[jeygani]

Considering the price quoted for Corolla, which is high, City seems a better choice. Both are reliable but a slight advantage for a new car. If you like that Corolla, please bargain further on the price.

There are other options as well and you can go a segment higher if you prefer pre-owned like Camry and Germans.

[kapilsharma80]

Had it been me, would have gone ahead and bought the CVT version of new City.

Altis, though a segment above misses lots of features that the City Offers and New car is a NEW CAR.

[Mogs]

I bought a barely used Altis in 2010 against the new City and regret the decision. Spares aren't in stock and repairs are expensive. More so with a discontinued car.

I had issues of the head gasket blowing out thrice and spent too much money on repairs. Toyota service may be good for normal service, but it is poor and expensive for repairs.

I own a Honda Jazz CVT past 3 years and service experience with Honda is way better than Toyota.

[karanbir.sandha]

I own a 4th Gen Honda City diesel, got it in 2017. It has been nothing but boring to drive.
Also,I own a 2009 Fortuner that I got in 2019 as a 10year old with 1.6L Kms on the odo, and I am in love with the quality Toyota provides.
True their products are overprices, but they are so because their product is buil to last.

I have been seriously contemplating selling my Honda city and get an Altis diesel as a replacement. The city hasn't exactly been cheap to maintain, in fact, it costs more than double the yearly expense of the Fortuner.

In your case the price asked for the car is on a higher side. Also keep in mind financing a used car turns out to be expensive. If it's a cash purchase of around 11-12 lakh, then it will be a good deal. Altis is a segment above & you won't regret it if you want a reliable car & not too fussy about useless gizmos that cars in 2021 are offering.

[Muscle Boyy]

Originally Posted by GTO

I am a lover of pre-worshipped cars. But in this case, I would pick the 5th-gen Honda City. For one, the City has grown over the years and become a more mature car. Second, that 1.5L Vtec under the hood is an insanely fun motor...the best naturally-aspirated petrol on sale in India. It's fun to drive, has compliant ride quality, a spacious cabin + practical boot. Two things that will need an upgrade are the speakers (if you like your ICE) and the skinny tyres. Do that and it's a heck of a package.

The Corolla is a great family car, but quite boring to drive in comparison.

My cousin has booked the 5th gen City ZX CVT from Bangalore. Since the stock 185/55 R16 tyres are too skinny for a car like City, he's planning to upsize them with either 195 or 205 section tyres. I feel 195 would do the job well but 205 offers better stance for the car.
What's your take on it? Need your suggestions.....

[raunaqv471]

Voted for the City in this case only because its an overall decent package and a brand new car. The Altis is priced way too high for a 4 year old used car, even for a well maintained example. While I do admit D1 segment sedans are superior to C2 segment sedans in most ways, be it comfort, driving dynamics, high speed stability and snob value, the new City does pack a decent punch. Its all grown up in terms of space and dimensions. That being said, the Altis would be better built, larger and sturdier. Even though people say it lacks the sporty touch, I for one found the 1.8 VVTI engine to have extremely good low end driveability ( better than my Civic petrol). VTEC engines have a ballistic top end and a weak low end, so that's a pain in slow moving traffic. Also the new City has a few reported issues like left front suspension noise and cabin rattles, not to mention a tinny build quality. Do take a test drive before deciding on the same. But a new car is always recommended especially as a daily driver. Also spare parts for C segment sedans are way cheaper than D1 segment sedans considering their sheer numbers on the roads. Hope this helps.

Regards.....

[knshailender]

The first decision you need to make here is whether to go for a new car or a lateral upgrade from one segment above. If you are inclined towards a new car then it's a different question.
But if you are willing to consider a lateral upgrade, you need more options from the used car market before you can make a decision. I'm not saying the corolla in question here is overpriced, but I'm pretty sure you will be able to find good examples from the D1 segment that are priced lower than this. Why not shortlist a few more pre owned cars from D segment before taking a call?

[avdhesh15]

At 11-12 lacs, the Corolla. Anything above, a new City would be better, but with tyre upgrade for SURE.

Have both the cars in my immediate family. I would prefer driving the City, but would prefer being driven in the Corolla.

[₹itzylove]

I would say neither of the two.

14.5L asking price for an used Corolla GL Manual is too high. 11-12L would be a fair deal. Even I was in search for an used Corolla for a friend of mine, we found a few VL CVT for around 13-14L. But I made him buy an Octavia 1.8 in the end.

You can seriously consider buying a Jetta 2.0, Octavia both 2.0 & 1.8 or if you are lucky enough you can even get Superb2 (2015-16) Facelift.

[AKSarkar1]

Really interesting thread, haven't come across such a unique choice for some time now! Voted for the city. Having owned both cars (outdated versions now), I hope I can offer some insights since the DNA of both cars are yet quite similar.

Would agree with the fellow BHPians about the price of the corolla, seems too high for a GL model with a stick shift. I would have picked the corolla in this case if it were an AT and the very top-end. In terms of the kit offered too, the GL is lacking certain things that even a mid-spec city might offer. I used to own a 2004 Corolla (top end AT) back in the day and the maintenance costs were through the roof, not sure if that has come down since then but certainly something you might want to factor in. It becomes hard (rather frustrating) to justify the high costs when the car is pre-worshipped. The Corolla would definitely have better ride quality and that 'premium' factor that you might not get from the city.

