[V0rtex]

After watching Doug Demuro's video on 'Undervalued Cars that Should Be More Expensive,' I started thinking about undervalued cars in our country. His video focused on cars available in the US, so I’m curious about the situation here. One car that comes to mind is the Ford Fiesta 1.6 S. It was a proper enthusiast car that ticked all the boxes. Unfortunately, it didn't become a hit nor did it gain a cult following like the VW Polo. What are your thoughts on this?

[Happyrev]

A S-Cross 1.6 is right up that alley. Its a hoot to drive.

It made a car enthusiast out of my wife who is generally not too nerdy about cars.

[IshaanIan]

I think the reason for the Fiesta being under valued is the cabin layout; it lacks space and feels like it was designed in the early 90s or late 80s even cars like the old Baleno, WagonR and Forester had better feeling interiors. I love the car but would never buy one simply because I would not be able to live with the cabin experience. Even the original Ecosport and global Fiesta suffered from interior design that simply did not age well and drew attention to poor quality plastics.

[V0rtex]

The next car on my list is the S-Cross 1.6. That car was way ahead of its time, with solid build quality, a very torquey engine (320 Nm - it had more torque than some entry-level German cars), 4-wheel disc brakes, and reliability.

[Cresterk]

I can’t really think of a single car that feels undervalued since the pandemic. Everything seems over valued and expensive.

[ToThePoint]

Originally Posted by Cresterk

I can’t really think of a single car that feels undervalued since the pandemic. Everything seems over valued and expensive.

It's actually the BS4 to BS6 jump that shot the prices through the roof be it bikes or cars.

Pandemic was just an excuse to ride the demand wave.

I feel it the manufacturers who planted the seed towards the end of second wave that the pandemic scenario is the new normal and that it's prudent to travel individually and safely going forward rather than in congested public transport or similar media which resulted in spurt in demand which they milked further.

[RROD]

For me the S Cross feels very undervalued.
Typical Maruti traits practicality, frugality and reliability.

On top of that it is well made and fun to drive . I am not an enthusiastic driver but in the ghat sections this car makes me enjoy the curves .
This is for me even today the best Maruti out there.

[naru80]

I took a spin in a bunch of cars recently – the Seltos IVT & DCT, both versions of the Creta, the Elevate, Nexon DCA, Virtus GT+, and even the diesel and petrol models of the ScorpioN and XUV700 – all in my quest for the perfect new ride.

In the Rs 15-25 lakh segment, there's no car that feels like it is undervalued. But for sheer bang for the buck, the Mahindras really steal the show. Tremendous value for what they offer! Especially the AX5 and Z8S variants which are priced on par with cars a segment lower.

[madhukarmohan]

Here are some of the contenders:

• Ford 1.5D cars (Ecosport, Freestyle, Figo)
• Honda Jazz
• Skoda Yeti (and Fabia to an extent)
• Fiat Punto/Avventura
• Chevrolet Beat
• Maruti Suzuki SX4 (and S Cross)

[sharmanova]

Here is my list:
- Maruti S-Cross
- Maruti S-Presso
- Tata Hexa
- Ford Freestyle
- Hyundai Tucson

[VW2010]

I am not sure about undervalued but I have to say every car is overpriced for what it offers. The madness of demand vs supply means the quality has gone down but the cost has gone up.

We overvalue and overpay for mediocrity when it comes to India. When you have airbags as optional based on version (just a couple of years back) we get the bare minimum in terms of value for what we pay for.

[HillMan]

In todays' date no vehicle seem undervalued. They are heavily discounted to clear stocks only.
Most base models are a joke (omitting media player!). The quality of interiors in base models take a generous beating too. The base models are created only to bring the customers to the showroom. Almost 5L for an Alto OTR!

[SmartCat]

1) When new, there were/are/will be no undervalued cars. That's because manufacturers have single digit margins and similar manufacturing/sourcing practices. They cannot afford to give you a great deal. If a particular model is priced lower than what YOU think it is worth, you might have missed the compromises made in interior quality, part quality, features, safety or ride & handling.

2) Ford Fiesta 1.6 or Suzuki S-Cross 1.6 are examples of "warm" performance cars. Not undervalued cars. If you go back and read S-cross review thread, you will notice many comments about how 1.6 variant is overpriced (I think it had a premium of Rs. 1.5L over 1.3 variant). Meanwhile, Fiesta 1.6 appealed to only a small section of buyers, especially compared to similarly priced practical & spacious 3rd gen Honda City. Remember Honda City was no slouch either (0 to 100 kmph in 10 point something seconds).

3) Pre-owned German luxury cars seem undervalued. But you have to contend with high maintenance costs and iffy reliability. So if it is priced low compared to new, there is a reason behind it. The prices are hence 'fair'.

4) Pre-owned mainstream cars are reasonably priced. Not undervalued. The gap between new and pre-owned car is just right.

According to me, there are only a handful of undervalued cars:

- Has to be pre-owned.
- Older than 5 years (preferably 10 years)
- Because of the above, reliability is key. So has to be either Toyota or Honda
- Has to be expensive when new (Eg: Rs. 30L or Rs. 35L on road price), so that it is feature packed & still feels luxurious.
- Powered by a large petrol engine (so that resale value is low)







With these filters, we are left with cars like Honda Accord, Honda CRV & Toyota Camry, all pre-owned. You basically get Rs. 30L/35L car (on road price when new) for Rs. 5L to Rs. 10L. In my opinion, these are true undervalued cars. After all, it still maintains 80% to 90% functionality of a new car at 20% to 30% of its original on road price.

[sunikkat]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

I think the reason for the Fiesta being under valued is the cabin layout; it lacks space and feels like it was designed in the early 90s or late 80s even cars like the old Baleno, WagonR and Forester had better feeling interiors. I love the car but would never buy one simply because I would not be able to live with the cabin experience. Even the original Ecosport and global Fiesta suffered from interior design that simply did not age well and drew attention to poor quality plastics.

Beg to differ here. Fiesta 1.6s had one among the best interiors. Sporty seats, aluminium pedals, gear levers, soft touch dashboard etc. Even compared to today’s sedans like Verna, VAG Twins it had better quality dashboard material. Might be personal choice, but 1.6s interiors aged really well even after using it for 6 years before selling. Agreed, space was at premium.

[dhanushs]

If you look the right way, you will get a pristine example of a 2016+ Skoda Superb at around 7-8 lacs.

In my opinion, that would be undervalued.