[p'arth]

Had the Zest been launched by Hyundai, would it still have garnered so many votes? Have the votes gone to Tata's ability to spring up a good product rather than to the product itself?

[S2!!!]

Originally Posted by p'arth

Had the Zest been launched by Hyundai, would it still have garnered so many votes? Have the votes gone to Tata's ability to spring up a good product rather than to the product itself?

So are you implying that the Zest won because of some secret soft-corner that Tata holds in the hearts of the BHPians? Do note that Tata has been bashed enough for all the niggling issues, the company's slow PLC, quality, etc; and when the time came, it also received its fair share of appreciation. Just what a neutral, unbiased community would do.

The Zest, as a product, is a fantastic proposition. It has entered one of the most lucrative segments where it faces stiff competition from some well established and well accepted players. Tata went on the distance to take note of its (previous products') shortcomings and have addressed most of them too. The turbocharged petrol and the diesel+AMT combo are segment firsts, and its price seems like a bargain when compared to its equipment-list.

Like many others have already listed, the Elite i20 is one of the closest contenders to be named as the Team-BHP COTY but it isn't thaaat big a step ahead when you compare it to the i-gen i20 whereas the Zest is leaps ahead of the Indigo or any other <10L Tata. So yes, if the Elite i20 would have been as revolutionary as the Grand i10 is in comparison to the i10, probably it would have narrowed the margin or even overtaken the Zest. Since that isn't the case, congratulations Tata Zest

[balajisv]

Originally Posted by p'arth

Had the Zest been launched by Hyundai, would it still have garnered so many votes? Have the votes gone to Tata's ability to spring up a good product rather than to the product itself?

Well, didn't majority votes go to Ford last year for its Ecosport?
Many people including me have voted for Zest as a product, it's quality, features and it's VFM package.

[p'arth]

Originally Posted by S2!!!

Like many others have already listed, the Elite i20 is one of the closest contenders to be named as the Team-BHP COTY but it isn't thaaat big a step ahead when you compare it to the i-gen i20 whereas the Zest is leaps ahead of the Indigo or any other <10L Tata.

Well this is exactly my point. Votes for the zest have come not only b'coz of the product in absolution but also for the delta between indigo and zest. Everyone is wowed that Tatas could make this quality product. And that has influenced the vote numbers.

With the Bolt coming in and further any new car from Tata of zest quality will not garner this level of votes. Would that mean that those cars are not good any more?

Hence in moderation of above factor I feel i20 elite should have been the winner of this poll. It is very difficult to create a perfect product beyond a product which was already deemed perfect.

[JLS]

Originally Posted by p'arth

Had the Zest been launched by Hyundai, would it still have garnered so many votes? Have the votes gone to Tata's ability to spring up a good product rather than to the product itself?

Originally Posted by p'arth

Well this is exactly my point. Votes for the zest have come not only b'coz of the product in absolution but also for the delta between indigo and zest. Everyone is wowed that Tatas could make this quality product. And that has influenced the vote numbers.

With the Bolt coming in and further any new car from Tata of zest quality will not garner this level of votes. Would that mean that those cars are not good any more?

Hence in moderation of above factor I feel i20 elite should have been the winner of this poll. It is very difficult to create a perfect product beyond a product which was already deemed perfect.

One thing we are probably missing is the VFM that TATA brings on table.

I am sure if Hyundai had launched similar car, it would have costed atleast 1.5 lacs more than Zest. Yes, it would probably have better interior, also after sales service levels would be slightly better(may be with slightly higher service and part costs). But, only one company could bring car at this cost, with these specs and this level of excitement - that's why Zest has caught T-BHP members imagination and gathered maximum number of votes from, who were interested in participation.

Regards,

JLS

[azeemhafiz]

Shouldn't this be 'T-BHP most popular car of the year' award or 'most promising car of the year' award v/s 'T-BHP car of the year'?

One being a popularity contest and the other being a fact based derivative of the best car based on experts (like our mods)

While I haven't been in the Zest yet, I have spend some time in the new C class (which was a contestant) and I am pretty confident that new C would be better in almost all of the measurable categories from features, comfort, technology to safety. It would also fail miserably when it comes to a very popular metric - the price.

