Euro 6, Airbags, ABS Now Mandatory to Import a Car — Safer Roads or Priced-Out Buyers?

Sri Lanka has tightened vehicle import rules this year: any petrol or diesel vehicle brought in now must meet the Euro 6 emission standard, carry at least two airbags, ABS, and electronic stability control, and be no older than three years from manufacture. That rules out a huge slice of the cheap, simple Japanese imports people used to bring in to stretch a tight budget. Supporters say this is overdue — safer cars, cleaner air, and an end to decade-old rejects being dumped on Sri Lankan roads. Critics say it just pushes prices up for ordinary buyers who can't afford a near-new car, forcing them into bigger loans or keeping their old, less safe vehicle running longer instead of upgrading at all. If you've tried to import or buy a car under these newer rules, did the extra safety features feel worth the price jump, or did it just lock you out of the market? Would you rather have the old 10-year-plus imports back, warts and all, if it meant a cheaper car? මේ අලුත් රෙගුලාසි නිසා ඔබේ වාහන ආනයනය හෝ මිලදී ගැනීම පෙර තරම් පහසු වුණාද, නැත්නම් මිල ගණන් තවත් වැඩි වුණාද?