[GTO]

You should most definitely go for the pre-owned Elantra. Reasons:

1. Your current ride is pre-worshipped, meaning you are comfortable with used cars.

2. Moving to a Verna from a City is hardly an upgrade, even if it's a newer generation.

If you can, try looking for one that is within the warranty period though. Shouldn't be too difficult as the current-gen came in 2016 with a 3-year warranty. You should then extend it to the max possible coverage.

Pointing out some more reasons from my "not-so-obvious used car advantages thread":

Buy a SAFER car for the same $$$! Want safety for your family at 3.5 lakhs? Dream on in the new car market. In the pre-owned space however, you can buy a sturdy VW Polo with dual airbags or a 6-airbag Hyundai i20. A Rs. 9 lakh Swift Dzire won't do much of a job protecting you in a crash; your odds of getting away unharmed greatly increase in a pre-owned 9 lakh Jetta which has an impeccable safety record. Whatever the budget, I can find you a safer car in the used market. You can safely ignore the NCAP failures & untested tin cans.

The Elantra is a safer car than the Verna for sure!

Stay up-to-date for a longer time! Irrespective of the price band, a pre-owned car at the same price will be bigger, faster, safer, have additional kit & technology, more cabin space, higher levels of refinement, superior handling, beefier brakes & more. Why? Simply because a used car is generally from a segment or two higher than a new car at the same price point. Translated, your car won't get outdated anytime soon. Compare a 2016 Rapid to a 2013 Skoda Octavia, or a 2016 Toyota Etios to a 2012 Toyota Corolla and you'll get what I'm talking about. 5 years down, the Rapid & Etios will feel outdated; the Octavia & Corolla won't. Another example: I could be happily driving my Civic today - it's still quick, safe & spacious by current standards. Not the case with a 2010 Dzire which would've cost me the same $$$. The dude who bought my C220 is driving a sedan that's faster, safer, dynamically richer & more solid than anything in the mass market.

Being from a higher segment, the Elantra is built to higher standards of quality. It'll be better in every way.

Originally Posted by jetsetgo08

Elantra is a resale dud, and a Hyundai petrol automatic further accentuates it.

If buying used, that actually strengthens his case .

[avdhesh15]

Originally Posted by iamitp

What's your suggestion between 2019 Verna SX (O) Petrol AT vs 2016 Elantra SX (O) Petrol AT?

If it's only these 2 cars, the Elantra would get my vote.

It seems you want an AT. Why not look at Jetta? They should also be in that range. The DSG will be a hoot ( but beware maintenance ).

[iamitp]

Originally Posted by GTO

You should most definitely go for the pre-owned Elantra. Reasons:

1. Your current ride is pre-worshipped, meaning you are comfortable with used cars.

2. Moving to a Verna from a City is hardly an upgrade, even if it's a newer generation.

If you can, try looking for one that is within the warranty period though. Shouldn't be too difficult as the current-gen came in 2016 with a 3-year warranty. You should then extend it to the max possible coverage.

Pointing out some more reasons from my "not-so-obvious used car advantages thread":



The Elantra is a safer car than the Verna for sure!



Being from a higher segment, the Elantra is built to higher standards of quality. It'll be better in every way.



If buying used, that actually strengthens his case .

Thanks, GTO! I had gone through your thread even before I started my car search The Elantra does seem to offer a far better value. Hopefully, it won't be an expensive car to maintain as I intend on keeping it awhile.

Originally Posted by avdhesh15

If it's only these 2 cars, the Elantra would get my vote.

It seems you want an AT. Why not look at Jetta? They should also be in that range. The DSG will be a hoot ( but beware maintenance ).

Thanks and you're right about the DSG. If it wasn't for the maintenance and service cost scare, I would definitely consider the Jetta and Octavia

[jetsetgo08]

Originally Posted by GTO

If buying used, that actually strengthens his case .

While I agree to to that, Elantra being an overpriced product to begin with may not make for a good buy in the used segment unless available for cheap(50% of the OTR price for a year 3 year old model).

The particular Elantra that the OP is referring to is grossly overpriced even for a used car. Being in Delhi, with the same budget the OP has many more options to play around with.

[rajshenoy]

You seem to be in similar situation as me. a used D1 sedan would still be of a much better quality than a comparable C2 sedan because mostly these cars are assembled as against fully manufactured in India with localised parts.

