We’ve lined up nine compact hatchbacks to find the best one for new car buyers on a tight budget
- Making the grade
- Younger and older ‘new’ cars
- The judging process
- Safety
- More on First Car safety here
- Technology
- More on First Car technology here
- Comfort and convenience
- More on First Car comfort and convenience here
- Driving performance
- More on First Car driving performance here
- Ownership costs
- More on First Car ownership costs here
- Read the carsales Best First Car verdict here
There is nothing quite like buying your first car, whether it’s a ticket to freedom or simply a practical means to get you around. Buying the car brand-new will ensure it is bang up to date compared to older models, backed by a factory warranty and supported by a variety of other incentives. Even as the most affordable model in its range, the car should be safe, comfortable, entertaining, reliable and easy to maintain from the outset. What defines a ‘first car’ can cross a variety of segments, but to help you on your way we’ve shortlisted nine popular light and small hatchbacks to determine carsales’ Best First Car for 2022.
The Best Cars program at carsales covers all the major categories in Australia, from small cars and hot hatches to dual-cab utes, commercial vans, electric vehicles and, not least of all, SUVs – small, mid-size, family and 4×4 off-roaders.
We also determine the Best Used Cars across all key vehicle segments, and for Best First Car 2022 presented here we’ve assembled a hand-picked collection of compact hatchbacks that are among the most affordable new cars on the market.
These span light (or city) cars and more traditional small cars that remain hugely popular in Australia, even as SUVs attract an increasing number of buyers each year.
We have already found our Best Small SUV for 2022, where some of the contenders are little more than high-riding hatchbacks, so for Best First Car our focus turns to entry-level passenger cars that don’t carry a premium for being taller and which start below $30,000 (before on-road costs) with an automatic transmission.
Five-door hatches are ideal for the first-time driver. As well as being high on affordability, they’re practical, versatile, easy to drive, a breeze to manoeuvre in tight spaces, proficient out on the open road and economical to run.
They’re at home in the city but also manage long-distance journeys with relative ease.
Making the grade
To be eligible for carsales’ Best First Car 2022, our contenders must carry a maximum five-star safety rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). They also need an autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system and a rear-view camera to make the cut.
This unapologetic emphasis on safety rules out popular models such as the MG3 and Suzuki Baleno, which are unrated by ANCAP, and the Kia Picanto which carries a four-star rating. The Fiat 500 has a five-star rating – albeit one based on far more lenient assessment criteria dating back more than a decade (2008) – but it doesn’t have AEB, so it doesn’t make the starting grid either.
Elsewhere, cars we’ve tested before such as the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia have pushed upmarket and are now beyond our $30,000 cap when fitted with an automatic transmission.
Our insistence on an automatic reflects the overwhelming preference among buyers. Among our contenders for Best First Car, those that aren’t fitted standard with an auto are either optioned with one or move up to the next trim level chosen where auto is fitted standard.
So, which cars make the grade?
Our nine contenders for carsales’ Best First Car 2022 comprise four light cars and five small cars:
Younger and older ‘new’ cars
We’re testing the Hyundai i30 Active, which is fitted standard with an automatic transmission in the popular i30 range and has essentially held the same specification since its launch – as part of the seventh generation of the South Korean brand’s small car – in 2020.
The third-generation Kia Cerato S arrived in 2019 and was updated in 2021, dropping the manual from the range. We’re testing the Cerato S with the Safety Pack option; without it, the base model loses its five-star ANCAP rating and would therefore not make the cut.
While the Kia Rio S arrived in its current fourth generation in 2017, the light car had a refresh in 2018 and received a subsequent minor update last year.
Meanwhile, the Mazda2 Pure – also in the city car category – is showing its age, first seen in 2014 in third-generation guise and receiving a variety of updates since then.
As for the Mazda3 Pure, the small car made its debut in fourth-generation form in 2019 and received a timely upgrade last year.
The fifth-generation Subaru Impreza 2.0i-L launched in 2016 and received a mid-life overhaul in 2020.
The current third-generation Suzuki Swift GL S Plus arrived in 2017, and last saw a refresh in 2020.
Which brings us to the Toyota twins on test… The Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport was launched in 2019 as the 12th generation of the long-running small car hit the market, while the fourth-generation Toyota Yaris Ascent Sport arrived in 2020.
