6 cars under R250 000
So, you’re in need of an entry-level car and are looking to purchase a brand new one. Your two main concerns are safety and how much it’s going to cost you. October is National Transport Month in South Africa and the spotlight is on the many transport challenges we face as a nation.
There have been many improvements to the safety features offered by entry-level cars over the last few years, but thanks to renewed scrutiny by organisations like Global NCAP and the Automobile Association, Women On Wheels understands that more can and must be done to educate the buyer.
In honour of the countrywide effort to reduce the amount of accidents happening on our roads on a daily basis, and the major holiday times during the year, WOW has collated a list of new cars that meets what WOW considers bare-minimum criteria for safety features; two airbags, Anti-lock Braking System with Electronic Stability Program. All the cars on this list retail for under R250 000.
Toyota Aygo
Hella worth the price tag attached to it, the Aygo goes above and beyond with four airbags. Small, stylish and perfect for zipping around cities, the claimed fuel consumption is 5.3 l/100km. The base model comes with ABS and ESP, priced from R174 900 it’s one of the cheapest on our list.
Volkswagen UP
The take up! is the small car from VW that took a while to reach our shores; it was worth the wait. The entry-level take up! does not disappoint, the 999cc engine is perfectly matched to the lightweight body, delivering an urgent and fun drive. It’s got the VW interior we all love in a small car guise. Priced at R177 400 with four airbags and ABS with ESP.
Smart forFour
This tiny Smart made waves when it launched to market many years ago; small, efficient, can turn in the tiniest of spaces it’s perfect for office-parking lots and taking the tiniest bay on offer. The newer ForFour retains the tiny dimensions and adds two seats and doors. The entry-level model has 5-airbags, and ABS with ESC, priced at R181 478.
Fiat 500
The 500’s entry-level TwinAir Pop model is an iconic city car with a rich automotive history. Small without a cramped feeling on the inside we’re yet to meet someone who doesn’t like it once they’ve driven it. R206 900 gets you seven airbags and ABS with ESP.
Honda Jazz
Honda certainly know how to make them, since introduction the Jazz has been extremely popular, they offer great resale value and seem to last forever with plenty of Jazzes handed down through families and surviving several people learning to drive in them. The entry-level 1.2 Trend model comes with six airbags, ABS and ESP and retails for R222 700.
Nissan Micra
Nissan brought the new Micra to our shores early in 2018, the new-generation Micra heralded several changes, new dimensions, new engines, overall a grownup Micro. The opening model 66kW turbo Visia has six airbags, ABS and ESP and sneaks in just under the R250 000 cap at R247 800.
*Compiled by Carri-Anne Jane and Leigh-Anne Londt*
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Images: supplied