While Utility’s and SUV’s popularity is on the rise, small cars remain a favourite for affordability, practicality and good value.
How are they good value? Well, they are generally cheaper to buy, cheaper to run and with fuel costs on the up an economical car is a sensible investment.
There are plenty of small used cars in Australia to pick from, but how do they compare?
Let’s review Australia's best small cars.
Toyota Corolla
The 2019 Toyota Corolla marks the 12th generation for this best-selling small car. It is one of the most popular vehicles in the world, with about 45 million sales to date…that means one Corolla is built and sold somewhere in the world every 37 seconds…crazy!
Australia has sold more than 1.4 million Toyota Corolla's which is no surprise considering it has been one of our best-selling passenger vehicles for the past 5 years.
The Toyota Corolla is an iconic hatch and has always been known as a reliable and solid vehicle. The new sporty styling and intuitive interior means the Corolla can add good looks to its resume!
New Price: $26,182 - $34,134*
Warranty: 5-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.
Models: Corolla Ascent Sport, Corolla SX and Corolla ZR available in either hatch or sedan.
Engine types: 2.0L dynamic force direct injection petrol engine or 1.8L Toyota hybrid system.
Fuel efficiency: Petrol: 6.0 – 6.3 litres per 100km, Hybrid: 4.2 litres per 100km.**
Transmission: Automatic CVT is available on all models however, the 6-speed manual is only available in the Corolla Ascent Sport.
ANCAP safety rating: 5-star
View our range of Toyota Corolla here.
Mazda 3
Mazda is well known for its sleek and elegant designs, premium interiors and intuitive drive. The Mazda 3 is one of the Japanese brands most popular models which is no surprise considering it was a top 3 finalist for the World Car of the Year awards for two years in a row.
Mazda include cutting-edge Skyactiv technology in their next-gen Mazda 3 which means the driver enjoys sharp responsiveness, spirited performance and impressive fuel economy.
If you want a real driver car, Mazda 3 may just be the perfect choice for you.
New Price: $28,879 - $41,916*
Warranty: 5-year, unlimited kilometre with 5-year premium roadside assist.
Models: Mazda 3 G20 Pure, Mazda 3 G20 Evolve, Mazda 3 G20 Touring, Mazda 3 G25 Evolve, Mazda 3 G25 GT and Mazda 3 G25 Astina available in either hatch or sedan
Engine types: 2.0L petrol available on the G20 range, or 2.5L petrol on the G25 range.
Fuel efficiency: 6.1 – 6.6 litres per 100km **
Transmission: 6-automatic or 6-speed manual is available on all models.
ANCAP safety rating: 5-star
View our range of Mazda 3 here.
Hyundai i30
The i30 is Hyundai’s award-winning small car, having won Australia’s best car award multiple times.
Its competitive price point makes it an extremely popular option in the small car market and with its European styling, advanced safety and cutting-edge technology, the i30 certainly represents great value.
Hyundai has added the performance-focused i30 N Line to the range which means there really is an i30 for everyone!
New Price: $20,990 - $44,580*
Warranty: 5-year, unlimited kilometre with 1-year roadside support.
Models: Hyundai i30 Go, Hyundai i30 Active, Hyundai i30 N Line, Hyundai i30 Elite, Hyundai i30 Premium, Hyundai i30 N Line Premium, Hyundai i30 N.
Engine types: 1.6L 100kW turbo diesel engine available for the Active, Elite and Premium models. 2.0L 120kW petrol engine available for the Go, Active, Elite and Premium models. 1.6L 150kW turbo petrol engine available on the SR and SR Premium. 2.0L 202kW T-GDi petrol engine for the i30 N.
Fuel efficiency: Petrol: 7.1 – 7.5 litres per 100km, Diesel: 4.5 – 4.7 litres per 100km.**
Transmission: The Hyundai Go, Active and N Line have both automatic and manual options. The Hyundai Elite, Premium and N Line Premium are only available in automatic.
ANCAP safety rating: 5-star
View our range of Hyundai i30 here.
Ford Focus
The Ford Focus is one of the World’s most popular in the small hatch and compact sedan segment due to strong sales in Europe and the USA. It has been on sale in Australia since 2002 and Ford has thrown everything they have at the new 2019 Focus, making it much better than the model before it.And it has to be – the competition is fierce.
The most exciting option in the Focus range is the Focus RS. It is a hot hatch that will blow your socks off!
New Price: $29,488 - $38,632*
Warranty: 5-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.
Models: Ford Focus Trend, Ford Focus Active, Ford Focus Titanium, Ford Focus ST-Line available in hatch or sedan. The Focus RS is the top of the range performance option.
Engine types: 1.5L Ecoboost petrol engine.
Fuel efficiency: 6.4 litres per 100km **
Transmission: 8-speed automatic transmission.
ANCAP safety rating: 5-star
View our range of Ford Focus here.
Volkswagon Golf
The Volkswagen Golf is VW’s best-selling model. It has won many awards throughout its history including World Car of the Year in 2009 and 2013.
The new 2019 VW Golf is fun to drive and equipped with the latest in technology and advanced safety features.
If you are chasing a spine-tingling, blood-pumping, heart-racing drive, the iconic Volkswagen Golf GTI and GTI R will be the perfect set of wheels for you.
New Price: $24,990 - $54,990*
Warranty: 5-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.
Models: Volkswagen Golf 110TSI Trendline, VW Golf 110TSI Comfortline, VW Golf 110TSI Highline, Volkswagen Golf GTI, VW Golf R.
Engine types: 1.4L TSI petrol engine on the 110TSI Trendline, Comfortline and Highline, 2.0L TSI petrol engine on the Golf GTI and GTI R.
Fuel efficiency: 5.4 – 6.5 litres per 100km **
Transmission: 7-speed automatic DSG is available on all models however, the 6-speed manual is only available in the VW Golf 110TSI Trendline.
ANCAP safety rating: 5-star
View our range of Volkswagen Golf here.
* Price will differ based on location.
** Fuel efficiency depends on the engine, drive-train and driving conditions.