Since I saw you tilting towards Hyundai, thought of giving my inputs related to hyundai.

I have test driven the current Elantra and found it to be much better built than the verna, also the car is wider and more powerful. Also the ride quality of new Elantra is better than that of older elantra(in general hyundai is improving every generation)

However model change is due very soon and the current car is already running at over 2L discount. So if you pick the 2016 Elantra, it will be like 2 generation old by 2020.
Also I didnt like the quirky interior of older Elantra with too many buttons. Current Elantra looks clean and premium quality inside and out.

You can read my post here (The 'not-so-obvious' advantages to buying pre-owned cars) on how I ended up buying a used Corolla Altis.

[iamitp]

Originally Posted by jetsetgo08

While I agree to to that, Elantra being an overpriced product to begin with may not make for a good buy in the used segment unless available for cheap(50% of the OTR price for a year 3 year old model).

The particular Elantra that the OP is referring to is grossly overpriced even for a used car. Being in Delhi, with the same budget the OP has many more options to play around with.

Aha. What would be a fair price for a 2016 onwards SX (O) Petrol Elantra for Delhi NCR? I ruled out VW/Skoda on reliability/service cost grounds and Toyota on ubiquity, anything I have missed out on?

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

You seem to be in similar situation as me. a used D1 sedan would still be of a much better quality than a comparable C2 sedan because mostly these cars are assembled as against fully manufactured in India with localised parts.

Since I saw you tilting towards Hyundai, thought of giving my inputs related to hyundai.

I have test driven the current Elantra and found it to be much better built than the verna, also the car is wider and more powerful. Also the ride quality of new Elantra is better than that of older elantra(in general hyundai is improving every generation)

However model change is due very soon and the current car is already running at over 2L discount. So if you pick the 2016 Elantra, it will be like 2 generation old by 2020.
Also I didnt like the quirky interior of older Elantra with too many buttons. Current Elantra looks clean and premium quality inside and out.

You can read my post here (The 'not-so-obvious' advantages to buying pre-owned cars) on how I ended up buying a used Corolla Altis.

Thanks, that's great to hear. Overall, the 2016 Elantra seems like an all-round good car. Did check out your post when I was going through the thread. You've definitely scored a sweet deal on that Coroall.

[jetsetgo08]

Originally Posted by iamitp

Aha. What would be a fair price for a 2016 onwards SX (O) Petrol Elantra for Delhi NCR? I ruled out VW/Skoda on reliability/service cost grounds and Toyota on ubiquity, anything I have missed out on?

Start quoting from 11L onwards with 12L or 50% of the 2016 OTR price as a hard stop, do not rely on any online evaluation tools as Elantra is a rare find. Being a hyundai, 2.0L petrol automatic I am guessing the mileage figures to be around 7-8 kmpl at best. A used Elantra petrol will definitely not find many takers in the market, hence you have the freedom to low-ball and negotiate. But, please do inspect the car and only then give a quote.

On the other hand, the positives of a Corolla since it is ubiquitous are availability of spares, more economical as per many users and a higher resale value, in case you decide to sell it even after 5 years.

[iamitp]

Originally Posted by jetsetgo08

Start quoting from 11L onwards with 12L or 50% of the 2016 OTR price as a hard stop, do not rely on any online evaluation tools as Elantra is a rare find. Being a hyundai, 2.0L petrol automatic I am guessing the mileage figures to be around 7-8 kmpl at best. A used Elantra petrol will definitely not find many takers in the market, hence you have the freedom to low-ball and negotiate. But, please do inspect the car and only then give a quote.

On the other hand, the positives of a Corolla since it is ubiquitous are availability of spares, more economical as per many users and a higher resale value, in case you decide to sell it even after 5 years.

Thanks a ton! That is great advice. True that about the Corolla, it will definitely have a higher resale value.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by somspaple

Reliability wise it must be fine. But then it is neither known for performance nor mileage [Petrol Auto]. Not sure if Elantra comes with Multi-link suspension.
Also not sure what extra are you looking for in Elantra compared to Verna [honestly, I have not done much research on Elantra]. But if it is the D segment car that you are looking at with all other constraints [budget etc], then probably Elantra would be OK [personally I like it over the likes of Corolla].

Personally, I recently test drove the elantra, sat in the Verna, and we own a Corolla AT.

