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Old 01-03-2013, 03:51 AM   #1
pikopiko
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Lightbulb Buying a new car: Scion xD vs Veloster / your experiences
Hello everyone!

I recently crashed my '97 Civic LX and am buying a new car. I have reviewed numerous cars* and have concluded that the Scion xD and Hyundai Veloster are cars I would purchase. I would like to know what advantages or benefits the xD has over the Veloster? Why would I buy this car over the Hyundai? Are there things you lament about the Scion xD from a plain car/commuter point of view?

The price difference is not a big concern for me. What I value is reliability, usability, and well-built craftmanship. I take care of my car religiously (unless I'm crashing it!) so ease of maintenance and repair is important. I don't care if the car is automatic or manual. I intend on test driving these cars soon, but I have low expectations so I think either would be decent compared to my previous ride.

From research and first impressions, this is what I took away:

Veloster
  • Good: modern six-speed transmission, cool appearance, more horsepower and torque with better official fuel economy, standard cargo cover, tighter turning radius
  • Bad: unnecessary infotainment system/screen, no spare tire, wide expanse of glass in back (which worries me during a rear-end collision since my friend's head only fit under the glass but not ceiling)

xD
  • Good: easier versatility and use of space, cute appearance, more spartan dashboard and center console, smaller size (which will prove better in the city where I may move)
  • Bad: outdated automatic transmission (more readily available here), no covered center storage (acts as an armrest too)

I appreciate your help and any contributions you may have. Thanks.

* - I've compared amongst an Elantra GT and Accent hatchback, Scion tC, Chevy Spark and Sonic hatchback, Ford Focus and Fiesta hatchbacks, Honda Fit, Mazda 3 hatchback, Subaru Impreza hatchback.

Last edited by pikopiko; 01-03-2013 at 03:53 AM.
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Old 01-03-2013, 05:42 PM   #2
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Sounds like your leaning towards the Hyundai. Korea is building more interesting cars for us budget minded people. I haven't compared its standard features to the XD, but the veloster seems to be more expensive. It starts at 17k then add 2k for trim upgrade which is needed to be able to get the additional 2k nav package. As for the the center console for the XD, I would suggest the Toyota Ist console from Japan. It's about 200 bucks. The other thing I like about the XD is the four doors. All in all I would also check out subaru's newest impreza. If your looking for an auto, then Subaru's cvt impreza gets 36 highway. There are a lot cars available in this price range. Just go test drive in person, and choose what best fits your needs.
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Old 01-03-2013, 08:11 PM   #3
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You're right, the Veloster is more expensive but with appropriate haggling and the right options, I am not bothered by the difference in price. But that is the point: by not having to haggle in Scion, and benefiting from the loyalty and high-regard of Toyota, this may prove more beneficial in the value of the car down the line. Hyundai admittedly is an arriviste but offers a decent value, provided one haggles right too.

As for leaning toward the Veloster -- not necessarily. I don't like the touchscreen in the center console of the Veloster, which turns me off a lot. Also, the lack of a spare tire and having to buy one separately is something that turns me off mildly. Rear view visibility with big passengers (I'm short/small) will be a thing to get used to, since it's inferior to my Civic's visibility. I understand the Veloster is more expensive, but I intend on buying the most basic model, so thankfully I will not deal with packages if only I can find it though. Is it worth paying "a little more" for the Veloster than the Scion?

I live in the USA, so the Ist is not sold here. As for the Impreza, that is a really good car and felt the most upscale of any of the ones I sat it, but decided against it because it was pushing the upper limits of my budget and I wanted to be restrictive in how I spent my money. I can get better gas mileage with the CVT but at a big cost.
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Old 01-04-2013, 04:40 PM   #4
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I understand where you're coming from. You want some input, but at the same time I can't see what you're needs may be. I bought the XD over the fit because it was a little more sporty and had better standard features (fit sport would be more expensive but more comparable) . The veloster wasn't around when I made my purchase. After owning the XD for about 4 years, I am still satisfied with it. It doesn't wow me, and the aftermarket for it is "slim pickings". The auto in the XD is a dated 4 speed, but I got the manual. You could also compare how well the veloster retains its value because I haven't researched it.

Out of the bunch you mentioned I like the impreza the most especially if going automatic. Remember when car shopping "time is on your side!". Wait and see if you can find a program car or just a lightly used one. I bought mine 1 year used with 6k miles, and saved probably about 3k.
I also live in the us, and bought the ist console for my car. They sell them on EBay. The Toyota ist (2008-present) is the same car basically.
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Old 01-05-2013, 10:51 AM   #5
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I liked the xD, but haven't driven the Veloster; however, my friend got the Veloster Turbo and likes it.


As far as the other cars, what was the turn off on the Focus? My wife has a 2012 Focus and it is actually a nice car and I am not a FORD guy. Nice power and nice Fuel economy. We have the sport package with the Hybrid DCT transmission. We have ~23K miles and no issues.


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Old 01-06-2013, 02:33 AM   #6
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I test drove the xD recently and found the ride to be really pleasant, even with the four-speed. I love how the car is relatively unlit inside, lacking any screens or unnecessary lights. I managed to find a manual (the only one so far), and I'd love to try that out. One thing that piqued my interest, though, was warranties. What sort of recommendations or advice can you guys offer regarding this aspect of the car?

For example, and this was just from a cursory glance, but I noticed that one warranty cost $1250 at the dealership, so this is quite expensive. I can't remember the rest of the packages/prices because I was just on a test drive and the salesman introduced us to how we would buy the car if we were interested, showing the no-haggle approach, accessories, and the warranties. On the Scion website, it doesn't list any warranties that one pays extra for; all I see is what's listed here:

http://www.scion.com/cars/xD/warranty/

http://www.autobytel.com/car-ownersh...rranty-105431/

Since I didn't expect this, I'm not sure what to think of it. Are these extras? Are they recommended? Upon further research from this website, it looks like a pro/con sort of situation: http://www.scionlife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111634

Last edited by pikopiko; 01-06-2013 at 02:36 AM.
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