Best of 2022: Most popular car, SUV reviews

The year 2022 saw several new car and SUV launches with no dearth of action in any particular segment. While SUVs continued to remain the most popular body style among car buyers, the midsize sedan segment made a refreshing comeback with the likes of the Volkswagen Virtus and Skoda Slavia. The entry-level segments were graced by the likes of the new Maruti Alto K10 and Citroen C3, and the luxury car market also continued to boom across all price points.

With the year now drawing to a close, we take a look at the top five most read car reviews on the Autocar India website. Unsurprisingly, all but one of the top five reviews are from the utility vehicle segment.

5. Kia Carens – 75,969 views

Until the arrival of the Carens, buyers in the MPV segment did not have many options to choose from. There was the Ertiga/XL6 at one end and the Innova Crysta at the other. The Carens, therefore, was an important bridge and was targeted at large families. It is essentially a three-row derivative of the Seltos SUV, and features a distinctive look. It comes packed with features and has a premium feel to the cabin. The Carens is also available with a variety of powertrain options – petrol, turbo-petrol and diesel – which made it appeal to a wide set of audience. Overall, the Carens made for a versatile MPV with a very usable third row of seats. You can read more about it here. 

4. Mahindra Scorpio N – 78,406 views

Just as the XUV700 was Mahindra’s blockbuster debut for 2021, the Scorpio N – rebranded to distinguish from the older Scorpio Classic that continues to be on sale – was the homegrown carmaker’s biggest launch of this year. The new Scorpio N is an enormous leap over its predecessor as it saw a huge step up in features and creature comforts, the cabin felt like it could give more premium SUVs a run for their money, and the suspension, handling and dynamics of the SUV felt a lot more sophisticated. It also made an important shift with forward facing third-row bench seats instead of side-facing jump seats on the older model. Still, the toughness and robustness of the ladder-frame chassis and off-road ability with a proper 4x4 system kept it true to its roots. Read full review here. 

3. Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara – 86,825 views

The Grand Vitara was the revival of an iconic nameplate from Maruti’s stable and the company’s first premium SUV in almost a decade. Naturally, there was a lot of anticipation about the Grand Vitara, and this was just from our first impression of the SUV when we briefly sampled it on a media tour at Maruti’s R&D facility in Rohtak. With its strong-hybrid powertrain, the Grand Vitara took Maruti’s strength of fuel efficiency even further, but more importantly, it was also a Maruti that was properly desirable. Stylish, feature-packed and sensible, the Grand Vitara now posed a serious threat to segment leader Hyundai Creta. Click here to read full review. 

2. Maruti Suzuki Baleno – 93,141 views

The Maruti Baleno has consistently been the most popular hatchback in its class, and in its second-generation, it was an improvement in almost every aspect. It grew more stylish, saw a major upgrade on the equipment front, the ride and handling balance got more sophisticated and the petrol engine was also more efficient than before. Later, Maruti also rolled out a factory-fitted CNG kit on the new Baleno. However, one area where the new Baleno was a step back from the older model was with the new AMT gearbox that replaced the CVT. Still, as it stands today, the Baleno is the highest selling hatchback of its class. Read our full review here. 

1. Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder – 1,05,350 views

Toyota’s Urban Cruiser Hyryder was the first car to democratise strong-hybrid technology in the mass-market segment. Admittedly, the Honda City e:HEV preceded the Hyryder, but being in the sedan segment and also being fairly expensive, it failed to garner the same attention as Toyota did with its first foray into the midsize SUV segment. The Toyota Hyryder also managed to make a strong impression on us with its extremely refined and efficient powertrains, well-appointed interior and sensible pricing. The Hyryder, along with its sibling from Maruti, the Grand Vitara, are also the only models in the segment with the option of an all-wheel drive system. Click here to read our full review. 

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