Almost new-but-used cars for under TK 20 lakh
2013 Suzuki Swift
The Suzuki Swift is a great little car that combines good driving dynamics, brilliant packaging that somehow fits all your needs and fuel efficiency into a neat little package. It was one of the cheapest new cars on the market for a while, and companies snapped them up for fleet use, so there's quite a few of them on classifieds sites. Don't let the manual gearbox daunt you—you'll love the gear-change action. Expect to pay around 4-5 lakhs for an older 2005/6 model and around 8 lakhs for the newer ones.
2013 Honda Vezel
The Vezel turned things around for Honda's image in Bangladesh. It might be a bit cramped and the ride is a bit harsh, but you'll be hard pressed to find an alternative to the compact SUV in the local market. Watch out for gearbox issues, as some of these were likely not maintained right. Yours for approximately 19-20 lakhs for a hybrid (we say avoid) and around 18 lakhs for the regular.
2014 Toyota Yaris
Toyota's Yaris was brought in almost entirely by Navana through official channels, and it's a great little car that would have been more popular had our tax structure not killed its chances. Bare bones motoring, but the Yaris offers rock solid reliability and no-frills use, and corporates moved on from the Swift to this, so enough units floating around to risk it. It also means they've been maintained well, mostly. Mileage might be a bit high though.Yours for around 15 lakhs.
2009 Nissan Bluebird Sylphy
The Bluebird is perhaps the last economy-class Nissan that's anything to talk about in a sea of drab offerings that are a stark contrast to the brilliant cars they were making in the 90s. They have a ton of space inside and a well-made and designed interior, although driving feel and reliability are nothing to write home about. If you can keep one going, it should serve you well though. Aim for a 2009-10 model, which will cost you around 11 lakhs.
2011 Toyota Allion
It's good that the primary buyers of Allions and Premios in the country opt for an immediate upgrade to the newest model, much like they do with iPhones. That leaves the slightly older generations up for sale aplenty, some at fairly good prices. If you want space and the apparent prestige associated with Allion ownership, go for it. They require just basic maintenance from time to time and the legendary Toyota reliability takes care of the rest. Expect to pay around 15-18 lakhs for a 2010/11/12 one.
2011 Toyota Noah
If you have a big family and need to move quite a number of people at the same time, a Noah is the perfect companion. They've gotten a bit expensive in recent years and have their share of mechanical quibbles from time to time (gearbox, engine on CNG, sometimes electronics) but if you can find a well-maintained one, not entirely a bad idea. Asking prices hover around the 18 lakh mark for a 2010/11 model, but haggle as much as you can.
2014 Hyundai Tucson
Hyundais may have a good reputation now, but even a decade back they were slightly wonky, pretty weird cars from South Korea. If you want to find the turning points that led to Hyundai making some great cars at present, look no further than the 2012-15 Hyundai Tucson and the Sonata of the same period. A 2012 Tucson will set you back around 19 lakhs, but they will have fairly low mileage and few issues to complain about. Keep a runway of funds to fix it in the future and you're all set.
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