Auto debate: Are best selling cars worth the hype?

There isn’t a clear set of criteria as to what makes a car a best-seller; after all, there are a wide range of categories to choose from, each with its own standards and peculiarities.

However, gearheads might be inclined to argue that whatever the best-selling car is in a particular category are always the best choice to go for. Or are they?

1. Shiny, new and best-selling what?

It can be overwhelming to sift through the multitude of options available in choosing your next ride. When you eat in a particular restaurant for the first time and are unsure of what to order, you’ll probably just ask for whatever the house best-seller is. If only it were that easy in choosing a car.

Of course, the best-selling models are likely to be the more popular option, but are they always worth the hype?

The best-selling car is in a particular category are always the best choice to go for?

Some people would often rely on this whatever the best-selling car is from a particular manufacturer, since they couldn’t be bothered with doing a bit of research and will just rely on what everyone else is getting.

But a car is a major expense, and you owe it to your long-term satisfaction to at least find out if all the bells and whistles offered by a given model will actually suit your needs and purposes.

Firstly, you need to research about the car, its competitors in the market and the respective features that they have to offer. And try to keep an open mind when asking other people, since you will likely encounter biases.

For instance, someone might have a negative impression of a particular model that’s commonly used in taxi fleets, when it really means that more parts are available for it since it’s widely used.

It can be overwhelming to sift through the multitude of options available in choosing your next ride

“Best-selling” is a loaded term and should be viewed objectively. You can use several criteria to see what makes a car a true best-seller in its class:

• Design
• Performance
• Comfort features/amenities
• Fuel efficiency and economy
• Safety features
• Availability of spare parts
• Price and overall satisfaction

Typically, a best-selling model will be able to strike the best possible balance between all of these criteria. Usually, the best-sellers are the base and mid-level trims, since not everyone wants the full range of standard kit that a top-of-the-line variant has to offer, and also because people will want to personalize the car on their own terms.

>>> Read more: Best-selling cars vs Best-equipped cars: Which one would you pick as your next vehicle?

2. Best-selling cars and auto-dealerships: what isn’t being said

Car dealerships will sometimes tend to steer potential customers towards models or variants that are fully-loaded, without taking into consideration what the customer wants. They’ll try to sweet-talk their way into your pockets by claiming that the model they’re pushing is the brand’s best-seller, even if a look at their sales figures says otherwise.

It’s easy to be swayed by the sales talk if there was no research done beforehand, and it’s a sure-fire recipe for buyer’s remorse later on.

It’s easy to be swayed by the sales talk if there was no research done beforehand

“Get this best-selling car because it’s selling like hotcakes! Don’t buy now and this limited time deal will be gone. Say yes now and get this brand-new best-selling car with the bells and whistles with a cheaper expense!”

This is a fast and loose selling trick that can lasso in any hapless car buyer. Such an aggressive sales tactic might be a hint that the car isn’t really selling as well as it should. If you’re not careful, you might end up letting go of the car just a few months down the line.

First, not all top-of-the-line models are fast-moving in terms of inventory sales. Second, claims of limited stocks only place a false air of exclusivity on a particular model.

>>> Visit our Cars for sale section for a variety of options

Car companies will naturally position their respective models like the best-selling overall option

Car companies will naturally position their respective models like the best-selling overall option; that’s the nature of the business, where you use every positive feedback to your advantages, such as expert automotive reviews, press releases, celebrity endorsements, and even industry awards.

Again, most of it is just bluster. All those awards, reviews and testimonials are worth nothing if the car is not the perfect fit for your particular needs. A supercar can win the glowing recommendation of every automotive critic, and still, be useless when stuck in city traffic.

Information is power and buyers always have the option of getting all the necessary information on a best-selling model first. Get a range of feedback from people who actually own the model that you’re eyeing, whether it’s through personal communication or online forums.

Read up on how the car measures up to international standards, such as NCAP, ANCAP and Euro NCAP in terms of crash protection, for instance.

>>> Worth reading: Toyota PH lineup crash-tested by Asean NCAP

Car brand loyalty is fierce, especially among Filipinos

One of the reasons why some car models are considered best-sellers is brand loyalty.

An owner might have a stellar experience with a car model of a particular make, and newer models from that same manufacturer will naturally be associated with that positive impression, whether it's because of the looks, the features, the reliability or the price tag.

This especially applies to car brands that have been around for a long time, having an established history with its customers, even if there are newer, more affordable or even better-equipped alternatives available.

So, are best-selling cars really worth the hype? It ultimately depends on how you, as the buyer, will define what the perfect car is if such a thing exists.

And you can really only reach that conclusion when you’ve taken every factor into consideration i.e. what manufacturers say, what experts say, what other owners say, and add a dose of common sense on your part.

So, are best-selling cars really worth the hype?

Go visit Philkotse.com for more car buying advice and more topics to assist car owners.