In 2023, the Indian market saw significant car launches, albeit with a notable trend: there were very few entirely new product launches, with the majority being updates or facelifts. After extensive discussions with our team and the jury, we have identified the following 2024 MotorBeam Award winners.
Car of the Year – Honda Elevate
Honda took some time to enter the compact SUV segment, but managed to produce good volumes with the launch of the Elevate. A car with good value for money, with Honda’s DNA and a neutral design language, aimed at a wide audience.
Car of the Year chosen by spectators – Toyota Innova HyCross
We had conducted a poll on our social media pages and the Toyota Innova HyCross received maximum votes. The new generation Innova has attracted a lot of attention in the Indian market, especially with the new strong hybrid powertrain that offers performance and high fuel efficiency at the same time.
Luxury Car of the Year – Mercedes-Benz GLC
The new generation Mercedes GLC receives radical design changes, making it sharper and more premium compared to its predecessor. It is available with both petrol and diesel engine options in the Indian market and is a popular choice in the luxury car segment.
Green Car of the Year – Hyundai IONIQ 5
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 all-electric SUV is the most advanced and futuristic car in the price range of Rs. 50 lakhs. It is one of the most desirable EVs currently in the Indian market compared to its other rivals which are much more expensive than this one.
Car of the Year for Enthusiasts – Maruti Jimny
The Jimny was launched in India at Auto Expo 2023, catching the attention of enthusiasts. It is a unique product that Maruti launched with the aim of catering to the off-road community rather than prioritizing large volumes. It comes with 4×4 as standard and is a very capable compact SUV. Maruti Suzuki has specifically redesigned the Jimny for India, offering the 5-door version, making it more practical.
Manufacturer of the Year – Mahindra
Although Mahindra did not launch any brand new products last year, they achieved tremendous growth in FY24, achieving an all-time best sales of 4,59,877 units. Sales contributed to dramatic 28% year-over-year growth. They sold around 1 lakh more units compared to the previous year. Almost all of its products are generating large volumes.
Update of the year – Tata Motors
Tata Motors introduced substantial facelifts last year from Tatá Safari, Harrier and Nexon. The Indian automaker now offers a long list of features and much-needed changes to SUVs to keep up with the competition. They even updated the styling quite a bit considering these are just facelifts.