Corolla or Optra 1.6

VMG · 19th April 2005, 10:54

My friend has to finalize between Corolla and Optra 1.6 with Alloy wheels & ABS(if available). He knows the price difference is about 3 Lacs and also both are in different segment. He drives about 10k – 12k per annum & about 100-120 KM in the highways and wants to keep it for about 8 years. If everything is equal to Corolla and the maintenance cost is low or equal then he will prefer to go for Optra. Need your views on the following which one is better.

- Maintenance cost
- Ride quality
- Handling
- FE
- Interior
- Space

jesal · 19th April 2005, 11:47

personally i have always loved the corolla much better than the optra. there is a big diffrence in price though its justified. the refinement of toyota in unmatchted by the optra. maintainence wise corolla should be cheaper while optra is a chevy so in the long run u have to run into issues for sure. ride wise corolla again since when i drove the optra 1.6 it was being delivered at 60kmph some noise started from the rear. i had issues getting used to the shift as well. interiors i have heard optra gives beige option and in base corolla beautiful beige interiors are provided standard. overall corolla wins by a very small margin.

GTO · 19th April 2005, 12:00

Quote:

the refinement of toyota in unmatchted by the optra.

Quote:

ride wise corolla again

The Optra beats the Corolla dry when it comes to ride quality. At any speed, there is just no competition. In addition, you save 3 lacs with the Optra and get a car that has equal snob value. The Optra also has more comfortable interiors.

The one advantage which the Corolla has is in the engine - Power, Acceleration and refinement. If your friend is not a true engine enthusiast, he will be much happier with the Optra.

- Maintenance cost : Corolla (presumably)
- Ride quality - Optra
- Handling - : None. Corolla is not that driver oriented. Optra is vague.
- FE - Corolla
- Interior - Optra
- Space - Optra

GTO

RJK · 19th April 2005, 12:10

Saving of 3Lakhs is a lot in the first place. I agree..ride quality is much better in the Optra than the Corolla. I found the rear seat of corolla more comfy than the Optra. Since you friend didn't mind going for the optra, tell him to stick with it.

drifter · 19th April 2005, 12:14

Optra for ride...but corrolla for straight line speed and that is it. everything else the optra is the one. An optra 1.8 would have been even better. By the way shouldnt this thread be in the 'What Car' section?

Drifter

nitinbhag · 19th April 2005, 12:37

Newbies cannot start a thread in 'What car'..

Optra - for people looking at value for money, comfort, snob value and do not mind getting a Korean car (Daewoo Nubira) with an American badge

Corolla - for people looking at performance, handling (whatever its worth), Japanese brand, do not mind spending significantly for quality

Rudra Sen · 19th April 2005, 13:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by nitinbhag

do not mind spending significantly for quality

What exactly do we mean by quality here? Is this the engine or the total offer put together?

v_s_natarajan · 19th April 2005, 13:50

I think both cras are wastes.
A dated Corolla versus Korean Optra.
Wish we all had better Options.

johnjacob · 19th April 2005, 14:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by v_s_natarajan

I think both cras are wastes.
A dated Corolla versus Korean Optra.
Wish we all had better Options.

But we do - the OCTAVIA!

CaliforniaKnight · 19th April 2005, 15:26

Maintenance cost --Optra slightly on the higher side
Ride quality --Optra is better than the corolla especially the rear seat
Handling --Corolla is better than the optra
FE --Corolla with the 1.8 still has an edge over the 1.6 Optra
Interior -- Optra is better finished and quality feels better here
Space -- Optra has it better than the corolla

nitinbhag · 19th April 2005, 15:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

What exactly do we mean by quality here? Is this the engine or the total offer put together?

Fit & finish, engineering inputs, feel of the engine, durability, etc.. and also the overall perception of Japanese quality being higher than Korean (have experienced it first-hand).

Rudra Sen · 19th April 2005, 16:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by nitinbhag

Fit & finish, engineering inputs, feel of the engine, durability, etc.. and also the overall perception of Japanese quality being higher than Korean (have experienced it first-hand).

Going by all your points, must say Optra fits the bill in most of the areas. A first hand experience in this case also.

Harrie · 19th April 2005, 17:03

If you go for the optra 1.6 you'll save roughly about 6-7k on EMI alone assuming you go for a 5 year tenure for the loan. Go ahead buy the optra 1.6 with the 6k you save yuo can use 3k more for fuel and with the rest pay for the slightly higher maintenance cost.

