The Honda City is BS Motoring Car of the Year

The results of the oldest automotive awards in the country are out.

The new Honda City has won the Business Standard Motoring Car Of The Year 2009 title. Other contenders this year for the top honours were the Maruti Suzuki A-Star, Hyundai i20, Toyota Corolla Altis, Volkswagen Jetta, Skoda Fabia and the Tata Indica Vista. All new cars launched in calendar year 2008 qualify for the Car Of The Year awards.

The City wrested the title from the rest of the finalists by raising the benchmark in its class across all aspects, be it performance, safety, comfort, driving dynamics, fuel consumption and design. The A-Star was first runner-up and in third place was the i20.* The voting system has been changed from this year onwards and follows the European and Indian Car Of The Year evaluation format. The previous BS Motoring COTY points system which ran for a decade was skewed towards a low price of acquisition and low running costs. To reflect the changing market dynamics in the country and increased awareness levels of prospective car buyers, the new voting system favours new-age technology, environment friendliness and more importantly, safety. However, the fitness for purpose for which each car in each segment was conceived, designed and developed was considered by the jury.

Business Standard Motoring award winners for 2009 include the refreshingly new and cost-effective Yamaha FZ16 as the Bike Of The Year.

The all-new Audi A4, with a slew of engines, won the Premium Car Of The Year award, while the path-breaking small car from Maruti Suzuki, the A-Star, was adjudged as the Best Value. The Chevrolet Captiva, which won many a heart for its economical diesel engine and SUV virtues, got the Import Car Of The Year honours. The six-member jury thought the new Tata Indica Vista was a tremendous step in the right direction by an indigenous car maker and bestowed it the Jury award.

Business Standard Motoring awards are the oldest automotive honours in the country and they have been continuously announced since 1996, when the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W124) won the title. Previous Business Standard Motoring Cars Of The Year include the Hyundai i10 (2008), Chevrolet Aveo U-VA (2007), Maruti Suzuki Swift (2006), Hyundai Getz (2005) and Honda City (2004).

* The i20 will be launched on Monday and was made available to the BS Motoring team for test run a week ago