Which entry-level vehicle holds its value best?

One of the single most important considerations when purchasing a car is resale value; this is massively significant when it comes to calculating the cost of ownership. True Price has therefore looked at which entry-level cars hold their value best. The statistics are based on actual prices achieved on auction.

The Toyota Aygo rules the resale value roost, currently. It is achieving 75% of original list price on auction, making it the clear leader in resale values. This almost certainly due to Toyota’s reputation for building reliable vehicles.

Number two goes to the Kia Picanto – at 68%. Kia is a brand that has grown in reputation and stature – both globally and here in South Africa. For instance, JD Power’s 2017 Initial Quality Study (IQS) recently recognised Kia Motors as the highest-ranking nameplate in the United States for the second year in a row. Here in South Africa, Kia vehicles are also considered to be real quality acts.

In third place – at 66% – is yet another Korean product, the Hyundai i10. What Car? has just named the i10 the best used city car in its 2018 awards. This comes as no surprise. This entry-level car is also a firm favourite with South African motorists, who favour its spacious interior, efficient engine and impressive specification levels.

The Toyota Etios, another popular contender, occupies the number four spot, achieving 65% of original list price. Once again, this is due to Toyota’s exceptional reputation for reliability and good service.

The Suzuki Celerio – at 64% – clocks in at the fifth spot. If there is one brand in South Africa that’s truly going places, it’s Suzuki. Suzuki has become synonymous with value-for-money, quality cars. This is reflecting in growing sales figures – Suzuki set an all-time record in July 2018, registering 1,237 new vehicles sold. The company has also received many accolades, most notably Brand of the Year at the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards for two years in a row. The Celerio, which has recently been upgraded, is extremely well priced and it’s also inexpensive to run, making it a firm favourite with both new and used car buyers.

Two Volkswagen products – the Polo Vivo and Take Up – occupy the sixth and seventh positions, achieving 64% and 59%, respectively. Volkswagen enjoys an enviable reputation in South Africa, and both of these vehicles are exceptional cars.

The cheap and cheerful Datsun Go achieved 58%. With the safety upgrades that are due to be implemented on the Go, it will probably improve its resale value in time to come. Finally, the Honda Brio clocked in ninth, with 55%. Hondas have traditionally held their value far better than this though.

These statistics should be extremely valuable to purchasers of entry-level vehicles. Naturally, this is the most cost-sensitive segment of the market. It’s very important to factor in resale values when making a vehicle purchase – and these statistics will help motorists make an educated decision when purchasing what could be their first car.

This is the full list of entry-level vehicles and the prices they are achieving on auction (versus original list price):

VEHICLE

PERCENTAGE OF ORIGINAL LIST PRICE

1

TOYOTA AYGO

75%

2

KIA PICANTO

68%

3

HYUNDAI I10

66%

4

TOYOTA ETIOS

65%

5

SUZUKI CELERIO

64%

6

VOLKSWAGEN POLO VIVO

64%

7

VOLKSWAGEN TAKE UP

59%

8

DATSUN GO

58%

9

HONDA BRIO

55%

Jacobson is the managing director of True Price

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