We got a 1.8 optra some time back in september. To date no problems. service is good and fuel efficiency is consistently in the 12-13 kmph mark. I like the back seat of the optra very very much. its like sitting in a leather sofa. have no experience with the corolla though. not even driven it.

nitinbhag · 19th April 2005, 17:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

Going by all your points, must say Optra fits the bill in most of the areas. A first hand experience in this case also.

maybe I am just biased against Korean cars and GM-India as well

my first hand experience with Koreans was in my job where crores worth of high quality alloy steel boiler plate turned out to be scrap metal from broken up ships.. have never trusted Korean goods since then.. Even the shelves on my Samsung fridge broke into 2 pieces within 3 years..

Rudra Sen · 19th April 2005, 18:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by nitinbhag

maybe I am just biased against Korean cars and GM-India as well

No comments on that. I have nothing against Korean cars or Japanese cars.
I see what I'm getting for my money and must say I'm extremely happy with Optra's delivery.

19th April 2005, 10:54	#1
VMG BHPian Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chennai Posts: 344 Thanked: 34 Times	Corolla or Optra 1.6 My friend has to finalize between Corolla and Optra 1.6 with Alloy wheels & ABS(if available). He knows the price difference is about 3 Lacs and also both are in different segment. He drives about 10k – 12k per annum & about 100-120 KM in the highways and wants to keep it for about 8 years. If everything is equal to Corolla and the maintenance cost is low or equal then he will prefer to go for Optra. Need your views on the following which one is better. - Maintenance cost - Ride quality - Handling - FE - Interior - Space
	() Thanks

19th April 2005, 11:47	#2
jesal BANNED Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 2,323 Thanked: 13 Times View My Garage	personally i have always loved the corolla much better than the optra. there is a big diffrence in price though its justified. the refinement of toyota in unmatchted by the optra. maintainence wise corolla should be cheaper while optra is a chevy so in the long run u have to run into issues for sure. ride wise corolla again since when i drove the optra 1.6 it was being delivered at 60kmph some noise started from the rear. i had issues getting used to the shift as well. interiors i have heard optra gives beige option and in base corolla beautiful beige interiors are provided standard. overall corolla wins by a very small margin.
	() Thanks

19th April 2005, 12:10	#4
RJK Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,140 Thanked: 701 Times	Saving of 3Lakhs is a lot in the first place. I agree..ride quality is much better in the Optra than the Corolla. I found the rear seat of corolla more comfy than the Optra. Since you friend didn't mind going for the optra, tell him to stick with it.
	() Thanks

19th April 2005, 12:14	#5
drifter Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,488 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	Optra for ride...but corrolla for straight line speed and that is it. everything else the optra is the one. An optra 1.8 would have been even better. By the way shouldnt this thread be in the 'What Car' section? Drifter Last edited by drifter : 19th April 2005 at 12:23.
	() Thanks

19th April 2005, 12:37	#6
nitinbhag BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 262 Thanked: 2 Times	Newbies cannot start a thread in 'What car'.. Optra - for people looking at value for money, comfort, snob value and do not mind getting a Korean car (Daewoo Nubira) with an American badge Corolla - for people looking at performance, handling (whatever its worth), Japanese brand, do not mind spending significantly for quality
	() Thanks

19th April 2005, 13:50	#8
v_s_natarajan BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: chennai Posts: 261 Thanked: 3 Times	no no I think both cras are wastes. A dated Corolla versus Korean Optra. Wish we all had better Options.
	() Thanks

19th April 2005, 15:26	#10
CaliforniaKnight BHPian Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: IND + DXB Posts: 980 Thanked: 141 Times View My Garage	Maintenance cost --Optra slightly on the higher side Ride quality --Optra is better than the corolla especially the rear seat Handling --Corolla is better than the optra FE --Corolla with the 1.8 still has an edge over the 1.6 Optra Interior -- Optra is better finished and quality feels better here Space -- Optra has it better than the corolla
	() Thanks

19th April 2005, 17:03	#13
Harrie BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: KA 03, KL 12, TN 38 Posts: 701 Thanked: 36 Times View My Garage	If you go for the optra 1.6 you'll save roughly about 6-7k on EMI alone assuming you go for a 5 year tenure for the loan. Go ahead buy the optra 1.6 with the 6k you save yuo can use 3k more for fuel and with the rest pay for the slightly higher maintenance cost. We got a 1.8 optra some time back in september. To date no problems. service is good and fuel efficiency is consistently in the 12-13 kmph mark. I like the back seat of the optra very very much. its like sitting in a leather sofa. have no experience with the corolla though. not even driven it.
	() Thanks