Top 5 funky first cars to buy in celebration of Youth Day

In celebration of Youth Day and the events that transpired in 1976 with the date celebrated across the country today, we decided to take a closer look at our top 5 funky first cars for the youth. The parameters for our selection were simple; affordable, fuel efficient, cute and youthful. In other words, something that would appeal to a first time buyer but not break the bank at the same time. Here is our list in no particular order.

Fiat 500 Cult 

The enduring Fiat 500 has been with us for quite some time now, with its current reign spanning well over a decade. While specification and trim can price this peppy city car out of the reach of many first time buyers, the 500 Cult exists as the epitome of what the original Cinquecento was: affordable and compact mobility for the masses. The newcomer includes retro styling from its antecedent while relevant tech make this the perfect choice for a style conscious, first time buyer. The 0,9-litre Twin Air two-cylinder Cult can be had in the region of R200 000. For something a little bit more bespoke, have a look at the drop top Fiat 500 Dolcevita.

Suzuki Ignis 1,2 GLX

The Ignis too has been on the market for a while, albeit a few years less than the abovementioned Fiat. Because of this, it has been a strong proponent behind Suzuki’s success in our local market. Modestly equipped and boasting unique aesthetics are only a small part of its charm but its average claimed fuel consumption of 5,1 L/100 km is the most enticing aspect of the crossover city car. Because of its extra ground clearance, it can also manage a fair bit of unpaved road surface too. The Ignis starts from R204 900 for the GL MT while the GLX ranges between R236 900 and R253 900 depending on transmission. Our time with the Ignis dates back to 2017, but the winning recipe for the model has not changed.

Kia Picanto 1,2 X-Line

Hovering around the R200 000 mark lies the venerable Picanto range which has also been a long standing nameplate in our market, serving as Kia’s entry level model. The base-spec Picanto 1,0 Start Manual starts at the lowly price of R195 995 albeit boasting very little features and niceties. Considering the adventurous nature of the youth and the minimal driving experience they have navigating parkades, the pumped up Picanto 1,2 X-Line would be our choice. We go into more detail on our experience with the subcompact crossover in our driven review of the Korean model. A manual derivative can be purchased for R245 995.  

Renault Kwid 1,0 Climber

The Kwid is arguably the go-to choice for first time buyers and drivers and while those behind the wheel may garner a negative reputation for hogging the highway’s fast lane doing pedestrian speeds, there is a good reason why it is the obvious choice. The Nissan-Renault collaboration has yielded the CMF-A platform among many other mutually beneficial benefits. This shared cost as well as Indian production mean that the Kwid is the cheapest model mentioned on this list of funky first cars. With a retail price of R170 400 for the base spec 1,0 Expression, it certainly is the best bang for buck although our choice would be the frugal but slightly more expensive Kwid Climber which has a ride height of 184 mm. Depending on transmission preference, this can be purchased within the region of R200 000 new. 

Suzuki Swift 1,2 GL

The final choice in our list of top 5 funky first cars for the youth is another compact Suzuki. The Swift offers frugal efficiency, pretty looks and a surprisingly spritely driving experience, although we are confident most of its buyers wouldn’t be as enthusiastic behind the wheel as us journalists. With a claimed fuel efficiency as little as 4,9 L/100km, it will also ensure that no bank is broken for getting to and from youthful experiences. While the base spec manual GA starts from R189 900, our choice would be the R207 900 1,2 GL middle child which offers good value for money with expectedly less features than the top spec GLX.