[octane_100]

IMHO, the question should have been "Does platform matter to you'. I have voted YES and I did so because platform matters, not whether it is old or new. In many cases, older ones are more competent. But in general, newer ones are better in safety, interior packaging and emissions.

[Arjun Bharadwaj]

I dont understand how this matters so voted no.

As long the car is overall improved - more power/space/quality/handling etc it should not matter at all. In this age where many new variants could just be sticker jobs of the old ones, I would not worry about what platform is being used

[DicKy]

Voted No

Short answer - As long as the next generation improves in all aspects, and safety is up to date, a worked upon or improved old platform is much preferred. For reliability, economics of scale, parts availability and cost, serviceability.

Long answer - There should be a whole new platform once a generation (20-25 years). Only problem with an old platform being used is that the change depends upon the level of improvement done.
Just keeping the platform (chassis/powertrains), but changing the external appearance only is a big no-no.
Ideally there should be a brand new platform every 2-3 generations for ordinary vehicles and every 1-2 generations for BOFs or ultra luxury vehicles.
To be frank, the only thing to worry in an old platform being re-used is that safety. If that is taken care of like in the case of Nexon, no one really cares about it.

[Carpainter]

Voted NO

When we buy cars, we buy the machine as a whole package and not just the platform it's built upon. If the old platform was structurally sound and the new car is, well, new in all aspects apart from the platform itself then it shouldn't be an issue at all. Let's be honest, when we drive 2 cars from 2 different generations, can we really feel if the platform underneath is same or different. We feel the entire driving experience which can be different for n number of reasons other than the platform it's built on. So no if the new car is better in most other aspects then same platform won't bother me at all.

[anandhsub]

I wouldnt mind if they are using the old platform globally, for eg. Innova, but do mind if it is an India specific decision to continue on the old platform while they have move moved on globally. For eg. VW.

[Jeroen]

Voted no, just because the platform is newer is no guarantee it is actually any better. At least from a performance and handling point of view.

Case in point the Ford Escort, Ford Focus en Ford Mondeo. (I owned all of those at some point in time in many incarnations)

The VW Golf GTI MK IV is considered the worse Golf GTI off the bunch. (I know as my eldest son has one! My lawnmower handles better!

The Mazda MX5 third generation is generally considered to be a less handling version from earlier incarnations.

Honda Civic, 9th generation was awful when it came to handling compared to earlier models.

Even BMW once messed up with a series 3 version if I recall correctly?

Jeroen

[Sen]

Voted no.

Lots of factors play into how a car feels, and the car's underpinnings are not one of them. We'll never see it apart from it being demonstrated in crash tests, only "feel" it via it's behavior, characteristics, and how it drives.

Newer platforms also may not necessarily be better than the older ones, it all depends on why the platform was created (new or old).

[Ritkon]

I think yes. It does matter.
The newer platforms, if anything has to comply with more stringent safety norms (atleast for models sold in Europe, US and some Asian countries) and this fact alone is worth the update. Also, structural rigidity generally increases with each platform update, even if it becomes lighter. NVH and better compatibility with newer engines also generally improve with each generation.
This of course excludes certain Maruti Suzuki models, which seem to lighten their platform only for the sake of FE.

[RedTerrano]

Voted no.

Old platform = tested and true. Also reusing the platform helps keep the prices low. In addition it also translates to cheaper spares and repairs.
If this is not a win, I don't know what is.

[an_and]

I voted Yes. While I am not really current with the industry presently, It seems to be ages since any new platforms have been developed.

And cars that are being built on old platform somehow manage to skimp on features. If I am looking for a car on old platform I would prefer the “older” model as well simply because they would be more robust.

I truly wish to see some new platform being developed...

[saikishor]

I feel it does not matter. In some cases, old car platforms are safer than new car platforms. And also, old car platforms drive much better than cars built on newer platforms. Cars built on old platforms weigh more than that of cars built on newer platforms. The old Swift was a gem in terms of handling, while the new one is the exact opposite of the old one.

[Amsdoc]

Voted Yes.

I don't like the idea of us being used as a dumping ground for older platforms. Companies do not change platforms for fun, they have distinct advances and advantages as loads of people have mentioned earlier. "Surplus/cheaper maal khapao" in 3rd world markets is a testament to what all these MNCs actually think about us in general. And I hate this attitude.

[ibisbrew]

Absolutely NO. At the end of the day, for any consumer, be it an enthusiast or not it comes down to daily drivability, having the right feature set, reliability, safety and running costs.

I might be speaking out of ignorance here, but I'd rather prefer the manufacturer to refine their current platform to the max in a shorter period of time instead of launching a new one with new niggles.

[kamilharis]

Voted NO!

As long as the car drives well & safe , I don't care much about the platform.

For example the duster still rides beautifully and no other car has come close to it even now!

[Annibaddh]

Absolutely not! I still retain my Vento because everything else I've sat in since as an upgrade / lateral somehow does not feel the same (except for the Vios which had other issues of its own).

My next car is going to be a pre-loved. Jetta or one of the German triplets (or maybe, just maybe, if I find a good enough specimen a Camry). In fact for most companies engineering down to achieve cost-saving and modularity seems to be the trend. I'd venture out and say most international brands don't have better platforms now than they had 15 years back.

Worse is the affliction with Indianizing platform / models. VW-SKODA just made it impossible for me to consider anything under an Octavia with MQB-A0IN. Kia/Hyundai/MSIL were never in consideration. Toyota and Honda have hardly anything to pick from. Buying pre-loved seems to be the only way.