So, another year passes into the rear-view mirror. For me, like many of you reading, it’s had its fair share of bumpy roads as well as silky-smooth expressways, but from a driving perspective, it’s been a good year on the whole.
From a purely driving point of view, my favourite experience of 2024 happened quite recently when I took the latest generation BMW M5 barrelling around the Buddh International Circuit (BIC). Although on a 720-horsepower car, it’s almost impossible not to have fun. With every generation of the M5, you feel like BMW’s Motorsport engineers couldn’t possibly make it any better. Sure, this new one is a hybrid, but when you take Turn 3 to start the back straight at the BIC and the battery discharges its power to the wheels, your spine feels like it’s almost melting into the seat. And if you’re a pure petrol aficionado, the BMW M4 Competition delivers a soundtrack that’s something else.
Chills and thrills
It is one thing to drive on a track, and quite another to drive on a frozen lake near the Arctic Circle in Finland—an adventure I had earlier this year on the Audi Ice Experience.
It is so counterintuitive to slide around on the ice, managing weight transfer and deciding when to accelerate or brake. Especially so when the edge of the carved-out track, the snowfield beyond, and the sky all merge into different shades of white. It was terrifying and amazing all at once.
Somehow, I managed it without ever needing to be rescued by a tractor, which, on the scale of personal driving achievements, is one I’m particularly proud of. These experiences are open to anyone, so if you’re up for it and don’t mind the -25°C temperatures, check if slots are available for 2025, as they usually take place between end-January and early March.
Then there was the brilliant drive in Ladakh this summer—something I had been wanting to do for years and was glad to finally tick off. This was an amazing experience curated by Volkswagen India. Driving through Ladakh in the summer is like moving through a picture postcard, especially the stretch through the Nubra Valley toward the Siachen Glacier base camp. I drove through Khardung La at over 17,582 feet and was surprised not only at how my own body dealt with the altitude but also at how well the little one-litre turbo mill on the Virtus performed.
We did a fantastic travelogue on this, which included the drive and the dark sky experience at Hanle, where the stars—usually hidden by urban dust and light pollution—come out to play. I’m sure many of you want to drive or ride to this corner of India in the coming summer. Just remember, it’s not easy on your body or your vehicle. Be prepared for altitude sickness, and know that you could end up stuck in major traffic jams on the Leh-Manali road, like as I was.
And of course, there were other great drives, many of which allowed me to make my own road. In Bhopal, I vamoosed off to Sanchi and the rather forgotten stupas at Satdhara. Near Kochi, I went off to the backwaters instead of tracking up and down highways. Then there was the trip to Sawai Madhopur with the electric Hyundai IONIQ 5. This is when I realised that electric cars are fine for longer journeys—as long as you behave yourself as a driver. Because to really evaluate and review a car properly, you have to spend time with it, not just read out the specification sheet.
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And my car of the year is…
Now, let’s look at the big one. Earlier this month, I was part of the jury for the Indian Car of the Year 2025. There’s a ‘Behind The Scenes’ video where you can see the challenges we face there. I have no clue who will win the big prize, but if you ask me which car was my car of the year, I would be very torn between the Mahindra Thar Roxx and the fourth-generation Maruti-Suzuki Swift.
They’re very different vehicles in completely different segments, but both tick many boxes. On balance, though, I’d have to give it to the Swift. Maybe it’s because my late teenage years and early twenties were defined by small Maruti cars, or maybe it’s because I’m a city boy. But the Swift is genuinely nice to drive, the new Z-series engine has power where you need it, and it sips petrol.
So, there it is, a look back at 2024. And 2025 is going to be packed with cars. Several have already been showcased, like the Kia Syros and the Skoda Kylaq. I’ve driven the new Mahindra EVs, and early in the year, I’ll get behind the wheel of the Hyundai Creta EV and the Maruti-Suzuki eVitara. Will this be the year electric cars finally crack the market as supply-side issues get resolved? And with all the technology being loaded into cars, how will that impact all of us? All I know is that it will be a very busy year, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading these columns as much as I enjoy writing them.
@kushanmitra is an automotive journalist based in New Delhi. Views are personal.
(Edited by Asavari Singh)