Renault Kwid is the Autocar India CAR OF THE YEAR 2016

Renault Kwid also bags ‘Hatchback of the Year 2016’ award; Bajaj Pulsar RS 200 takes home ‘Bike of the Year 2016’ award.

Mumbai, 30^th January 2016: The Renault Kwid has won the prestigious Autocar India Car of the Year award for 2016, after an exciting awards ceremony attended by the pillars of the automotive industry at the Taj Land’s End hotel in Mumbai on 29 January, 2016. The Kwid also took home the award for ‘Best Hatchback of the Year 2016’. Renault’s newest small car has taken the high-sales-volume budget hatchback segment by storm since its launch in September 2015, serving up class-leading space, comfort and features at an incredibly competitive price. Where the Kwid really breaks the mould, however, is with its SUV-like appearance, unprecedented for a car in its segment. “The Kwid is a true game changer and comes as a breath of fresh air at the budget end of the car market” said Hormazd Sorabjee, editor, Autocar India

The Autocar India Bike of the Year 2016 award was taken home by the Bajaj Pulsar RS 200. The Indian bike-maker’s current flagship motorcycle also won the Readers’ Choice Bike of the Year award, cementing once again that Bajaj knows what its Indian customers want. The RS 200 won for its combination of striking looks, strong performance and everyday usability, which has been the Pulsar’s core formula since day one.

The Autocar India Awards continues a tradition of recognising excellence that dates back to 2002. The awards are the culmination of weeks of behind-the-scenes work. The eight-member jury scrutinised reams of facts, figures and data generated by Autocar India’s satellite-based road testing equipment. This year’s 23 eligible cars, ranging from a budget hatchback to a luxury limousine to a hybrid sportscar, were then put under put through a rigorous series of tests to evaluate various parameters. The judges then awarded points to the cars based on these parameters and the scores were tallied to arrive at a winner in each of the categories.

Behind the Autocar India awards is over a century of learning. Autocar UK, the Indian edition’s sister publication has been road testing cars since 1895. Autocar has been a part of the European Car of the Year Awards that was established in 1964. The jury for the Autocar India awards are internationally recognised jurists serving on several international jury panels like World Car of the Year, International Engine of the Year and World Women’s car of the year.

ROLL OF HONOUR: THE AUTOCAR INDIA AWARDS 2016

Car of the Year: Renault Kwid

Hatchback of the Year: Renault Kwid

Bike of the Year: Bajaj Pulsar RS200

Readers’ Choice Bike of the Year: Bajaj Pulsar RS200

Readers’ Choice Car of the Year: Hyundai Creta

SUV/Crossover of the Year: Hyundai Creta

Premium SUV/Crossover of the Year: Hyundai Creta

Luxury SUV/Crossover of the Year: Audi Q7

Luxury Car of the Year: Mercedes-Maybach S-class

Mid-size Hatchback of the Year: Ford Figo

Premium Hatchback of the Year: Maruti Baleno

Best Value for Money Car of the Year: Maruti Baleno

Manufacturer of the Year: Maruti Suzuki India Limited

MPV of the Year: Renault Lodgy

Sportscar of the Year: Audi TT Coupé

Performance Car of the Year: Mercedes-AMG C 63 S

Engine of the Year: Mercedes-AMG 4.0 V8

Technology and Innovation Award: BMW i8

Best Design and Styling: BMW i8

Best Variant of the Year: Fiat Abarth Punto

Scooter of the Year: Vespa SXL 150

Premium Bike of the Year: Ducati Scrambler Icon

Import Bike of the Year: Triumph Tiger 800 XCx