Given the speeds at which the cars are driven in Dubai, safety is my top priority.
BHPian reddevilgautam recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Hey guys – so just a bit of background. I recently shifted to Dubai and now looking to buy a new car here. My budget is up to Rs 25 lakhs and given the speeds here in Dubai, I am basically looking for the safest car possible in that range.
Below is my shortlist:
- Hyundai Elantra: It may not be the safest car on this list but I have included it for its incredible value of money. At Rs 16 lakhs for the top model, and the best features among the list here, I was very much inclined to go for the Elantra. It’s a great looking car as well. It’s been rated 5-stars by NHTSA and was also the North American Car of the year 2021, however, I am still not convinced it’s the safest car here on the list. This choice will save me a lot of dough though.
- Skoda Superb (Ambition variant): I have always wanted to own the Superb but it’s always been very expensive in India. The Superb Ambition is approx Rs 22.5 lakhs here and has 6 airbags. The next variant is L&K which is almost Rs 5.5 lakhs more expensive and just adds some gimmicks like a sunroof, leather seats etc which aren’t that important to me. Superb’s resale value will be the lowest among the list here as not many people here buy Skoda. But it’s still an impressive car with huge space although little dated interiors. I used to drive an Octavia in India and hence love the brand myself.
- Audi A3 (Advanced variant): It’s approx Rs 28.5 lakhs which is beyond my budget but I can stretch a little bit especially if it’s the safest of the lot. I am going to be mostly alone while driving it except on that occasional weekend trip to the mall when my son is going to sit in the back and feel cramped. It’s the smallest of the lot but still an impressive car, especially the new interiors. Plus the pleasure and ego boost of owning a car from the Audi stable. Will be my first one.
Will Superb and Audi definitely be safer than Elantra?
Would be great to hear everyone’s thoughts on the above. Thanks in advance for your advice.
Here’s what BHPian DicKy had to say on the matter:
Any reason for shortlisting these three vehicles? Like, are these the options for a company car lease?
Since you are an Octavia owner and like the Superb, this would be a good opportunity to buy one, considering the cheap prices there. But as you had already mentioned, resale value is pathetic to see if you could get a nice used deal. Also, there is a reason why these suffer from the bad resale in the GCC nations.
My humble opinion. Buy a top-end version of the Camry. And if I may add to your confusion, sedans may make you feel vulnerable in Dubai traffic. Maybe look at some crossovers too.
Here’s what BHPian androdev had to say on the matter:
Get yourself a red A3, it will go well with your forum handle reddevilgautam 🙂
Jokes apart, I think all cars in your budget range would be fairly safe. Superb and A3 will have a tank-link build that might help in feeling more safe and comfortable at high speeds. The choice depends on your budget and preference for reliability vs aspirational aspects. Between Superb vs A3, go the full distance and buy A3. Being compact, it will feel sporty and classy.
Here’s what BHPian AJ56 had to say on the matter:
Assuming all cars are NCAP 5-stars, the heavier vehicle will be the safest no contest. As the stars only hold against their own weight class. Skoda Superb is 1560 kg (kerb) and Audi A3 is 1295 kg, with Hyundai Elantra coming in at 1408 kg. The Superb will be the safest of the 3 from a crash survivability view. A difference of 250 kg+ is not trivial. You can look up Smart car vs larger Merc C and S-Class crash tests to see the same point in action. Both have perfect crash ratings individually but the Smart car occupants fared much worse as they were subjected to much higher g forces during impact.
Keyword: Confused between the Hyundai Elantra, Skoda Superb & Audi A3