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This is pretty crazy! New cars are out of reach for most people in the west. I work in DE and am visiting IN for holidays, I was surprised to see that smaller S
by rockyj 4y ago
This is pretty crazy! New cars are out of reach for most people in the west. I work in DE and am visiting IN for holidays, I was surprised to see that smaller SUVs with decent tech and features are available here for under / around 10K.
In DE, I could not even get a decent 3 year old second-hand hatchback under 10K. Something just seems off. (e.g. - https://www.hyundai.com/in/en/click-to-buy/prices?prod=VENUE https://www.hyundai.com/in/en/click-to-buy/prices?prod=VENUE, same for Renault Kiger)
- aperson_hello 4y agoGenerally speaking, the cars built for the Indian market are very different than the ones built for the European market. Everything from safety to features to build quality is different.
- rockyj 4y agoYou must be right, although I could not find any feature lacking (touch screen, Android Auto etc. it is all here). Yes, you will be hard pressed to find an engine above 120bhp but electronically it is all there. But I am no expert and am not sure about the material, build quality etc.
- lotsofpulp 4y agoI imagine touch screens and android auto/CarPlay are the relatively cheap components. I can buy a basic Sony unit for $300: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-6-2-apple-carplay-built-in-bluetooth-in-dash-digital-media-receiver-black/6283607.p?skuId=6283607 https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-6-2-apple-carplay-built-in...
- gumby 4y agoThere are many reasons for the price differential; two of them are safety and quality in general. Cars in Europe, and DE in particular, have a lot of safety requirements (from antilock braking to Knautschzonen) ignored in India for cost reasons. And the quality of Indian mfg is not up to German standards (few countries are!). There are other factors as well of course, some of which would work fine in Europe. Bt really, how many people would choose a Lada or Trabi today?
- vaidhy 4y agoIt seems like a big guess here. Almost all cars sell a variant with ABS. For e.g., the lowest end of Hyundai i10 (D Lite) is $4500 and has no features other than a 46 mpg. The highest variant (Asta 1.2 Kappa AT) has all the bells and whistles with a more powerful engine for $8500 and has a lower gas mileage at 37 mpg. Still a bargain?
- gumby 4y agoNot really a guess: I have in the past lived in DE and have a lot of family in India whom I visit so the comparison is personal observation. But OK, the ABS was a wrong example. The Asta is indeed a bargain. But the German cars, for example, are really solid. There are enough BMWs and Mercedes on the road in India that you've probably been in one and have seen. But is all that solidity worth it? Nobody is able to drive 220 anywhere in India, even where the roads are quite good. Conversely I doubt that Asta would be considered road worthy anywhere in the EU. Actually I think EU countries like Bulgaria and Romania would benefit from some of these super-cheap vehicles.
- vldx 4y ago> Conversely I doubt that Asta would be considered road worthy anywhere in the EU. Actually I think EU countries like Bulgaria and Romania would benefit from some of these super-cheap vehicles. Bulgaria and Romania are EU countries — that is, under the same regulations that Germany has. Even if Asta was road worthy there, people from lower GDP EU countries would still prefer continue buying high-mileage, but somewhat well-maintained vehicles from Germany.
- mprovost 4y agoI can't tell if you live in Germany and are visiting India, or if you're in Delaware and visiting Indiana. Or some combination of these...
- Handytinge 4y agoNow you know how the rest of us feel when Americans say things like "I flew from NV to AZ, stopping in FL".