[fiat_tarun]

Mention of Team Bhp car of the year in a Zest ad - Today's Business Line

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by azeemhafiz

Shouldn't this be 'T-BHP most popular car of the year' award or 'most promising car of the year' award v/s 'T-BHP car of the year'?

One being a popularity contest and the other being a fact based derivative of the best car based on experts (like our mods)

While I haven't been in the Zest yet, I have spend some time in the new C class (which was a contestant) and I am pretty confident that new C would be better in almost all of the measurable categories from features, comfort, technology to safety. It would also fail miserably when it comes to a very popular metric - the price.

But it is the whole package that counts and the price point that it is offered. Otherwise it is of course unfair to compare a sub 10L car with a 40l car. I personally feel there should be only one best car of the year and not multiple categories.

[VintageSree]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

But it is the whole package that counts and the price point that it is offered. Otherwise it is of course unfair to compare a sub 10L car with a 40l car. I personally feel there should be only one best car of the year and not multiple categories.

I second your opinion. It seems people are unwilling to see the car as it is just because its a TATA. Speaks volumes about the damage TATAs have done to themselves.

Remove the T badge and affix Maruti or Hyundai badge on the Zest, I'm sure there will be cult following for this total VFM package.

It would be easier for Tatas to try launching a new brand, than to resurrect the beaten image of the T badge. Just my thoughts.

[cingsman]

Launching a new brand for the Tatas won't be as difficult. But then the naysayers will harp on how Tata is sugarcoating (perceived) bad products under sleek marketing, brand management etc. I've thought about this for some time now and think that improving the products is the best way for TM to come out of the muck they have led themselves into.

It would be fruitful if they then create a new brand (maybe more upmarket) which can then bring in better margins!

[amitk26]

Originally Posted by ajay_satpute

My only grouse is that the extremely tiny number of members actually casting their votes.

We have some 85235 members in all and only 2545 voted!

Please keep in mind that survey sample size is still bigger then what professional market survey companies use. 5% of total population set is more then what you need for good estimate of centrality.

Only drawback about this sample is that it can not be called a truly random as it is drawn from population of car forum members so inherently biased and sample set is not picked by surveyor but chosen by participants.

This is not something unique to T-BHP it happens in Time person of the year or other such readers survey as well. If T-BHP wants a truly random survey then mods should send invite to a randomly selected sample set rather then leaving it for people to choose and answer.

[drmohitg]

But what is wrong in letting the Auto enthusiastic members of this forum to vote? It does not change the merits or demerits of the car. Infact I think as a well informed voter, I see the whole package and not just the engine specs or the bling. The same is echoed in the recently concluded C&B awards where there jury award went to A3 and viewers award went to Elite I20.

[2000rpm]

The Zest is a well deserving product, the i20 is smashing with looks but the Zest is much more "India friendly" read low price, higher mileage (than i20), higher GC, comparable After Sales.

[amitk26]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

But what is wrong in letting the Auto enthusiastic members of this forum to vote? It does not change the merits or demerits of the car. Infact I think as a well informed voter, I see the whole package and not just the engine specs or the bling. The same is echoed in the recently concluded C&B awards where there jury award went to A3 and viewers award went to Elite I20.

Nothing wrong I just posted because people raised questions on number of voters being 5% of TBHP In fact 5% is good enough sample size to predict a result just that we need to ensure that there is no skew in the sample. This is just as per statistical theory.

Time person of the year polls or other such polls by news magazines are not reliable for this reason , The sample gets skewed by pro or anti voters gathered by sustained social media campaigns.

[agbenny]

This should be certainly an encouraging to Tata Motors. An Indian car that managed to come on Top after 1.5 decades. We can be proud to have a product from India overtook manufactures such as Honda who have been on road for several decades.
Congrats to TM!

Do you think that the influence from JLR could have helped TATA to have a different mind set that is being reflected on their new range of products?