheaper than the Skoda Octavia The best bit is that the feelgood features ndash such as the ventilated seats a sunroof a touchscreen audio system et al ndash remain on the feature listSkoda SuperbIf we had to sum up the Skoda Superb in three words it would be value for money Now we know it costs well over Rs 30 lakh on road but you do get a lot for that money For instance the space outrivals the MercedesBenz EClass the Canton audio system will put most entrylevel Audis to shame and the level of equipment ndash threezone climate control boss button leather upholstery ndash is better than an equivalently priced BMW See why we say it is value for moneyUtility VehiclesMaruti Suzuki Vitara BrezzaCalling the first sub 4metre SUV from Maruti a runaway success would be short selling it The Brezza catapulted into the Alist of bestsellers almost instantly after launch clocking a steady 10000 units in sales every month The straightforward yet potent package comprising of the SUV appeal a punchy 13litre diesel motor and the backing of Marutis aftersales saw it command a waiting period of half a year Maruti also debuted its iCreate personalization offerings with the Brezza helping owners make their own Brezza a tad more uniqueIsuzu DMax VCrossIsuzu started the year with a bang by showcasing the DMax VCross at the 2016 Auto Expo It breathed life into a niche lifestyle pickup segment which comprised only of the Tata Xenon until the VCross came along The mega road presence no nonsense styling reliable 25litre diesel and shiftonthefly fourwheel drive gives the DMax a spot on our listToyota Innova CrystaThe Crysta turned the MPV space on its head by upping the ante in every measurable way The new Innova Crysta packed in an uberluxurious interior a variety of engine options ndash 24litre diesel 28litre diesel 27litre petrol and an automatic transmission too The updated workhorse from Toyota not only went to the top of the food chain in the UV segment but bit a sizeable chunk out of Dsegment sedans pie as wellFord EndeavourFords big boy shocked the market in January 2016 by being cheaper than the older Toyota Fortuner The American automaker clearly had its intentions crystal clear with the Endeavour ndash grab the throne For the price it is a fantastic package bundling in features such as active noise cancellation semiauto parallel park assist and a terrain management system all while being more affordable than its arch rival ndash the new FortunerLuxuryVolvo S90The Swedes have arrived and how On paper the Volvo S90 seems to be better equipped compared to its German rivals and is priced to undercut them Notably the S90 is a CBU unlike the rest of its clan that are assembled locally in India Features such as the rear airsuspension the 19speaker BowersampWilkins sound system and the 9inch touchscreen command centre make it stand out from the runofthemill GermansBMW 3GTWhat we like to call the most practical BMW also happens to be amongst the fastest now The 3GT now gets the 330i variant packing a 20litre turbo petrol motor with 252PS of power on tap With a 0100 time of just 61 seconds and a luggage hauling capacity of 1600 litres with the second row stashed away the 3GT combines performance and practicality beautifullyBentley BentaygaThe first SUV from the winged B was bound to make an appearance on the list for the sheer amount of exclusivity and opulence it offers Launched at a sticker price of Rs 385 crore it is the most expensive SUV to be retailed in India at the moment In case you need an example of the extravaganza Bentley has a dashboard clock in the options list handcrafted by Mulliner no less that costs over a crore Yep that is a seven digit sum for a clock We wish we were joking about thisPerformanceVolkswagen Polo GTIAfter years of contemplation Volkswagen finally brought in the rangetopping Polo ndash the GTI ndash to Indian shores Priced at Rs 26 lakh exshowroom the hot Polo screams performance like nothing else The 18litre turbo petrol motor develops 192PS giving it a 0100kmph time of just 71 seconds In case you thought the Abarth Punto wasnt hot enough for you here you go ndash Volkswagen finally has the whole hogMercedesAMG 43 SeriesMercedes brought its affordable 43 range of AMGs to India this year The range currently includes the GLE43 Coupe the SLC43 Roadster and the recently launched C43 sedan The 43 AMGs arent as hard core as the big boy 63s but are quick enough to make you yell expletives as you get hurled towards the horizon All that for a six digit asking price Kudos MercedesFord MustangThe iconic pony car flexed its muscles in India earlier this year and was launched at a price of Rs 65 lakh Notably the Mustang is the most affordable way to get yourself a brandnew V8powered car The timeless styling the roar of 400 horses and the fun of a proper rearwheelndashdriven muscle car is hard to resist giving it a spot on our listJeep Grand Cherokee SRTUnlike its stablemates the hot SRT version of the Grand Cherokee feels well priced For just Rs 10 lakh over its standard 30litre diesel version you get a whole lot more which we think makes it a sweet deal for an enthusiast The party piece of course is the big 64litre HEMI V8 motor that dishes out 470PS and 624Nm and a sonorous exhaust noteNissan GTRLaunched at Rs 199 crore the GTR is now in its final avatar It finds a spot on our list for offering supercar performance for a substantially lower sticker price The handbuilt twinturbo 38litre motor is a stonker ndash developing 570PS and 637Nm ndash giving it a 0100kmph time thats under 3 secondsSumming UpThats our list of 16 game changers for 2016 Agree with our choices Have something to add Let us know by voicing your opinion through the comments sectionRead full article on cardekhocom