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 sense of adventure but not enough to compromise your daily commute with a rough-and-ready 4×4. These little hatchbacks can’t quite be taken into the wilderness but, with an increased ride-height and some plastic cladding, they won’t shy away from the occasional gravel road (without compromising their everyday capabilities).
Here are five examples we found after having a look around Gumtree (click the vehicle name to see the posting in question):
2015 Toyota Etios MY14 1,5 xS Cross
Apart from probably being the cheapest car to maintain on this list, the Etios Cross fully embraces the crossover trim, thanks to its bold plastic cladding and functional roof racks. It’s probably not the number one choice here, but its merits are high nonetheless.
2010 Volkswagen CrossPolo 1,6 TDI
The CrossPolo is widely considered as the model that started this whole trend, oozing adventure and capability when it first came out. This updated version is fitted with a trusty and capable turbodiesel powertrain that works well both in the city and out in the (mild) wild.
2015 Renault Sandero 1,6 Stepway
The Sandero Stepway slots into this cross-hatch segment rather well, thanks to its roomy interior, comfortable ride and pseudo-4×4 styling. This one doesn’t employ the brand’s small turbocharged engine but rather the somewhat dated 1,6-litre naturally aspirated petrol powertrain.
2014 Volkswagen Polo Vivo Maxx
Essentially a rehashed version of the original Polo crossover, this South African exclusive takes everything you love from the Vivo and adds a little bit of extra height and some plastic cladding (plus roof racks). In our test of the Vivo Maxx, we were impressed by the entertaining driving experience and the generous amount of standard equipment.
The cheapest representative on this list by far, but also the hardest to find. It was killed in the new car market due to the fact that high import costs pushed its price up to the point that it wouldn’t be worth the purchase. And, on top of this, the service plan was not standard issue. Other than that, it’s an honest little cross-hatch.
