In the first significant automotive awards event since the lockdown, the ICOTY and IMOTY awards – hosted by JK Tyre & Industries Ltd, as it has done for close to two decades – were presented in New Delhi. The winners of the awards – which are the acme of the Indian automotive industry – were felicitated during a small but highly celebrated gathering of industry stalwarts, key officials and auto enthusiasts. Given the unprecedented times, the awards were organised in a highly secure environment to ensure the safety of all guests, with adherence to all social distancing norms.
Dr. Raghupati Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director, JK Tyre & Industries Limited, presented the awards to the winners along with Yogendra Pratap, Chairman, ICOTY 2021, Aspi Bhathena, Chairman, IMOTY 2021 and other jury members.
The Hyundai i20 won the ICOTY 2021 award, while the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 went home with the IMOTY 2021 award. Additionally, the Land Rover Defender was given the Premium Car Award 2021 by ICOTY. With the increasing focus of the government and the automobile industry towards moving to electric mobility, this year the ICOTY jury introduced the Green Car Award, so as to reward manufacturers contributing towards the future of mobility. The Tata Nexon EV won the inaugural Green Car Award 2021 by ICOTY.
The Hyundai i20 had to fight off some very strong contenders – the Honda City, Hyundai Aura, Hyundai Creta, Kia Carnival, Kia Sonet, Mahindra Thar, MG Gloster and the Tata Altroz. It took home the crown with 104 points, with the Kia in second with 91 points and the Mahindra Thar in third spot, with 78 points.
The RE Meteor 350 won from among the Bajaj Dominar 250, Hero Glamour 125, Hero Passion Pro, Hero Xtreme 160R, Honda Hornet 2.0, Husqvarna Svartpilen 250 and the KTM 390 Adventure. With 96 points, the RE Meteor 350 saw off the KTM 390 Adventure, which received 81 points. The Hero Xtreme 160R, with 59 points, came third.
Commenting on the occasion, Dr Singhania said, “It’s a matter of pride for us to be associated with the Indian Car of the Year & Indian Motorcycle of the Year awards since its inception. While every year has been special, this one is truly exceptional, where we are not just celebrating the technological-excellence and innovation brought in by the manufacturers, but the zeal and resilience of the entire automotive industry, as it emerged stronger from the uncharted waters. Considering the growing relevance of sustainable mobility, this year we also introduced the Green Car Award to recognise the efforts of manufacturers who are helping bring a change towards the future of mobility. With this, I would like to congratulate not just the winners, but all the contenders for offering some of the best technologically advanced products in line with the global innovations. It was remarkable to witness our eminent jury conducting the evaluation under a safe and secure environment.”
Introduced in 2005 and 2007 respectively, the ICOTY and IMOTY are the most prestigious awards in the Indian automotive industry. Adjudged by a panel of domain experts from the motoring fraternity in India, they are conducted basis an examination on numerous key parameters, such as price, fuel-efficiency, styling, comfort, safety, performance, practicality, technical innovation, value for money and suitability. Grant Thornton Bharat is the validation partner.
Congratulating the winners, Yogendra Pratap, Chairman, ICOTY 2021, said “The key criteria for an ICOTY winner is its power to redefine the segment, and that’s exactly what the Hyundai i20 brings to its category. No wonder we had a resounding decision from the jury by a margin of 13 points. I am also excited with the debut of the Green Car Award this year and the Tata Nexon EV ticks all the right boxes. With the kind of efforts that are being put towards bringing sustainable mobility solutions by manufacturers, we hope to make this an annual feature at the awards. Additionally, the Land Rover Defender won the Premium Car Award, which has changed the dynamics of the segment. I congratulate all the winners and contenders for their remarkable efforts.”
Aspi Bhathena, Chairman, IMOTY 2020, said, “The year 2020 was a tough one for the Indian automotive industry. Yet, the two-wheeler segment has done well despite all the headwinds and this is reflected through the participation of 10 strong contenders in the Indian Motorcycle of the Year category. Like always, the jury has done a sterling job and the best performer, the Royal Enfield Meteor, has emerged as the most-deserving winner. All the past winners have done exceptionally well in the market, and we hope, this year too, the winner achieves roaring success in times to come.”
The ICOTY and IMOTY awards 2021 are adjudged by a highly experienced group of jurors from the top automotive media in India They are: Yogendra Pratap, Rahul Ghosh and Dipayan Dutta (Auto Today), Dhruv Behl, Ishan Raghava and Jared Solomon (AutoX), Aspi Bhathena and Sarmad Kadiri (Car/Bike India), Sirish Chandran, Aniruddha Rangnekar and Aatish Mishra (Evo India), Pablo Chaterji and Kartik Ware (Motoring World), Bertrand D’souza, Bob Rupani and Rohit Paradkar (Overdrive), Muralidhar Swaminathan (The Hindu Business Line), Vikrant Singh (CarWale, BikeWale and CarTrade), Kushan Mitra (The Pioneer), Girish Karkera (Times Auto) and Kranti Sambhav (Times Drive).
