Frugal finds: Top economical car choices for savvy shoppers
Many households view a new car as the second most important investment they will make but face considerable constraints.
Ongoing Reserve Bank interest rate hikes are severely impacting the already shrinking disposable income of many consumers, especially when making new car sale decisions, the Automotive Business Council (ABC) reported this month.
National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) chief executive, Mikel Mabasa, said many households viewed a new car as the second most important investment they could make, but face considerable constraints.
So, looking for economical buys is the obvious choice.
Toyota dominated the SA sales market for passenger vehicles, having sold close to 13 000 cars since January.
Its Cross range attracted 5 564 sales in the same period, with prices starting from R392 600 for the base Corolla Cross 1.8 Xi CVT.
Manufacturer Toyota recently announced several specification enhancements to the model, with the entry-level Xi now fitted with LED headlights and the conventional radio system replaced by a six-speaker, 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system and other design improvements.
The model boasts a modest top speed of 185km/h and a fuel consumption is given as 6.8 litres/100km.
The top-of-the-range variant is a hybrid priced from R458 300.
If the Cross isn’t for you, but Toyota still is, consider the Starlet which came in at second place selling 4 624 cars.
Starting from R241 200 for the base Starlet 1.5L Xi MT, it has nearly been three years since the Starlet debuted locally.
The hatchback has become well sought-after in terms of affordability, fuel consumption and maintenance. It is the sweet spot for financially burdened new car buyers.
The Starlet has also received an upgrade both visually and in terms of its performance since launching in 2020. The car has a top speed of 175km/ and fuel consumption of 5.4 litres/100km.
In third, 4 583 VW Polo Vivos have been sold this year.
The Vivo remains a favourite with an impressive fuel efficiency of 4.5 litres/100km on the base 1.4 Trendline variant.
It is equipped with digital features such as 340G radio with SD, USB, Bluetooth and App-Connect.
App-Connect allows you to access your iPhone/CarPlay screen, selected apps, maps and music by syncing with the infotainment system. Backseats have ISOFIX child seat mounting points, removing the need to use the car’s seatbelts to secure a child seat.
The top of the range Polo Vivo 1.0-litre TSI GT is priced from R332 800 but will see you save a little more on your fuel bill with a claimed consumption of only 4.0 litres/100km.
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