Buying a discontinued car doesn’t always mean you’re taking a big risk. In many cases, you will be able to buy them and use them without major hassles related to parts, service or brand support. Here are some such examples.
The Honda City is one of the most popular choices among used car buyers. It is reliable and comes at affordable prices. Older generations of the car come very cheap. Newer models, like model year 2015 for example, can be bought for around 4.5–5.5 lakh rupees.
The City is still in production. Servicing the now-discontinued older models is not a pain point. Parts can be sourced and there are many who still daily-drive pre-owned, older-generation Honda Cities. It large user base also makes the City a good choice for used car buyers.
The VTec and iVtec engines are also known for their durable nature, making the City a good fit. Also, there is a strong demand for it in the pre-owned market. Low maintenance cost is another reason to buy one.
The Fortuner is a star in the used car market. The first and second generations are still bought by many. The trusted big-capacity engines (3.0-litre 1KD-FTV diesel , 2.8-litre 1GD-FTV diesel and even the 2.7L petrol) on these attract a lot of buyers. These are known for their reliable nature. Volume is another major reason.
The Fortuner has sold in India in plenty and getting parts is easy. Plus, repairs and services aren’t always expensive. The first and second generation models can be sourced for much lower prices than newer models. All these make it a good option for used car buyers.
Maruti Suzuki phased out the Ciaz sedan in April 2025. It is, however, available in the used car market and ticks most boxes for people looking for a large, comfortable sedan. Pre-owned Ciaz is affordable. Being a Maruti, sourcing parts and getting the service done are both easy and cheap. The 1.5 petrol engine of this sedan is smooth and reliable. The diesel engine that was previously on sale, was known for its fuel efficiency.
Maruti Suzuki discontinued the Ignis just recently. People looking for a fun-to-drive and cheap-to-maintain tallboy hatchback with a smooth, reliable petrol engine, can buy a used Ignis. Getting parts for this car is easy. Maintenance is cheap. The Ignis may not have sold as much as most other Maruti cars would have, but it has a sizeable fan-following.
The Elantra excels with its size, road presence and ride quality. One might, however, face suspension issues on a used Elantra, if it has had big numbers on its odometer. However, getting parts for the car isn’t difficult as the Elantra is a global model. Even so, people in some cities have flagged difficulties with parts-sourcing. In India, the Elantra’s generations were sold with various petrol and diesel engines. Overall, it still looks like a safe bet for used car buyers.
The Corolla is a no-brainer for people looking to buy a pre-owned sedan. Older generations come cheap while newer ones are relatively more expensive. The Corolla, in India, was sold with both petrol and diesel engine options. These engines were all loved for their reliable nature. We have seen owners clock lakhs of kilometres on their Corollas.
Another good buy in the used car segment is the Toyota Innova. It has strong, reliable engines and offers good ride quality. The carmaker has also sold plenty of units over the past few years. Maintaining and sourcing parts aren’t difficult, nor will they cost you much.
The Ritz is another good option for used car buyers. Pre-owned units come cheap. There are even units that sit well below the Rs 1 lakh mark. This attracts a lot of buyers. The Ritz still has a lot of fans in India. Getting parts isn’t too tough and maintenance is cheap.
The S-Cross, first launched with a diesel engine, is a good buy in the pre-owned market. Later a petrol engine was also introduced. The S-Cross is fun-to-drive and has a well laid-out cabin. Pre-owned prices pump a lot of appeal into it. It isn’t expensive to maintain or repair this car and parts are readily available.
The Brio and Jazz were two popular hatchbacks from Honda India. The Brio was discontinued in 2019 and sourcing one from the pre-owned market isn’t too tough or expensive. Late-year models come at around Rs 6 lakh. Built on a robust platform, this hatchback had reliable powertrains as well.
Honda pulled the plug on the Jazz in 2023. It is, however, a top choice in the used car space. Older models come cheap while late year units come for around Rs 10 lakh. This car also had reliable engines. Both models have sold well in India and sourcing parts isn’t tough either.
The previous generation Celerio can be a good fit for people looking for a cheap, reliable and easy to maintain car in the pre-owned segment. Parts are available in plenty and a lot of Celerios are already out on the roads.
The Hyundai i20 Elite is also a good choice for used car buyers. Higher variants come packed with features and do not cost much in the used car market. Being a Hyundai, getting parts is easy. There is adequate service support from the brand as well.
Volkswagen Polo still has a huge fanbase in India. The only way that you can buy one is by sourcing it from the pre-owned market. It is better to go for the MPi versions with the naturally aspirated petrol engine, and not the GT with the 1.5 turbo-petrol and turbo-diesel engines. In this case, the maintenance costs will be higher than those of Japanese cars. If maintained well, the Polo can be very reliable.
This list omits several interesting models due to lack of proper brand support. The Ford Endeavour is one such example. Owning a car without strong service backing can be challenging in India, making such models less safe bets.
Models like the Fiat Linea, Fiat Punto, and Chevrolet Cruze have also been excluded for the same reason
Opting for old cars- 20 years or older- can be risky. Such vehicles often require significant maintenance, especially if their usage history is unclear.