I wonder, what is the equivalent of Fennekin in previous generations? I'd guess:

Gen 1: Charmander
Gen 2: ???
Gen 3: Torchic
Gen 4: ???
Gen 5: ???

Well, I'm usually more the plant starter type, but Chespin... I didn't like it from the start. I guess I'd go with Fennekin, despite that being mainstream, but I just have a thing for everything dog- or fox-like and I'm more into fire types, rather than water types. Not that I don't like Froakie, it's so adorable!

I've never had an affinity towards any one type in particular. Recently, I've been rolling with Grass starters mainly because I liked their designs the best.
Chespin was no different...Then I saw Qualladin...

Ah, generally, I choose starters which I like design-wise, but I usually like the plant/grass-types most. In Gen1, it's Bulbasaur (even though I chose Squirtle back in the day, but then again, taste changes over the years), in Gen2 it was Chikorita, which is my favorite Pokémon in general, and in Gen5 I chose Snivy. I had Torchic in Gen3, but Treecko would have been my second chose (No, I don't liek Mudkips xD).
Gen4 had the only plant/grass-starter I didn't like so far (I had a Piplup there) but then again, Gen4 is also my least favorite generation overall.

Aww, I absolutely adored Turtwig and Torterra :lol
Then again, I liked Gen 4 (Gen 3 is my personal least favorite). But I've always just picked who I liked the most, with no rhyme or reason beyond "He looked cool." Charmander, Totodile, Treeko, Turtwig, and Snivy. I tended to get other starters when playing one of the other games, but that's who I picked first.

And don't worry. I don't like Mudkips, either :p

I have a massive soft spot for all of those though =p Tangrowth would be my least favourite and lickilicky is a regular member on my team, but yeah, all of the others where sweet as well, magnezone, elektivire etc etc.

I really really liked Gen 4 as a whole as well though so I might be a tad biased =p

I'm mixed on the additional evolutions that Gen 4 gave us.

Some were badly needed and helped otherwise useless Pokemon (Gliscor, Honchkrow, Ambipom, Mamoswine, Togekiss) while some were just weird alterations (Lickilicky) and a few seemed pointless (Electivire & Magmortar).

The Gen 4 evos tend to fall on the positive with me.
Mainly because it gave two of my top 10 Pokemon of all time upgrades (Magnezone and Porygon-Z), and it gave me Megayanma. I love Megayanma.

I skipped Gen V but for every other one, I've picked fire. Charmander, Cyndaquil, Torchic, ChimChar, the whole lot. I was planning on going with Fennekin to continue the pattern but there's just something about Quilladin... I want to take a chance and gamble that Chespin will turn into something cool.

Plus with the free Torchic thing, that would be one fire starter too many.

Woah now. Electivire is a beast.

Lickilicky and Tangrowth, though... Yeah, they were definitely very hit-or-miss, yet I can't say I wouldn't have liked something for all of them.