I think the City is the way to go, especially after the recent facelift that it has got. In terms of the cabin quality, the City has got a nice upgrade IMHO with the new facelift. The cabin too is more 2021 and feels like it whereas the Corolla would feel slightly dated. The rev-happy city engine is also an added bonus!!

[Akshay2010]

I have owned 2018 Toyota Corolla Altis VL and 2015 Honda City in the past. I understand that the new Honda City is a real upgrade over the last one but certain things are carried forward in any company such as transmission quality, ride, suspension etc. So here are my inputs.

CVT: Honda CVT is inferior when compared to Toyota's. The shifts are slow in both of them, however Honda is slower.
Stock HU: Honda is miles ahead, Toyota doesn't even come with Android or Apple Car play.
Suspension: Honda has hard suspension which makes it good to handle but Toyota has a very comfortable soft suspension which is much better on our roads. This one is subjective and both have their pros and cons.
Rear Seat Comfort: Toyota Altis wins hands down, its supremely comfortable at the back.
Driving Pleasure: Honda is better, although both are such a slouch in their CVT avatars. No idea about manual transmissions. My advice, test drive a DSG (VW/Skoda) car and you will realise that DSG + Turbo Petrol are miles ahead of any CVT/Torque Converter box.
Maintenance: Almost the same, they are in the range of 8-12k per year as service cost.
Durability: Altis (50k/3yrs) is more durable as my Honda started giving issues (Gasket, key/ignition/AC) after 1L kms/5yrs.
Air Conditioner: Toyota is a chiller, Honda is pretty bad for Indian summers.
Touch and Feel: Toyota Altis wins here, as my VL model had soft cushions on doors, dashboard etc.
Road Noise: Pretty bad for the price you pay unless you upgrade your tires with a silent one. Toyota Altis was raised for Indian market, this makes its wheel arches feel empty.
Looks: Subjective. But I feel Altis dashboard is a let down with its straight fall design dashboard. It felt outdated since day 1.
Miscellaneous :
1) My Toyota Altis didn't come with speed sensing door locks, this was a shocker and we found this out after taking the delivery. I assumed this feature and never bothered to check it in brochure. Even Etios Liva has it.
2) Altis doesn't come with sunroof.
3) Both car have poor road noise insulation. My advice would be to spend few thousands (~10k) and get your car's floor damped, this will truly make your vehicle feel luxurious.

Verdict:
1) Buy the Honda City if you are driving it yourself. Buy the Toyota Altis if it would primarily be chauffeur driven.
2) A brand new car has its own charm and longevity.

[mohitchalla]

You cannot go wrong with either of the cars. As a few people have pointed out, this particular Corolla seems a bit over-priced. I have owned a Honda City for 10 years (2010-2020). Personally, I would still choose the Corolla. Here are my reasons:

1. The Corolla is a segment above the City. This can be felt in terms of ride quality, NVH levels, overall build, the longevity of parts, better-shaped and cushioned seats, interior space.

2. The service experience of Toyota: Honda's service is pretty good but Toyota is in a league of its own. This would not matter if you are not going to an authorised service centre.

3. Suspension: While soft/firm ride is subjective, I want to talk about compression under load. Having used multiple Honda and Toyota cars, I have observed that under full load (4/5 passengers and fully loaded boot), Honda's springs compress a lot more than Toyota. While both cars may have similar ground clearance on paper, in real-world experience, the City would ride significantly lower than the Corolla. This is my personal experience and other people may have different opinions about this.

4. Depreciation: A new car will depreciate a lot more than a used one. The difference will be very less if you plan to keep the car for a long time.

I hope this will help you in making the decision. Happy driving, cheers!

[Miel]

Honestly, neither is a bad choice per se. However, you can draw up a list of gains vs. losses with each car and then decide for yourself.

If driving fun is a big consideration, go for the brand new City. If big car size, looks, and feel is paramount, go for the Corolla. Compare the acquisition and immediate post-acquisition costs - such as accessories, wheel upgrades, detailing etc. - in your On-Road price calculation for both cars.

Given a span on 10 years, both cars will possibly fare well on the maintenance, serviceability, and reliability aspects.

[AravBS]

Well i am an exactly similar situation deciding between a New Honda City (5th Gen - ZX CVT) and a 2016 Corolla Altis VL CVT. After a lot of thought and research i have decided to go with the New City for the peace of mind in owning a new one vs a 70k+ kms run and the added safety (6 airbags in City vs 2 in 2016 Altis).
It was a hard choice as i like the Alits for its build quality and better CVT. Inputs from this thread was very helpful:-)

You can't go wrong with either, choose the one that appeals to you. Off course negotiate better if you want to go with Altis.

[dhruvlath]

So I currently have both the cars you are considering- the 2020 City ZX MT and a 2017 Altis VL CVT. In terms of product built quality it’s hard to compare the two. The altis is and feels a segment higher and is a wonderful car for the city with decent to good fuel economy (8-10 KMPL). The interiors are aging but still very functional and feels built to last. The rear seat is the best place to be at in the Altis with reclining well cushioned seats.

The City MT on the other hand is a fun car to drive. The I-VTEC is a joy on the highways and if you are considering a manual transmission then look no further. It delivers a great driving experience. The new city has improved the interiors by a big margin and the overall size, fit and finish is closer to the Altis than ever before. Fuel efficiency is also phenomenal and returns 12-14 in the city.