Saluting 2010's Most Memorable Car

365 days, 12 months, 52 weeks and more importantly 28 car launches later here we are at the end of another fabulous year for the Indian auto industry, which has remained steadfast even through one of the worst economic downturns since the Great Depression. It's not unusual to see a flurry of launches across multiple segments in a single year, but 2010 has certainly seen a significant rise in number of B segment cars in India, whose relentless purchases have quite easily managed to top their respective, manufactures sales charts in a single year. 

The year that began with the introduction of the dynamically designed Chevrolet Beat, caught the attention of small car buyers, who up until its launch had no choice, but to pick a car from a segment that was frankly starved of some fresh and acute design and styling. “Though my dream car is to own a big SUV someday, all I can afford as of now is a small hatch. After joining work early this year, I want to buy my first car and my instant choice was Chevrolet Beat. The sporty looks surely compliments my personality,” says Kartik Batra, an employee of Infosys, Bangalore.

This was followed by the launch of Volkswagens first ever small car in India, the VW Polo. One of our most interesting responses about the Polo came from Ravi Saxena, also based out of Bangalore, who said, "I was so impressed with the Polo, that I booked the car just two day after its launch. Pity that I had to watch for over 3 months to get behind the wheels. I think Volkswagen should produce more of the Polo. The demand in the market is huge. Though the price in on the higher side, I don’t mind paying that extra for the comfort and the goodies it has got."

Then came Ford's wheel of fortune, the small but powerful Ford Figo, whose 50,000th unit recently rolled off the production line. Impressed by Ford's latest peppy hatch, Sandeep Bhujbal based out of Pune shared his thoughts with us. According to him, "The Figo is a car loaded with all the accessories that one could possibly ask for in a small family car. It is a car that has been well-priced and is quite impressive on the design front as well. Interior colouring is good, and audio systems are quite affordable. The Figo is a great overall package."

The Alto K10 with its new 1000cc engine also caught the fancy of many Maruti Suzuki fans, who had the following to say about the Alto after its newly powered heart transplant. Neeraj Bhalla, working with Ernest and Young, Bangalore, said, "My heart goes for the new Alto. The peppy engine, better interiors as compared to the earlier ones took my heart away. Just in love with the car."

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There was also quite a bit of commotion in the C segment models introduced this year, with maximum hype being centered around Toyota’s newest compact sedan offering, the Toyota Etios.

The spacious, but well priced sedan has not only lured long-time Toyota fans closer to the brand, but has completely sucked out the competition with its superior drive quality and unmatched performance in its class. Something similar was voiced by Kamal Bhatia from West Delhi who was surprised not with Ford but with Toyota. “I always wished to own a Toyota car, a car that has excellent build quality and performance, but never had the pocket to buy one. With Toyota’s Etios, my dream looks like complete.” Bhatia plans to buy the car by the mid of next year.

But there are always those who are on the lookout for something completely out of this world, and when it comes to the over competitive C segment in India, nothing spins your curiosity like the VW Vento. Riding on the same wave, was Bhaskar Jyoti, a Financial Analyst based out of Bangalore. He opined, “Though I have always been a fan of  the Honda City, My vote for this year’s launch goes for the VW Vento. The styling, the space it has, comfort and performance are quite good. And to add it all, it has the Volkswagen tag.”

And lets not forget the our off-roading participants, the high and hefty SUV’s, which have set the road ablaze this year. First up was Hyundai’s fourth SUV offering in India, the Santa Fe, which at first sight appeared stylish and sturdy, but is yet to prove itself as a serious mud-plugger. So then, no surprises when I say that it is the Czech auto makers Skoda, who have held the beacon high in this year’s SUV segment with the launch of their internationally reputed softroader, the Skoda Yeti.

For both Sumit Kalra and Nitin Seth, it was the SUV from Skoda that was most liked by them. “I always loved the Skoda Octavia, but unfortunately the company no more manufactures the model. But I was taken-a-back with the Skoda Yeti. It has everything that a Skoda car offers,” said Kalra. For Seth, it was the 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine, which did all the wonders. “I am a die-hard SUV fan and to have a SUV cum a crossover from Skoda with 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine was like bliss.”   

So with so many auto attached sentiments and variable priorities across various segments what is then, the most memorable car this year? Well it wasn’t too much of a brainer for us here at ZigWheels, simply because there was one car that managed to top all out lists, and received an overwhelming response not only in its segment but garnered a significantly high overall average amongst its distant cousins this year. We are talking about Nissan;s first ever hatchback in India, The Nissan MICRA, which was launched by the Japanese carmaker in May this year. The Nissan Micra is this year's most memorable car as per out detailed survey, and we have received a number of hearty responses from recent buyers; here is what they had to say.

"2010 saw some wonderful cars like the Ford Figo and the Volkswagen Vento launching from almost all car-makers. But I was completely bowled over by the Nissan Micra. I like the styling, the start stop button, the peppiness and of course because I own one too,' said Aakash Kaushik.

Vinod Nahar based out of Pune, voted for the Micra as this year's most memorable mini marvel. According to him, “The Nissan Micra has a beautiful shape, posture and I really love the interiors. The car is priced well too.”

SS Sangra also based out of Pune shared a similar notion, stating, "Of all the small cars that were launched this year, the Nissan Micra has appealed to me the most."

And so we have it. A great year celebrating the arrival of some of the finest cars ever seen on Indian roads. 2010 has paved the path for a higher echelon of four wheeled passenger vehicles, and we can’t be excited enough to see what the coming months have in store for us. Look out for the hottest launches of 2011 in the Upcoming Lauches section of our freshly painted website www.zigwheels.com