New Delhi, December 19, 2019: JK Tyre, today, presented the most prestigious awards of the Indian automotive industry- the 15th Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY), 13th Indian Motorcycle of the Year (IMOTY) and 2nd Premium Car Award 2020 by ICOTY. Winners of these eminent awards, which signify the highest auto performance standards, were awarded in the presence of industry visionaries, top executive and auto enthusiasts.

Reflecting its nationwide popularity, Hyundai Venue was adjudged the ‘Indian Car of the Year 2020’, while Hero XPulse 200, which is a favorite among biking aficionados, was awarded the ‘Indian Bike of the Year 2020’. Marking its second year at the ICOTY platform, the Premium Car Award 2020 by ICOTY award was bagged by BMW 3-Series.

Dr. Raghupati Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director, JK Tyre & Industries Limited, presented the awards to the winners along with Mr. Yogendra Pratap, Chairman, ICOTY 2020, and Mr. Aspi Bhathena, Chairman, IMOTY 2020.

Commenting on the occasion, Dr. Raghupati Singhania 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.”

Every year, a panel of auto experts from India’s top automobile publications come forward to judge the ICOTY and IMOTY Awards.  This year’s awards gave us the best car and the best motorcycle from a plethora of new launches witnessed throughout the year.

Introduced in 2005 and 2007 respectively, the ICOTY and IMOTY are the most prestigious awards in the Indian Automobile Industry.

Representing Hyundai Venue, the winner of ICOTY 2020, 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 carmanufacturer in India.”

Representing the Hero XPulse200 which emerged as the winner of IMOTY 2020, Dr. Pawan Munjal, Chairman, Hero MotoCorp Ltd. said, “We are delighted to receive the most coveted honour of the Indian automotive industry. 2019 has been a milestone year for us in augmenting our brand appeal as the 'Premium Hero'. It has been our conscious effort to design and develop new premium motorcycles and scooters that will redefine these segments. Our new range of premium products have been completely designed and developed by our own in-house engineers at the CIT. Going forward, we will continue to bring new products for our customers around the word in this segment”

The ICOTY & the IMOTY awards recognize and reward the rigorous efforts made by auto manufacturers in the areas of design excellence, innovation and R&D to ensure customer satisfaction.

Congratulating the winners, Mr. Yogendra Pratap, Chairman, ICOTY 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.” 

Mr. Aspi Bhathena, Chairman, IMOTY 2020, said, “The competition was extremely intense across all categories in this edition of the ICOTY and IMOTY Awards. Despite the challenging industry scenario, we have had some exciting entrants in the segment. The jury really had a tough time, as the winning margin was just a few points between the winner and the runners-up. The jury simply made the right choice, as it is not just about building feature-rich bikes but also offers added value proposition. Undoubtedly, Hero XPulse ticks all the boxes and deserves to be the winner.”