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View Poll Results: Top Variant of a particular Segment or Entry/Mid variant of the next segment?
Top variant of particular segment 319 54.72%
Entry/Mid variant of next segment 240 41.17%
Others 24 4.12%
Voters: 583. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 16th February 2019, 19:37   #46
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Re: Top variant of lower segment vs lower variant of higher segment

For me this is very car dependent. I voted for lower variant of higher car. I am not too fussy about the mod-cons in a car anyway, but want the basics done right. My logic is generally the higher car is safer and more comfortable. The lower car will have lots of mod-cons that I can do without, but are nice. For me safety and comfort are the priorities. I don't have an issue with no buttons on the steering or keyless entry. In fact, keyless entry is the one thing I will avoid in a car if at all possible. It is too easy to open a door while you are still within range, and then the car is open.

Last edited by SmartCat : 16th February 2019 at 21:04. Reason: Max 2 emojis per post
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Old 16th February 2019, 21:25   #47
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I used to think that getting a lower variant of a higher segment was always the better option. But when I bought the mid variant of my Rapid in 2012, it was very sparsely equipped. Forget about any fancy features, there was no audio system, no alloys, no acc. So I ended up spending on these in the next 5-6 years invariably. I spent close to one lakh between alloys, audio systems ( two upgrades in 6 years ). When I sold off the car last year, the money spent on extra upgrades hit me hard. So for my next ride, I looked to buy a car that was better equipped so that I do not spend on accessories. I finally bought the Creta 1.6 SX Diesel, which is a mid variant. Buying the top end these days is a very expensive proposition. If you take a look at most cars today, they have a very lengthy variant list. Cars like the Creta and the City start from 11-12 OTR and go all the way up to 17-18.

My personal view is that if the price band is so wide, the top most variant is likely to have the highest depreciation. In the mind of a potential customer, the Creta is a 12-15 lakh car. And similarly the City is a 11-13 lakh car. If you buy the top most variant at 17-18 lakhs you are likely to lose the most during resale.

Having said that, the top most variants offer better safety for sure, 6 airbags and the likes. No denying that. So i think it really boils down to what one wants. I look for a balance and I sort of found that in the SX variant.

When we bought a second car for my wife 2 months ago, we settled for the i20 magna, which had ABS and dual airbags, basic 2 din audio and nothing fancy. This was because the usage was not more than 10 kms a day. We preferred this to a better equipped i10 Grand or a Tiago.

Bottom line being it largely depends on what one wants out of his car. I would say most mid variants these days offer the best balance.
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Old 16th February 2019, 22:10   #48
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Re: Top variant of lower segment vs lower variant of higher segment

I will rephrase the question. Which offers more value as per my(or your) needs?

Considering I am in market to buy a car, I would like to have car with following features.
1. Electric windows
2. Electric Mirrors(Adjustment + Folding)
3. Remote locking
4. Music system with Steering controls
5. Rear parking sensors
(Dual Airbags + ABS, AC and Power steering are considered standard)

The above features are essentials. If I can get in lower variant of higher segment, it would be a pick.
I echo the words of other bhpians on superior build of higher segment.

One can update the car with other features as you feel like. It would keep us engaged with our lovely rides over the period of time.

Cheers!

Last edited by procrastinator : 16th February 2019 at 22:12.
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Old 17th February 2019, 08:24   #49
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Re: Top variant of lower segment vs lower variant of higher segment

The lower and mid variants may get comparatively better votes from yesteryears as the safety equipment is standard in most cars these days.
The one car I would like to mention specifically in this thread is the Nissan Kicks. The base option of Nissan Kicks comes with essential and even fancy features. It has set a standard for 'how a base variant should be made' title. Basic stereo system, power windows, electrically adjustable mirrors, driver seat height adjustment, rear AC vents, driver hand rest , Automatic climate control and more. Man that is one heck of a base variant.
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Old 18th February 2019, 00:50   #50
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Re: Top variant of lower segment vs lower variant of higher segment

Base variant of the higher segment anyday. For the Baddi gaddi feel. Barring BHPians and few other auto enthusiasts everyone else sees cars as small car (hatch), big car(sedan), very big car (SUV). By similar analogy i'd prefer a less expensive SUV over a more expensive sedan; say a XUV over a Octavia TDI.
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Old 18th February 2019, 14:21   #51
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Re: Top variant of lower segment vs lower variant of higher segment

4 years back, we booked a Honda City top-end but I ended up cancelling the booking since I wasn't confident about it's build quality.

