When we were young, there weren't many vehicles on the road without a Toyota badge, but with time, that has changed, and today we see vehicles from a variety of automakers sweeping the local market.
However, there are still a lot of vehicles that are not imported into the country for a variety of reasons, including hefty import duties or other limitations.
Today, instead of digging into the reasons why they are not imported, we will talk about what we are missing out on.
Taking into consideration of the price range, here are my top picks:
VW Golf GTI
Every car enthusiast in the country would agree with this pick, the Golf is one of the greatest hatchbacks of all time and what a car to miss out on. Even though it's quite cheap in the international market, bringing it into Bangladesh requires hefty duties pushing the vehicle's price upwards to Tk60 lakh range.
The Volkswagen Golf GTI is still a top choice among car enthusiasts all over the world. A well-equipped GTI hatchback costs less than $30,000 in the US and offers space for the family in addition to speed, handling, build quality, an appealing interior, and space. You have to pay a lot more money to acquire a better car than this, in terms of performance and practicality.
Kia Stinger
Although it would not completely fall under the “mid-range” category, thanks to its massive 3.3L turbo engine. We assume, with the duties the price would reach well within the Tk70 lakh range minimum. But there is a 2.0L version available which would be more suitable for Bangladesh.
Despite the smaller engine, the flagship Kia Stinger's charm is still mostly intact. The smooth rear-drive chassis and agile handling remain unaffected, and the kit-heavy interior and coupe design are almost indistinguishable from the top-of-the-line model. The stylish Kia will face a battle to dethrone the finest German CEOs, but if you can handle the higher running expenses, it's well worth a look.
Over the past ten years, the development of the Kia brand has been well-documented.
While its lineup of compact cars has grown steadily, its crossover and SUV lineup currently includes some of the most respectable names.
VW Arteon
The 2023 Volkswagen Arteon is a surprise in many ways. It's a very nice all-around family sedan at a time when sedans are out of favor. It's handsome both outside and inside in an Audi kind of way. It's big, one of just five full-size mainstream sedans on the market. Its interior is comfortable and spacious with handsome lines, desirable standard features and plenty of cargo room.
The Arteon's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine produces 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. It is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automated transmission. All-wheel drive is standard on the SEL and SEL Premium models, however only the front wheels are driven in the SE's base model. The Arteon comes standard with 18-, 19-, or 20-inch wheels, depending on the trim level.
Standard adaptive suspension dampers may be manually adjusted to Comfort, Normal, or Sport or will automatically adapt to your driving style.
Similar to the Stinger, this model also offers a smaller 2.0L engine, and this too would be within the Tk60 to Tk65 lakh range.
Alfa Romeo Guilia
The famous badge says a lot about the car's heritage and underneath the 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia's alluring exterior is a sports sedan with Italian roots that handles well. The driving nature of the car makes the Giulia, one of our favorite sedans in the mentioned range. With 280 horsepower and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, this vehicle accelerates quickly and sounds fantastic.
Rear-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission are standard, although all-wheel drive is an option.
Unlike the Golf, the Giulia's interior is enhanced with soft-touch plastics, premium leather, and either textured metallic or real wood trim.
As expected from the car, the cabin is tastefully designed, with a broad, sweeping dashboard that serves as a visor to hide the built-in infotainment screen from the sun.
Particularly the available sport seats, the seats are supportive and comfy. With duty, this model would be at least within the Tk70 lakh range minimum.