Consider safety when budget buying for a student
Prashirwin Naidu
In the realm of automobile purchases in South Africa, the quest for affordability without compromising quality is a tricky phenomenon nowadays.
As car prices soar, fuel prices and the cost of living go up. These aspects draw closer to the most critical element of a young person's life. What car can they comfortably afford to provide them efficiency, practicality, and value in their beginning years as adults?
In this story, we explore a few budget-friendly cars and review them individually so you, as the consumer, can carefully compare them. It is encouraged to always look at a car's safety rating before purchasing. And if the new car market and options showcased here don't quite fit the mould for your needs, scoping the used car market might be the sweet spot in that regard.
Starting with the Suzuki S-Presso. With a starting price of R174,900, this is reasonably affordable but not entirely reasonable. With an NCAP safety rating of 3 out of 5, it improves as it was quoted a 1-star rating not so long ago. Depending on your spec, the new S-Presso boasts a few modern amenities, ranging from the GL, GL+, and the top-tier S-Edition automatic up to R214,900.
The S-Presso is powered by a 1.0-litre petrol engine delivering 49 kW/89 Nm; it comes in either a 5-speed manual or automated manual transmission.
Please have a look at our full-depth review at this link: https://www.autoadvisor.co.za/suzuki/s-presso/hatchback
The second choice would be the Suzuki Celerio, with a starting price of R188,900, ranging to R225,900, depending on your model grade. This car aims to be more substantial than the S-Presso. It's slightly better, with an NCAP safety rating of 4 out of 5.
The Celerio has a 3-cylinder 1.0-litre engine, offering 49 kW and 89 Nm of torque, which can be had in a 5-speed manual or automatic. Transmission.
You can read our full review at this link: https://www.autoadvisor.co.za/suzuki/celerio/hatchback
The third one would be the not-so-favourite Renault Kwid, with a starting price of R196,999, ranging to R217,999 for the top-spec model. It's fair to say the cost of the car has increased with a not-so-impressive 2-star safety rating from Global NCAP for Adult and Child Occupant Protection. The vehicle showed improvement over previous models, but concerns remain about structural stability and occupant protection, particularly for children. The Kwid has a 1.0-litre petrol engine, offering 50 kW and 91 Nm of torque.
The fourth budget-friendly commute is the Toyota Vitz, which; if you've wondered, the Celerio looks almost identical to the Vitz, and you'd stand to be correct that, indeed, the two automakers are in partnership together for these two cars—starting at R189,900 and reaching the top-spec of R239,900 for the XR automatic. Safety hasn't been confirmed for the Vitz. This vehicle poses an efficient, simple city commute that Is frugal in the fuel department. The Vitz has a 1.0-litre engine, almost the same with a few subtle nuances as its twin, the Celerio; it is available in both 5-speed manual and automatic transmissions.
You can read all about the Vitz by clicking this link: https://www.autoadvisor.co.za/toyota/vitz/hatchback
For those in the market for a new vehicle, these four options present not the most incredible offerings regarding potential safety aspects; however, the affordability aspect is one to keep in mind. Young buyers should most certainly be aware of their car choices.
