List of winners of the Times Auto Awards 2016

The Times Auto Awards are among the most prolific in their sphere and have been a fixture on the Indian automotive scene for well over a decade, recognising the best of the Indian automotive industry. This year the Times Auto Awards 2016, powered by evo India and Fast Bikes India magazines, was held at the Taj Land’s End in Mumbai on March 16, 2017. And the winners are…
Sub-compact Car of the Year
Datsun’s RediGo is the sole contender in this category and therefore the winner. Powered by an 800cc three-cylinder petrol engine, the RediGo seeks to woo the customer that the Datsun Go couldn’t.
Hatchback of the Year
The Tata Tiago drives away with the Hatchback of the Year award. Sold with both a 1.05-litre Revotorq diesel engine and a 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine, the Tiago is the vehicle that brought Tata Motors out of the shadows of the Indica.
Compact Sedan of the Year
Built on the same platform as the Volkswagen Polo the new Ameo is the sole contender in this segment and brings VW’s fantastic DSG automatic gearbox to this segment, becoming the first car to offer a modern dual clutch transmission in this class of vehicles. Naturally, it’s a winning proposition.
Premium Sedan of the Year
With a product that allows it to punch above its weight, thanks to a well-rounded package that appeals to the pragmatist as much as it does to the enthusiast, Skoda Auto wins this year’s Premium Car of the Year award with its Superb.
Luxury Sedan of the Year
In this category, the Swedes have upset the entire established order with the fantastic Volvo S90 sedan. Redefining comfort and luxury in this segment the car, the S90 has proven that Volvo can not only lock horns with the entrenched competition but also best it.
UV/MPV of the Year
It has been India’s workhorse for well over a decade and its status as a near perfect purchase proposition is almost iconic. Now, with the new Innova Crysta Toyota has pushed that boundary even further with comfort and luxury being brought into a segment hitherto ruled by the offer of practicality. Our UV of the Year is the Toyota Innova Crysta.

Compact SUV of the Year
Already adjudged the Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY), the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza easily wins the Compact SUV of the Year title with its butch looks, proven powertrain and excellent value for money. Not to mention, it has got pretty good dynamic abilities too.
SUV of the Year
The battle in this segment went down to the wire with the Toyota Fortuner only just pushing the Ford Endeavour out of the way to win the title. In this new avatar, it retains all the things we have loved about the Fortuner – its strength, go anywhere abilities and bulletproof reliability, but dials things up a notch or two in its offer of luxury.
Luxury SUV of the Year
The winner of this category is the Mercedes-Benz GLC Class. This mid-size SUV has been winning the hearts and minds of critics and has collected a fair few awards as well with its combination of luxury, comfort, dynamics and style.
Supercar of the Year
With its powerful V10 engine and superb dynamics combined with a fair degree of daily usability, it is the Audi R8 V10 Plus that has been declared the Supercar of the Year.
Green Car of the Year
In this category it is the Honda Accord Hybrid that drives away with the trophy, courtesy its super refined hybrid powertrain where electric propulsion works in seamless collaboration with a conventional internal combustion engine.
Electric Vehicle of the Year
Battling it out with at least one other all-electric car and no less than four electric scooters, the Mahindra e2o Plus won the hearts of the jury with its eco-friendly powertrain, compact proportions and offer of daily practicality.
Thrill of Driving Award
A closely matched battle saw the Volkswagen Polo GTI race to the chequered flag ahead of the Mini Cooper S Convertible, thanks to its ability to deliver the Thrill of Driving to the last letter.
Car Maker of the Year
The award for the Car Maker of the Year goes to Hyundai Motors India Limited for its relentless and aggressive onslaught into the premium category with well-rounded products like the Elantra and the Tucson, for ramping up exports, for proving to the world that an SUV like the Creta can consistently sell 10,000 units each month and for never letting go of the accelerator.
Car of the Year
In the end there can be only one who stands tall in a crowd of winners. And that honour goes to the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza this year. A product that has pushed the benchmark in the compact SUV segment many more notches up than any other vehicle in their respective segments, the Vitara Brezza therefore wins the coveted title of the Car of the Year.