The Hectic Pace Continues
The year gone by came to an end on a very hectic note and I thought that at least the month of January would prove relatively quiet, but it was just the opposite.
The Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) award completed 20 years this year. The award ceremony has grown from only a few of us back in 2006 to a ballroom full of people, the very who’s who of the automobile industry. The ICOTY is not only the biggest and most prestigious award in India but it also enjoys global recognition. We need to thank Dr Raghupati Singhania, Chairman and MD, JK Tyre, and Sanjay Sharma (Hardy) for their unstinting support over the past 20 years. Incidentally, I happen to be the only member of the jury to be associated with the awards since inception.
The winner of the ICOTY 2025 was the Mahindra Thar Roxx. The Maruti Suzuki Dzire was at number two and the Maruti Suzuki Swift came in third.
The drive down to Goa proved extremely enjoyable thanks to the BMW X5 30d. The beauty of the diesel engine is that you do not have to rev it to get going and then you can cruise comfortably at 2,000/2,500 rpm. What makes it even more attractive is the fuel economy: the car returned 11 kilometres to a litre during this journey.
The Škoda Kylaq feels solid and well built. During the first drive I got the opportunity to drive both the manual and the automatic variants. Both have the same one-litre TSI engine from the Kushaq. While driving the manual car, I selected sixth gear and slowed the car down till the rpm needle showed 1,200. Even so, the car pulled away cleanly without a fuss. Its ride quality and handling are top-class and the best part is that it drives like a Škoda. The Kylaq indubitably ticks all the right boxes. Its competitors in the sub-four-metre SUV segment had better watch out.
The Indian motor sport community lost another stalwart, Darayus Bhathena, who not just raced cars but also helped build them. He was a man with a golden heart. May his soul rest in peace.
EDITOR – ASPI BHATHENA
