Used cars under R50k to help you fight rising fuel prices

Despite government’s intervention to temporarily reduce the general fuel levy, the new levels the petrol price has risen to in 2022 is set to have a long-term negative impact on South Africa’s inflation rate.

Of more immediate concern for motorists is the pain at the pumps they have been exposed to over the last couple of months.

It might only get worse, with international oil prices expected to rise further as a result of Russia’s military action in Ukraine.

So, what can motorists do to cut fuel costs?

A very popular option is to get rid of your large gas-guzzling vehicle and switch to a more frugal, yet relatively inexpensive used car.

With the petrol price breaking the R21-mark per litre in March, it costs more than R1 000 to fill up a car with a 50-litre tank. It can be double that to fill up bigger cars.

According to AutoTrader’s dataset – which uniquely drills right down to variant level – covering the first month of 2022, there are plenty of small-car options on the pre-owned market for under R50 000.

ALSO READ: Could today’s emergency fuel intervention save consumers’ empty pockets?

The best choices

Sifting through the table of the 10 most-listed variants that meet this budget requirement, we’ve picked out three of the most fuel-frugal options.

These are a Chevrolet Spark, Ford Ka and Renault Clio.

The Chevrolet Spark 1.0 LS, which has an average registration year of 2008 and a surprisingly low average mileage figure of about 80 000 km, sips at a claimed 6.5 litres per 100 km. This means the Chevy Spark has a range of over 500 km on its 35-litre petrol tank.

The likewise lightweight (but three-door) Ford Ka 1.3 matches that claimed fuel economy figure, despite featuring a slightly larger engine. This little hatchback bears an average list price of R37 200, while its average mileage is higher than that of the Spark, at nearly 150 000 km.

Equipped with a 40-litre fuel tank, the Ford Ka has a range of just over 600 km.

Finally, with the lowest average list price (sub-R30 000) and highest average mileage (in excess of 235 000 km) on the list, the Renault Clio 1.4 Expression comes to the party with a claimed figure of 6.7 L/100 km. This gives the Clio a range of almost 750 km on its 50-litre tank.

“Despite already hitting record highs, the petrol price looks set to continue its upward trajectory, which makes scaling down to a more compact, more efficient and relatively inexpensive car an option well worth considering for many motorists,” said AutoTrader’s CEO George Mienie.

Below are the most listed small cars under R50 000 in January 2022 (average price, mileage and year):

1 – Opel Corsa Lite 1.4i – R41 567 – 167 667 km – 2007
2 – Chevrolet Spark 1.0 LS – R49 930 – 80 599 km – 2008
3 – Volkswagen Citi 1.4 Chico – R44 598 – 154 962 km – 2006
4 – Volkswagen Citi 1.4i Chico – R40 998 – 177 100 km – 2004
5 – Chevrolet Aveo 1.5 LS – R49 500 – 200 500 km – 2007
6 – Opel Corsa 130i – R34 900 – 236 075 km – 1998
7 – Volkswagen Citi Chico – R37 400 – 340 000 km – 1997
8 – Renault Clio 1.4 Expression – R29 425 – 235 500 km – 2002
9 – Tata Indica Vista 1.4 Ignis – R39 800 – 179 423 km – 2010
10- Ford Ka 1.3 – R37 200 – 148 500 km – 2006

For more information on these cars, click here.