Compared to the Verna, the Elantra is more than a full size bigger - the Verna was cramped - probably worse than the city. Interiors were average as well compared to the Elantra's higher quality material + all black theme.
Since I didn't drive the Verna, I won't comment on the ride and handling - but the Elantra was praised for it's ride & handling package as well.

Coming to the performance: I loved the elantra compared to the corolla. It felt a lot more zippier, and more refined.
I'd pick the Corolla only if I were driven in it, whereas the Elantra to drive.

Other options include the old Civic which is very dated now, and the Octavia / Jetta: where reliability is a hit & miss. The Jetta has not petrol auto, and the Octavia petrol Auto means the 7 speed DQ200 DSG Gearbox, and unless I knew the owner - I wouldn't necessarily recommend a pre-owned one.

[iamitp]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Personally, I recently test drove the elantra, sat in the Verna, and we own a Corolla AT.

Compared to the Verna, the Elantra is more than a full size bigger - the Verna was cramped - probably worse than the city. Interiors were average as well compared to the Elantra's higher quality material + all black theme.
Since I didn't drive the Verna, I won't comment on the ride and handling - but the Elantra was praised for it's ride & handling package as well.

Coming to the performance: I loved the elantra compared to the corolla. It felt a lot more zippier, and more refined.
I'd pick the Corolla only if I were driven in it, whereas the Elantra to drive.

Other options include the old Civic which is very dated now, and the Octavia / Jetta: where reliability is a hit & miss. The Jetta has not petrol auto, and the Octavia petrol Auto means the 7 speed DQ200 DSG Gearbox, and unless I knew the owner - I wouldn't necessarily recommend a pre-owned one.

Thanks and you totally read my mind. I'm really enticed by the Octavia 1.8 TSI AT after reading about its performance. There's a 2016 Style Plus variant on offer at the same price at SX (O) Elantra in Delhi, on OLX. The only thing keeping me away are the reliability concerns over the gearbox. The Skoda in question also has some warranty left though.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by iamitp

Thanks and you totally read my mind. I'm really enticed by the Octavia 1.8 TSI AT after reading about its performance. There's a 2016 Style Plus variant on offer at the same price at SX (O) Elantra in Delhi, on OLX. The only thing keeping me away are the reliability concerns over the gearbox. The Skoda in question also has some warranty left though.

You could look at picking up an extended warranty package as well, though it could already be active.

I believe they now have 5 year plans which should help you out + always keep a little amount aside for miscellaneous expenses (DSG, ABS Sensors, AC are some of the key concerns).

[iamitp]

Originally Posted by lamborghini

You could look at picking up an extended warranty package as well, though it could already be active.

I believe they now have 5 year plans which should help you out + always keep a little amount aside for miscellaneous expenses (DSG, ABS Sensors, AC are some of the key concerns).

Yep, that would be sensible, but I'm still not quite brave enough to give Skoda a shot. The 1.8 TSI ownership reviews have left me shuddering at the thought of plonking out time and money for repairs. I'm 28 and employed with a PSU, so while the thought of driving a D1 Segment sedan to office seems immensely exciting, I am acutely aware that I the financial burden of continued maintenance and repairs, for things not covered in EW, will hit me hard.

[itwasntme]

Frankly, drive a D1 sedan for some time and you will not be able to go back to a C2 unless there are financial reasons. One of of my colleagues who already owned the Elantra petrol TC automatic suddenly bought a Honda City CVT as a second car. I was surprised as he was used to a Cruze and Santa Fe previously.

He has now exchanged the nearly new City, and upgraded to the Civic petrol CVT saying he could not live with the overall 'cheap' experience he got from the City. Now, he is enjoying both his D1 automatic cars and rates them on par. He likes the 'sportiness' of the Civic but hates the lack of power & CVT rubber-band effect during aggressive driving. His vote overall is towards the Elantra!

Net net, please evaluate the value of the D1 vs C2 segment with your heart and not the mind especially if you are planning to keep the car for a good number of years!

[iamitp]

Well said. Wonder if your friend also considered the Octavia, and if he did, how did he rate it compared to the Elantra and the Civic.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Frankly, drive a D1 sedan for some time and you will not be able to go back to a C2 unless there are financial reasons. One of of my colleagues who already owned the Elantra petrol TC automatic suddenly bought a Honda City CVT as a second car. I was surprised as he was used to a Cruze and Santa Fe previously.