The judging process
As with all our Best Car awards, each of the light and small cars shortlisted for Best First Car 2022 were assessed against more than 100 criteria, split across five major categories: safety, technology, comfort and convenience, driving performance and ownership costs.
Safety
Young and inexperienced drivers are among the most vulnerable road users, so it makes sense that they have access to the safest cars possible – especially when the budget is tight.
If you have a provisional licence that you are slipping into your wallet for the first time and are buying your first new car, it’s important to get the safest car you can.
It’s something of a quid pro quo between you and the car manufacturer. Stump up for a new car and you should be rewarded with high levels of protection. That’s the theory, anyway…
Advancements in occupant protection and driver assist safety technology are occurring at a rapid pace across the car industry, but the level of safety equipment in the most affordable new cars – such as those you see here – does vary according to the brand.
More on First Car safety here
Technology
Just because you are selecting a new car that’s among the cheapest available, you don’t want to miss out on technology that makes driving more convenient, enjoyable and relaxing.
Each of the light and small hatchbacks in contention for carsales’ Best First Car 2022 gives you features like Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity that just a few years ago were not always seen in this category.
But it’s also common for car-makers to use their latest tech to differentiate between models, sometimes leaving entry-level cars a little barren in comparison to higher-grade choices.
We’re talking about things like touch-screen size and functionality, wireless connectivity, digital radio, satellite navigation, traffic sign recognition and connected services.
As you’ll see, there are some significant contrasts to be found in this department, with some car-makers offering a far superior tech spec than their rivals.
More on First Car technology here
Comfort and convenience
As with technology, car-makers will add extra comfort and convenience features if you’re prepared to pay more for higher-grade models.
All the cars on test here have the basics covered in areas such as air-conditioning, power windows and mirrors, remote central locking and tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment.
From there, however, the differences between the brands can be striking as to how much more equipment they’re prepared to include on their most affordable models.
Dusk-sensing headlights, automatic high beam dipping, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, climate control, keyless start… the list goes on.
More on First Car comfort and convenience here
Driving performance
Small cars by their very nature are lightweight and nimble, making them easy to manoeuvre and, in some cases, a lot of fun to drive. They should be economical and offer sprightly acceleration, too.
In today’s modern era, there is no reason for any new car to have significant shortfalls in its overall driving experience.
A balanced and refined handling package, ease of cruising and a smooth ride even while loaded with five people on board, either running around the city or out on the motorway, hinges on key areas of powertrain and chassis engineering.
The nine contenders for carsales’ Best First Car are a mixed bunch, with some offering excellent performance, dynamics, ride and refinement in the context of their size and affordability.
Others are not as inspiring…
More on First Car driving performance here
Ownership costs
With prices going up everywhere and supply chain problems still causing spare parts delays, a big attraction of buying a new rather than used car as your first car is that it should be cheap to run and require fewer workshop visits to keep it on the road.
With all parts in the car brand-new, there should be no nasty maintenance cost surprises, and scheduled servicing prices are readily identified with capped-price plans now widely available.
Buying new means you’ll have the benefit of a factory warranty, and often (but not always) roadside assistance thrown in for free.
There are, of course, differences between the brands on warranty length, service intervals and extra incentives, while costs involved with finance and insurance, routine maintenance and typical running costs (including fuel and replacement tyres) are important to consider – before you buy.
The same holds true for typically the biggest cost of all when it comes to new car ownership – depreciation – which determines what your first car will be worth when you’re eventually ready to buy your second one!
As usual, we’ve enlisted the valuation experts at RedBook.com.au to assess our contenders on resale value, with the results combining with all the other expenses mentioned above to create a comprehensive picture of ownership costs.
More on First Car ownership costs here
Now let’s see which of our contenders is carsales’ Best First Car for 2022…
Best First Car 2022 contenders:
Hyundai i30 Active
Kia Cerato S
Kia Rio S
Mazda2 Pure
Mazda3 Pure
Subaru Impreza 2.0i-L
Suzuki Swift GL S Plus
Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport
Toyota Yaris Ascent Sport
Read the carsales Best First Car verdict here
Keyword: Best First Car 2022