VW Virtus: Buy the current model or wait for the facelifted one?

I like the current Virtus design, so another concern is that the design changes could go either way in the facelift model.

BHPian officer_doge recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I am planning on buying the Virtus GT and had a question - should I get the new GT Plus Sport variant coming soon this year, or wait for the facelift upgrade late next year?

The GT Plus Sport variant will come with some cosmetic upgrades that I like, such as the blackout & dechrome treatment, diffuser, skirts, etc. but, the facelift would most likely get additional upgrades like a 360-degree camera, ADAS, a better screen (New Brazillian Taigun, called T-cross had a recent facelift with a screen upgrade) and more.

I like the current Virtus design, so another concern is that the design changes could go either way in the facelift model.

One of my cars is about 8 years old and outdated, so I want to trade and upgrade as soon as possible.

Is it worth waiting over a year for the facelift?

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

When you know there is a facelift coming, always wait for it. Reasons:

Avoiding buyer's remorse. When the facelift is much superior, you will frequently see owners who just bought the pre-facelift saying they feel cheated.

• These days, facelifts are meaningful. Compare the Creta Facelift to the ugly pre-facelift, Seltos Facelift (1.5L Turbo with ~160 horses, no less), Nexon Facelift, deadly looking Safari Facelift...these were all significantly superior cars to the pre-facelift versions they replaced.
• Many Facelifts aren't just cosmetic = in the current competitive market, they get noteworthy mechanical upgrades & more features. All the learnings & customer feedback from the pre-facelift are incorporated in the facelifted version.
• Worst case, if you don't like the Facelift, you can always buy the outgoing car for a big discount. Dealers always have old stock from the last 2-3 months lying around and they offer it for massive discounts just to get rid of unwanted baggage.
• Your car is a 2018 Hyundai Elantra and it's hardly old or outdated . Many of us are using cars way older than that. Another year on your 2018 Elantra is nothing. Because it is 6-7 years old, your depreciation curve has also flattened by now.

My recommendation = Wait.

Here's what BHPian ashutoshb had to say on the matter:

Will add one more point. The itch to upgrade will be lesser in the facelifted car. One keeps the car for at least 5-7 years. The way technology moves, a facelifted car will be better tech-equipped than its predecessor.

Here's what BHPian Rajeevraj had to say on the matter:

I was kind of in this situation with the Skoda Kodiaq. While I have not decided to upgrade, was starting to think about it and as part of this process test drove the Kodiaq. There are some decent discounts also on it and it was tempting to go for it. But we know that the updated Kodiaq is coming next year and although expected to be mechanically identical, looks to have a nice set of upgrades.

There were couple of big downsides to waiting in this specific case. The new model is expected to be significantly more expensive and it is unlikely I can afford it and with the Skoda approach, the current model sales will wind up by end of this year and there is expected to be few months gap before the facelift comes out. So no option of choosing between the new model and pre-facelift model

In my case logic prevailed and I decided that although my car is nearly 11 years old, it still serves the purpose perfectly and I did not see any reason to not wait for a year to see what 2025 brings.

In your particular case, I don't think you have the disadvantages I mentioned above, the pricing should not change significantly and also you should get the pre-facelift alongside the new car for sometime. If you don't have any urgent need you should wait. Especially if the facelift is expected to bring upgrades that are important to you.

Here's what BHPian PrideRed had to say on the matter:

Depends, if facelift is just few additions of fancy features and cosmetics and if you are getting good discount on current model, latter makes for a good purchase. However if the facelift is expected to come with significant changes to engine, mechanical features, then better to wait. That said a deep discount on current model may be a deciding factor for many.

Also point to note is, almost every car is getting a facelift in 3 years and model change in 6 years. If you keep waiting for a year or two, you will end up not buying anything as there is an update/launch always around the corner. Your car is going to get outdated in max 2 years.

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