Ended up buying a mid-spec Jetta after a few months, and it's one of the best decisions I have ever taken. After 1.3 lakh kms on the odo, it still puts a smile on my face every single time I drive it. The best part is, even the mid-spec variant came with 8 airbags and ISOFIX.

Now, today, I am again in the market for a car - preferably an SUV, and in every single model I am considering - from the XUV 300 to the Jeep Compass - only the top-end variants have more than 2 airbags.

I strongly feel manufacturers should provide the same safety kit or atleast optional full-safety kit variants on all the trims. In which case, I'd always go for a mid-variant of one segment above.
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Old 18th February 2019, 21:09   #52
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Re: Top variant of lower segment vs lower variant of higher segment

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
The mechanicals of a car matter more to me than features. And usually, the higher the segment, the better the power + suspension + safety + space etc. Hence, in most cases, I would pick the lower variant of the higher segment. I can always spice it up with additional equipment later (not all features will be possible, but some are).
100% agree. I have gone ahead and bought Skoda Rapid Ambition (p) instead of Hyundai i20 Asta (O) petrol. Here is the list of the things that I gained for ~1L more after discounts on Rapid

No offense to existing i20 owners.

What I gained:
1. Big engine, 1.6 vs 1.2 (this itself made me go for it)
2. Proper sedan with more than enough boot space
3. Solid build (that thud)
4. The premium image that Skoda enjoys in India (everyone says I bought a Skoda )
5. Usable drivers armrest for my cutout (I am 5'2 and still be able to use it comfortably)

What I not:
1. 6 airbags
2. Projector headlights
3. Touchscreen infotainment system with backup camera
4. Hyundai's service (not a problem though, I owned a Santro before and the experience was not that good)
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Old 18th February 2019, 23:00   #53
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Re: Top variant of lower segment vs lower variant of higher segment

When i start looking for a new car the first thing i fix is my budget, i am ready to go slightly above it but not too much. Once i set the budget i decide what features i really can't miss. I personally don't want to miss on Touch Screen Infotainment system, ABS, EBD, airbags(2 minimum), above average mileage and a new thing i think i may want to add to that list is Automatic transmission. So, going by this i most probably will not buy lower model of a higher segment.
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Old 19th February 2019, 18:49   #54
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Re: Top variant of lower segment vs lower variant of higher segment

I came down from the base variant Ford Ecosport 1.5 Petrol to Asta i20.

I compromised on power for all the additional features, so the family feels good inside the car. Additionally, I also found that the rear seats on the i20 are wider than the Ecosport, hence more accommodating, as most of the times, the car is used only for family travel.
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Old 19th February 2019, 21:46   #55
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Re: Top variant of lower segment vs lower variant of higher segment

I voted for "Top variant of particular segment" because in our country manufacturers treat safety as a luxury and you see the best safety kit only in the top variants (atleast in cars below 20 lakhs). Safety is a priority for me because I drive a lot on highways. Automatic transmission might not be available in lower variants.

Besides, the lowest variant of next segment may not always be better. Eg: I am considering nexon or ecosport for purchase. I checked Creta because there is some overlap in prices. Except space, I did not find anything great in lower variants. The diesel engine is of lower capacity, the dynamics were not great either.

Last edited by mxx : 19th February 2019 at 21:48.
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Old 20th February 2019, 12:04   #56
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Re: Top variant of lower segment vs lower variant of higher segment

Voted for Top variant of a particular segment.

My car purchase decisions, or the recommendations that I share with people looking to buy a car, are based mainly on a car's mechanicals. Once there is a shortlist, usually a week of back to back test drives makes it easy to choose the car that appeals to the heart.

