As a rational consumer, you don’t always focus on just the monetary value of a product. Oftentimes, we need to consider the perceivable utility(satisfaction) derivable from the purchase or consumption of a product. This theory is especially true for luxurious items such as cars. The real cost-effectiveness of some vehicles is not in the price. You can lose out on vital and critical features in some vehicle models simply because you opt to go for their standard/base trims. In this post, I shall analyze how the top models of these cars are more cost-effective than their base models. The vehicles under review include the VW golf 2019, Toyota Corolla 2020, Tesla Model 3 2020, and Honda Civic.
Top Models of These Cars are more Cost-Effective than their Standard Trims
Buying the lowest configuration of a particular vehicle model can be frustrating. Your frustration may even heighten when you later realize that only a few dollars separate the base and top models. The four vehicles I am about to review here offer top models that are a vast improvement over their base counterpart vehicles the price remains relatively close.
As the saying goes, a penny can knock down the hero, this sentence is more easily reflected when buying a car! Budgets constrain many consumers and often lower the requirements for cars. Therefore, the average family buys a car and often thinks this way: “Let me choose one with the lowest price and drive. After all, cars are meant to be driven, no more, no less!” Choose a low-profile drive and drive it.
But having said that, the same model, the low-profile is indeed more cost-effective. The low profile and full-option of most models are difficult to distinguish from the appearance. However, there are notable differences in power and configuration.
Surprisingly, it will be better to buy the high-end trims of some cars! Such is the case with the following four.
Four Vehicle Brands That Offer Far Better and Top Models Versions Compared to the Base Versions
I have carefully analyzed certain models of vehicles with their performance and price comparison
1. Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus RWD vs. Long Range AWD
When you mention Tesla, what is your first thought? You certainly think of autonomous driving. Do you think every Tesla car will be equipped with autonomous driving? Not really!
The EPA(Environmental Protection Agency) electric range, also known as the battery’s lifespan, is a huge determining factor when choosing the Tesla Model 3. For example, the gap between the miles you can squeeze out of the standard range and the long range is huge.
The math is straightforward enough:
-
Standard Range Plus Model 3 has 240 miles of range, so 240 x 1500 = 360,000 miles
-
Long-Range Model 3 variants have 310 to 325 miles of range, therefore 310 x 1500 = 465,000 miles
In fact, Model 3 only has one car, which is priced at $39,990. But this price will not give you the automatic driving function of Tesla. If you want this configuration, you must add $9,000 for additional options, which include extended range.
Sadly, for low-income earners, $9,000 can almost buy a car, but on Tesla, there is only one more automatic driving function, which seems a bit expensive.
After all, with the way Tesla is built, you can’t get autonomous driving on the base model. Therefore, in case someone takes you in a car to perform autonomous driving, and you answer by saying your version of Tesla Model 3 is lacking that option, Won’t that be embarrassing?
2. 2019 Volkswagen Golf 280 TSI
Another car model that you would rather wish you upgrade to its top model is the 2019 Volkswagen Golf. In the eyes of most people, golf is a shopping cart for travel, but in the eyes of people who understand the car, it is a “small steel cannon.”
Sports is the soul of golf! Now, the question is, the low-end golf is equipped with a 1.2T engine, a maximum horsepower of 116 horsepower, and a maximum torque of 200N.m. Where does the sport come from?
If you choose golf, don’t think about low-end. The top GTI does not say, at the very least, you have to buy the 1.4T version with the tail tag “Golf 280 TSI“. Compared with low-end golf, the 1.4T comfort model is $6,000 more expensive than the 1.2T comfort model, However, it has 34 horsepower and the torque is 50N.m more.
3. The 2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid Model is Worth more than the non-hybrid base model
Already, the Toyota corolla is the world’s number one-selling model. Corolla’s household attributes are undoubtedly durability, fuel efficiency, and practicality. You will agree with me that it is a good helper in your life. However, the essence of the current Corolla lies in its hybrid system. If you still choose a low-end Corolla, you will miss out in the long run on your gain in monetary terms!
Let’s talk about the price first. The starting price of the dual-engine Corolla is $23,400, while the starting price of the standard version of the Corolla is $19,600. Do you think the difference of $3,800 is just on the hybrid system? Not!
The dual-engine hybrid interior has canceled the three-knob buttons below the central control, and the visual effect is more upscale. Secondly, there are more configurations of the dual-engine Pioneer version of Corolla, such as keyless startup, car networking, automatic air conditioning, etc., which are not available in these ordinary Pioneer versions of Corolla.
Finally, the 2020 dual-engine hybrid Corolla has a 1.8L self-priming engine with a maximum horsepower of 136 horsepower (plus a motor). This is indeed more horsepower than the ordinary version. The key dual-engine Corolla is indeed fuel-efficient. The average fuel consumption per 100 kilometers is only 4L, while the ordinary version of the Corolla measures about 7L. There is also a hidden benefit. It is easier to list hybrid models in first-tier cities, which is not measurable, with a price difference of $3,800!
Don’t Miss: The World’s five Most Durable Vehicle Engines 2019- There is no Honda on the list!
4. 2020 Honda Civic Hybrid
There are many models with high ratio and low ratios, such as the Honda Civic. The low-end 1.0T is a three-cylinder engine, and the power gap with the 1.5T Civic is large. Three-cylinder and four-cylinder is just a multiple-choice question!
Don’t tighten the budget card too much before buying a car. If you can’t buy the car you like, keep saving until you have enough. In modern times, choosing a low-end car is not always the best option. Just like the above models, selecting a low-end car is frustrating!
Further Reading:
Leave a Reply