Which Brand - Aqua 2012 or Prius 2010

[pwuser151556960121]

Assalam Alaikum,

Can anyone share his experience and wisdom in helping me make the right decision?

I have recently sold my personal car and I want to buy a hybrid car due to excellent fuel economy (17kmpl-25 kmpl), comfort, reliability, and also due to the expected increase in fuel price to Rs.145 per liter next year because of a devaluation of rupees as per a news article.

Based on my budget of 12-16.5 lacs, I can afford the following used hybrid cars.

Toyota Aqua 2012 (16.5 lacs) - average about 80,000 km

Toyota Prius 2010 (16.5 lacs) - average about 90,000 km.

Toyota Prius 2007 (12.5lacs) - average about 120,000 km.

Which of the above cars should I buy if in good condition? Why and why not?

Thanks in advance.

PS.
* As per my research after talking to a mechanic at Sharae Qaideen, there is no real issue in Karachi regarding mechanic and parts availability of Toyota Prius and Toyota Aqua. The respective cars drive is also pleasant according to the comments of some PWs (maybe Prius' drive better due to being spacious).

• People have said if one drives carefully and avoid standing water, there will be no significant repairs issue.

• I can afford about R. 100 lacs repairs per year. But I cannot afford (or seems unwise ) to pay Rs. 20 to 30k per month (Rs. 360,000 per year) on fuel as will be the case with a Corolla and Civic if the petrol reaches Rs. 145 per liter (daily drive is 58 km to office). I have calculated that the fuel expenses in case of a hybrid car will be around 11 to 15,000 per month even in case of a price hike. So, it seems like a smart move.

• Please don't recommend Mira, Days, Move, or Mehran, as I don't like these extremely compact cars despite being extremely fuel efficient.

[pwuser151556960121]

I think I should go for a Prius 2007.

Based on an owner's review this gem of a car could go 300,000 miles (482,803 km) without much problem. Much better than pathetic and crappy Suzuki, IMC, and Honda Motors new cars, which I have boycotted due to their horrendous quality and pricing. These companies should shape up or ship the hell out of Pakistan.

Kuddos for the Pakwheels management for providing services for used cars (checkup and exchange market). This is really a gem of a site for us Pakistanis who are literally being butchered by Pakistani auto companies.

[mhaderaziz_official]

I've driven both the Aqua and Prius and I can tell you the Prius is much better. Aqua has hard suspension and feels like a shopping cart. Driving an Aqua over speedbreakers was not a pleasant experience in my case since it's wheelbase is short as well. The one I drove didn't have an armrest, so it won't be a comfortable car for longer drives. The rear seats are cramped.
The Prius is better in every possible way except for a 1-2kml difference in fuel economy. The ride is firm just like a 2013 Civic and behaves well over bumps. If parking is not an issue, the Prius is better.
One thing to keep in mind is that most cars will have rolled back odometers, so do check each car thoroughly. Secondly, most importers buy cars with deployed air-bags and put a 5ohm resistor to fool the car's computer which an OBD cannot detect. You'll have to physically check if the airbag is there or not; you can either unscrew the steering wheel airbag cover from behind or look under the dashboard next to the cabin filter housing. Try to look around the front impact bar for any uneven patches (signs of previous denting) and avoid any car with such issues.
You can check the condition of a Prius/Aqua's battery back using a good OBD and it will display it's condition in terms of percentage. A good car should show at least 85%.
If someone says that the car was in some collision and the airbags did indeed deploy and were supposedly replaced, walk away. There are thousands of cars in Karachi and no car is "the one"

A used Honda City is also a good choice in this range if you look for local cars.

[pwuser151556960121]

Thank you for the detailed review. The info will certainly help me in making a smart buying decision.

Buying a car is certainly a big decision in life for most. I will keep researching and listen to wise advice. Your smart and wise insights will help in this regard.

[dayrider]

SInce you are looking for a car that is going to be used in Pakistan, this will be a highly frustrating task, so have patience. Secondly,always remember that since so many of the cars in the market are abused, the ones that have been used in a civilized form and properly maintained are definetly properly expensive.
Last but not least, buy a car with a complete history of when it came and whom it went to. Unless you don't know what happened to it, best to stay away because those are probably the car's dark ages

[Hesab_Magsi]

Both are different segments,if you travel outside city areas alot then keep Prius in priority and if you have city usage alot then aqua is a blessing.

Suspension wise Aqua is stiffer but traction is really good at high speeds,average is also slighly better then prius.

Prius is softer then Aqua but not like corolla or premio suspension wise.You get more space in prius but again finding a good car is very difficult in low budget.