He has now exchanged the nearly new City, and upgraded to the Civic petrol CVT saying he could not live with the overall 'cheap' experience he got from the City. Now, he is enjoying both his D1 automatic cars and rates them on par. He likes the 'sportiness' of the Civic but hates the lack of power & CVT rubber-band effect during aggressive driving. His vote overall is towards the Elantra!

Net net, please evaluate the value of the D1 vs C2 segment with your heart and not the mind especially if you are planning to keep the car for a good number of years!

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by iamitp

Yep, that would be sensible, but I'm still not quite brave enough to give Skoda a shot. The 1.8 TSI ownership reviews have left me shuddering at the thought of plonking out time and money for repairs. I'm 28 and employed with a PSU, so while the thought of driving a D1 Segment sedan to office seems immensely exciting, I am acutely aware that I the financial burden of continued maintenance and repairs, for things not covered in EW, will hit me hard.

Originally Posted by iamitp

Well said. Wonder if your friend also considered the Octavia, and if he did, how did he rate it compared to the Elantra and the Civic.

So we did a test drive earlier as I mentioned of the Elantra, Civic, our own Corolla, and a while before I had driven the Octavia (before picking up the Corolla).

Elantra honestly came across as the best all rounder.

Looks: Interior & Exterior - Elantra feels dated compared to the Civic, but is miles ahead of the Corolla. The Octavia has a typical European flair about it and definitely looks premium on the outside with relatively average interiors (I liked the elantra dash design and all black theme but the Octy has better quality).

Performance: Octy is far ahead, followed by the Elantra, Civic & Corolla seemed more of less similar with similar powered engines mated to CVTs.

Ride & Handling: Octy again comes out on top, with the Elantra a close second, the civic was nice in the city as is the Corolla

Space & Practicality: I was pleasantly surprised by the Civic's headroom, though the Corolla is by far the best car to be driven in / take on a trip. Octavia would be next - rear seat a little upright, but spacious and practical barring lower GC. The Elantra & Civic are pretty decent in this department too and similar - low seating, ground clearance will be common to both.

Build Quality & Rattles: The Octavia is brilliantly built, but the notchback shape will mean rattles seeping (parcel shelf mainly) in so this is something to be careful about. The Civic felt tight!
And our corolla seemed that much quieter (in terms of squeaks and rattles) than the TD Elantra which had done a little lesser running but also saw rougher drives but the touch and feel of the elantra seemed that much nicer than the Corolla.

The way I see it:
1) Octavia is the best buy in it's segment barring maintenance costs, which too can be capped by the extended warranty as it will cover pretty much everything except brakes, suspension, rubber parts, etc. - but Gearbox, AC, etc. which are more expensive will be covered. Check once with the dealership as well.
It is also the most premium in terms of pricing, enough to make you question if an 18-24 month old, less than 15K driven BMW 3 series would be a better buy at the same / similar price.

2) The Elantra is a great all rounder given it's pricing. It will keep maintain a balance of keeping everyone happy - but when an Octavia overtakes you on the highway, you will always give it a second look.

3) The Civic is stylish & fun. If you aren't an aggressive driver but want something reliable that will feel nice everytime you sit in it - this is it!

4) The Corolla is honestly the car to buy if you have a driver. After owning one for almost 2 years and 19Kkm, I cannot think of any reason except the back seat and Toyota reliability to get one.
The reason we got it over an Octavia was just because of the rear seat + low maintenance downtime + safety kit combo. Driving it fast isn't pleasurable - it's just an added thing to do because you're running late. We want to keep ours for a long long time and it will be given some beater duties (already has actually) and it will carry those out faithfully day in and day out.

I'd also just like to add: maintenance costs in this segment is more about parts failing, as compared to the price of the parts. Toyota parts aren't cheap, neither are the Civics. But they will work a lot longer than that of the Octavia's for example - but that is also because the Octavia for most part is also running a turbo charged engine v/s a N.A. civic / elantra / corolla; and it has a quicker shifting DSG gearbox as compared to the CVT & TCs. Some stuff can be excused due to the better tech compared to it's peers, but some cannot (like an AC failure wouldn't be acceptable, but I think we are past such niggles in the Octy's lifespan).