by Sachin Murdeshwar

Mumbai: Hyundai Motor India Ltd, India’s first smart mobility solutions provider and largest exporter since inception has won the most coveted Indian Car of the Year 2020 (ICOTY) award for Hyundai VENUE. As the most loved and trusted car manufacturer in India, Hyundai Motor India has won 6 ICOTY Awards for its products: VENUE, VERNA, CRETA, ELITE i20, GRAND i10 and i10 for the year 2020, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2008 respectively.

The ICOTY award is adjudged by a diverse group of 16 Jurors of all the prominent automotive publications in the country: Jury Members: Mr. Yogendra Pratap – Chairman ICOTY (Auto Today), Mr. Rahul Ghosh (Auto Today), Mr. Dhruv Behl (autoX),Mr. Ishan Raghava (autoX),Mr. AspiBhathena (Car India), Mr. Sarmad Kadiri (Car India), Mr. Sirish Chandran (evo India), Mr. Aniruddha Rangnekar (evo India), Mr. Pablo Chaterji (Motoring World), Mr. Kartik Ware (Motoring World),Mr. Bertrand D’souza (Overdrive),  Mr. Rohit Paradkar (Overdrive), Mr. Muralidhar Swaminathan (The Hindu Business Line), Mr. Vikrant Singh (CarWale, BikeWale and CarTrade), Mr. Kushan Mitra (The Pioneer)and Mr. Girish Karkera (GQ India).

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. S.S. Kim, MD & CEO, Hyundai Motor India Limited said, “It is a moment of great pride for all of us at the Hyundai family. We are honored to win the most prestigious automotive award – ‘Indian Car of the Year 2020’ for India’s First Connected SUV – Hyundai VENUE.Hyundai VENUE has become the customers’ first choice in India and has penned a new success story with over 95,000 bookings (till date) in India. Winning the 6th ICOTY award symbolizes the trust and faith of customers in Hyundai brand. We thank all our Customers, Partners, Media and Jurors for choosing Hyundai VENUE as the Indian Car of the Year 2020 and making Hyundai the Most Loved and Trusted car manufacturer in India.”

Congratulating the winners, Dr. Raghupati Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director, JK Tyre& Industries Limited said, “This is the most exciting night for the auto industry and rightfully so. We, at JK Tyre, are proud to be supporting the ICOTY & IMOTY awards ever since its inception. With automakers leaping forward and innovating at a rapid pace, this year brought many strong contenders to the table, making the jury’s task of picking winners that much more difficult. Despite the tough competition, each entrant is a winner in their own right. I would like to extend hearty congratulations to tonight’s winners who made it to the top with the exceptional style, technology and innovation they brought in their vehicles. It has been an absolute joy to witness the same zeal translating on to the roads. JK Tyre’s support to ICOTY and IMOTY Awards is a testimony to that fervor for excellence and being part of this remarkable journey has been simply wonderful.”

Congratulating the winning car Hyundai VENUE Mr.Yogendra Pratap, Chairman of the Jury, Indian Car of the Year 2020 said,“Hyundai Venue and Kia Seltos were close competitors for the top slot of Indian Car of The Year 2020 Award. While both the cars are standouts in their respective segments, value for money was a key consideration and Hyundai VENUE stood out given its accessibility. Even on the performance parameter, it emerged as the clear winner. For Premium Car Award 2020 by ICOTY, both the top two contenders, BMW 3-Series and X5 have evolved notably over their previous generations. With affordability and accessibility as the top valued factors for assessment, BMW 3-Series emerged as the top choice.”

VENUE with its Solid Presence, Refreshing Driving Experience and Seamless Connectivity has struck the right chord with Indian customers and transformed the compact SUV landscape in India. The technologically advanced features and contemporary outlook helped Hyundai VENUE to deliver high performance and become the first choice of today’s millennial generation and be the most desired SUV.