Purchase Dilemmas: New, updated car or pre-facelift version, which one to choose?

By Tanmay Pangam Face-lifts or mid-life refreshes, are a popular strategy among car manufacturers across the entire pricing spectrum. They are used to inject a bit of life into a slightly older model that isn’t quite ready to be replaced with the next generation, upgraded version. The launch of a face lifted model also presents a very interesting prospect for potential car buyers. On one hand, they have the option of the newest, most updated model. The alternative though is that they can get a good enough car at an attractive price. So how exactly does one work this out? [caption id=“attachment_338996” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”]  The Honda Brio just got a face-lift.[/caption] The easier choice between the two would be the face lifted version. The advantages are something of a no-brainer. The exterior styling typically gets a few tweaks. Headlight as well as tail-light designs are given a new look. The bumpers are re-done, making them sportier or stylish, as the case may be. Most of the sheet-metal on the other hand, is retained to avoid expensive re-tooling costs. Some manufacturers offer functional upgrades such as LED’s or projector setups for the lights. While, others rework the air-dam to improve cooling efficiency. [caption id=“attachment_338909” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”]  Revised interiors are tempting! (Image: new Honda Brio)[/caption] The cabin gets revised as well. New seat and cabin trim options are offered. There’s better kit levels provided, e.g. automatic air-conditioning, dual-zone climate control systems, etc. Safety equipment also occasionally gets a boost - for example, the new Ford Figo gets up to 6 air-bags in total, in-comparison to the two it used to come before. The mechanical underpinnings too tend to get a once over on refreshes. Damper/spring settings get reworked for better ride comfort and road handling. Tyre choices get revised, offering better value based on the vehicle positioning (comfort, mileage, long life, grip levels, etc.). The downside is that all these tiny (and sometimes, not so tiny) tweaks tend to result in a sticker price that’s typically higher than the older, pre-facelift version. Then again, you do have a fairly good car in the older, pre-face lifted version. Also, not every tweak ends up making a convincing impact either. Exterior styling is one such example. Agreed that it is subjective, but, not every car model manages to wear the design tweaks in the facelift in a cohesive way. For example, when the current version of the Mahindra Thar came out, demand for the outgoing variant grew stronger in some parts of the country. To buyers, the older model presented a much more conventional styling package that was highly desirable. [caption id=“attachment_340380” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”]  The Hyundai i20[/caption] Interior features such as charging points, bag hooks, infotainment systems, etc. too can typically be upgraded at the after-market level. So these offerings aren’t always essential to closing a deal in favour of the newer, more expensive model.  And then, in the rare cases, manufacturers do end up docking features and pieces of kit in the face-lifted version that make buyers wonder why. Like in the case of the hugely popular Hyundai i20, which has only 2 airbags in the latest version, while the older, pre-facelift model came with 6 airbags. There’s no rule set in stone, but typically speaking, pre-facelift cars tend to be cheaper to own than their newer counterparts. Availability of spares in the aftermarket is at times, better for pre-facelift versions too. Plus, less complex subsystems and electronics could mean, lower problems during the ownership period. But perhaps, the single biggest factor in swinging your decision in favour of the outgoing model is likely to be the potential financial benefits. Most manufacturers tend to reduce dispatches of models that are going to be replaced with a face lifted version. Dealers still end up holding a considerable amount of cars in their inventory which are unlikely to be moving out of the showrooms once the ‘update’ news spreads. This is when savvy buyers, who wouldn’t be bothered much with owning the latest ‘model’, end up driving a fairly good bargain. Manufacturers offer deep discounts, typically in the form of free insurance and roadside assistance, extended warranties, and their ilk. They also put in place an ‘upgrade’ program, offering dealer fitted accessories/non-essential equipment at attractive rates. Lastly, the dealers themselves too offer discounts from their side. Besides this, higher pay-outs for exchange & loyalty bonuses get offered as well. The potential downside in opting for the older version, apart from living with the fact that one picked up a discontinued variant, is lower resale value. Buyers in India have traditionally been partial to base their car purchase decisions on the resale value of the model. While this sentiment has changed in recent years, it is still prevalent. In the end, the decision to go with the updated version of a car, or to opt for the older, pre-facelift variant is a highly personal choice. Whichever way you choose, you still end up buying a brand new car and that’s a great reason to celebrate. Happy Motoring!