If you’re in the market for a new vehicle these days, you’re facing a brutal double-whammy: the price of new vehicles and the price of fuel are both through the roof, and seemingly only increasing.
And that means the market for pre-owned is growing.
Requirement: You have a growing family, you’re on a R200 000 budget, and you need something capable of seating seven. The two rear perches, though, will be used primarily for small children. As always, when considering a second-hand vehicle, it’s well worth investigating the cost of maintenance beforehand.
Here are five examples we found after having a browse around Gumtree (click the vehicle name to see the posting in question):
Handily, the Honda Mobilio can be had new for less than R250 000. But if you’re keen to save some cash, there are plenty to be had on the used market, too. In fact, for less than R200 000, you can pick up a low-mileage 2016 model with the highest trim level. Take note, however, that the Mobilio – like the similarly priced Suzuki Ertiga – doesn’t feature Isofix child-seat anchors.
The Touran is available with a variety of engines, and can be optionally specified with seven seats. At the higher trim levels there are safety features galore, particularly if you go for a fairly recent model. Other options here include the Volkswagen Caddy or even the Toyota Avanza.
The new Fortuner may be grabbing all the headlines, but the previous generation is alive and well on the used market. In fact, at the time of writing, there were as many as 4 361 examples on Gumtree across SA, with the average price sitting at R277 221. If you’re keen on a spot of off-roading, there’ll be a model for you, too. Other similar options include the Chevrolet Trailblazer and Ford Everest.
The Mazda5 quietly shuffled off South Africa’s new vehicle stage a little while ago, but this MPV still represents decent value on the second-hand market. The engine technology may be a little long in the tooth, but the Mazda5 is super-practical for families, thanks in part to the rear sliding doors. You may also want to consider the Chevrolet Orlando.
The second-generation Nissan Qashqai is currently available only in five-door format. But the original could be had with an extra two perches, and wore the Qashqai+2 badge. And, naturally, there are a few to be had on the used market. If you require a little more space and prefer a larger engine, consider the Chevrolet Captiva, too.
