Best of 2014 -Top Car and SUV video reviews

As the year draws to a close, we take a look at the most viewed car and SUV videos on our website. Here's a list:

 

It has been 12 years since the Mahindra Scorpio was first launched. It has had its share of updates over the years, and now Mahindra has given the car a major rework. Yes, the new Scorpio does share some similarities, cosmetic and mechanical, with the previous iteration, however, majority of the elements have either been reworked or are brand new. In line with the demands of the customer, the Scorpio is also better equipped now. How have all these upgrades made the Scorpio a better proposition, we find out!

 

The Maruti Ciaz was one of the most anticipated cars of the year, hence, it doesn’t come as a surprise that this was one of the most watched Autocar India videos too. Maruti discontinued the SX4, and brought in the Ciaz to take on the sedan segment that has been the domain of the Honda City and Hyundai Verna. Tried-and tested engines, new designs inside and out, better equipment levels and the ‘Maruti’ ownership experience make it a very sweet deal. Watch and decide for yourself.

With the Tata Zest, Tata Motors wants to claw back lost ground from Maruti, Hyundai and Honda in the crucial sub-4 metre sedan segment it had first created. The car is the start of a brand new generation for Tata, and has been engineered from ground up. It looks stylish inside and out, is spacious and quality levels are a leap over previous Tata cars. There is also a new petrol engine thrown into the mix.

 

This is Honda's promising MPV. Honda was riding high on the success of the Amaze and the City, but the one segment they had no share in was the burgeoning MPV segment. Enter, the Mobilio. The promising MPV comes with petrol and diesel engines, and this seven-seater is claimed to be an MPV with a difference. Like the Amaze, it is based on the Brio platform, but instead of using as much vertical space as possible, the Honda Mobilio eschews typical MPV-like boxy dimensions for a sleeker, more interesting profile. Here, we find out if it has what it takes to go head-to-head with the likes of the Maruti Ertiga or the Toyota Innova.

 

 

 

Maruti launched one of the most anticipated hatchbacks at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo. It was also the first to cradle the AMT gearbox. It came with the promise of an affordable automatic that delivers good mileage, and with the backup of Maruti’s renowned aftersales network. It was armed with all the necessities to take the mid-size hatchback segment by storm, and it did. Waiting periods for the Maruti Suzuki Celerio were skyrocketing, and it is only now that they have been somewhat controlled. Watch our review of this hatchback.

 

The i20 was always quite a popular hatchback. With this new i20, Hyundai offered its customers, updated design, refreshed and more spacious cabin, lots of equipment and features, and the same smooth-running engines. The premium hatchback segment is one of the most hotly contested, and the new Hyundai Elite i20 is a step up to take on the likes of the Volkswagen Polo, Fiat Punto and one of the country’s best-seller, the Maruti Swift. Here’s an all-inclusive breakdown of what the new-generation i20 is all about.

 

 

Nissan revived the budget brand Datsun, and the first car from the marque was the entry-level hatchback, Go. The Datsun Go is very plain-Jane, there isn’t much equipment and it does have its share of shortcomings. It entered a segment that has cars like the Hyundai Eon, the most affordable Tata Nano and the legendary Maruti Alto. But as we found out, there are some things to like in the car, and it can’t just be written-off. Watch our review to find out what this entry-level hatch is all about.

 

 

The Punto was always a smart-looking, capable Italian hatchback. Fiat gave the Punto a brand new face that's exclusively styled for the Indian market, and it looks more 'Italian' than ever. It now also has a lot more equipment than before, and the features list has also grown. What has been retained, however, are the engines. Is all this enough to help Fiat retain customer interest in its premium hatchback, a segment that has the likes of the Volkswagen Polo, Hyundai i20 and the Maruti Swift? Here's our review.

 

The Suzuki S-Cross was shown at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo, and when it launches, it will be Maruti Suzuki’s first entrant into the booming crossover segment - a segment that is currently being dominated by the Ford Ecosport and the Renault Duster. It is expected to launch in India in early 2015, but we have had this exclusive drive to know exactly what it is that we will be getting. Now that our appetites have been vetted by the Ciaz, Maruti will be betting big on the S-cross. 

 

 

The compact sedan segment is a fast growing one in the country, and manufacturers are all looking to grab their share. One such car is the Hyundai Xcent. It spawns from the Grand i10 hatch, comes with typically-smooth Hyundai engines, high levels of equipment, and an aftersales network that’s second only to Maruti. We review it to see how worthy it is for a good run.