Now, in most cases then the choice is purely between the mid variant of the car that appeals to me, and the top end of the same car. Assuming that the price difference between the two is within 10%, I would choose the higher variant for better looks (read alloys, spoilers etc.), creature comforts (leather seats, better infotainment) and safety features.
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Old 21st February 2019, 11:06   #57
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Re: Top variant of lower segment vs lower variant of higher segment

I voted for top variant.

Heart of the Car i.e. Engine remains the same from Base to Top model (in most cases).
If you have a handy priority list it is easy to make a choice. Features which you need vs features which you can compromise.

Example :

Cruise Control : Most car company offer cruise control generally at top variant. But if you don't go for long drive or you like keeping control in your hand then spending the extra bucks will not be good decision. Then with that extra budget you can jump to the next segment.

Brake Assits - This features are generally offered in top variant. If you are driving mostly in Indian Metros then BA will again will not be a good decision regarding the space we keep infront while driving in traffic and signals.

Making a Priority list will always come handy and help us to make a decision better.
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Old 22nd February 2019, 10:03   #58
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Re: Top variant of lower segment vs lower variant of higher segment

I have recently traded my humble friend of over 6 years and 1.82 lac kms- My Blue eyed boy, the Wagon R.
What were my options:
1) Baleno Alpha DDiS and all variants below
2) Swift ZDI+ and all variants below
3) Dzire ZDI+ and all variants below
4) Ciaz Delta DDiS
5) S Cross Delta DDiS

I have limited my options within the Maruti stable only as I wasnt really looking out of this brand.
I selected the Baleno Alpha DDiS for various reasons:
1) I got a very sweet deal financially
2) The interiors were black against that of Dzire and Ciaz.
3) I preferred a premium hatch against a sedan compromise
4) I get all the bells and whistles in the top end
5) I found the Baleno driving dynamics better than Ciaz

But most importantly, its a call of the heart. End of the day, in all cases above, the difference between either of the choices barring Swift was minuscule and in EMI terms negligible.
My preference would be to go with the top version than compromise on a lower variant of the next segment. You lose out on too many features, some of which could be very important.
Case in case, had I selected the Ciaz, I would have lost on some of these features in the Delta which I can vouch in terms of utility:
1) In dash AVN. The Here Maps and Android support are very good.
2) The true key less entry is very intuitive
3) The Auto IRVM is a boon
4) The 6 speaker surround system is really good for an OEM. I have an ear for music and had a very decent setup in my wagon R comprising of high end Power Bass Comps and an active under seat Cadence sub. Honestly, the system more than makes it for the lack of a sub
5)The MID is awesome and informative. The Delta DDiS has a bare bones speedo console and misses out on a large no. of the gimmicks.

Last edited by arnabchak : 22nd February 2019 at 10:04. Reason: Spacing adjusted
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Old 18th October 2019, 18:52   #59
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Re: Top variant of lower segment vs lower variant of higher segment

Voted for entry/mid variant of next segment.

What I feel is that if somebody is buying a car, they should chose it like a car. The fundamentals like ride, handling, safety, space, comfort etc. are of primary importance, and stuff like digital instrument cluster, touchscreen etc. should be considered secondary. Unfortunately, what most people do nowadays is completely the opposite. People will buy anything as long as it has a large touchscreen or diamond cut alloy wheels, then dump it when the next latest model gets launched. Now, cars are also being bought like gadgets. Just look at the sales of the MG hector and the jeep compass and you'll know what I am talking about.
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Old 18th October 2019, 19:58   #60
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Re: Top variant of lower segment vs lower variant of higher segment

As long as the entry or mid-level variant has basic safety features, I'm not too fussy about what I pick, though I must say coming from a long history of mid-end cars, it's time for a jump to a top model (what we got with the Titanium EcoSport). Dual airbags and ABS with EBD, along with basic convenience features (Park assist, electric ORVMs, etc.) are standard in most vehicles today and it's only the optional extras like touchscreen infotainment systems, passive keyless entry and go, LED DRLs and headlamps, automatic wipers, lights, sunroof, etc. that add bling value- most of these features would probably become mainstream in the near future

Last edited by TheHelix0202 : 18th October 2019 at 20:01.
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