Used compact sedans – ranked by practicality
Used compact sedans – ranked by practicality
By Martin Pretorius
Used compact sedans – ranked by practicality
With ever-increasing new-car prices leading many buyers to look at the second-hand market for their next wheels, it becomes ever more important to consider the practical aspects of their possible purchases, especially when looking at practicality-focused cars such as compact sedans – the market segment embodied by the ever-popular Toyota Corolla.
We investigate some pre-owned options to see which ones offer the most useable space, and rank them from the most-practical to the least. We’ve set a budget cap of R250 000 for this investigation. Even though we’re looking around the lower end of the market, there are still some nice, late-model cars available – and those are the ones we’ll be putting under the magnifying glass. Some of these cars are no longer available new, but there are enough of them in circulation to warrant their inclusion here.
Of course, some are more practical than others, but as far as interior space goes, they’re about on the same level, because they’re all roughly the same size and configuration. But the real decider comes in the luggage compartment, as we shall see shortly.
1. Nissan Sentra (Final Generation)
Chances are that you’ve never even realized that this car even existed, but the last Nissan Sentra to be sold in South Africa (and discontinued a few years ago), had some solid virtues to compensate for its lacklustre driving experience and ho-hum styling. With a luggage capacity of 510 litres, the Sentra had a cavernous boot, and thanks to its long wheelbase and clever use of space, it also had a lot of room inside the cabin. For this reason, the (first ignored and then forgotten) Nissan Sentra slots into the position of most practical compact sedan. From R139 000 on AutoTrader SA
2. Volkswagen Jetta (6th Generation)
The other car in this list with a gigantic cargo area is the Volkswagen Jetta. In its last incarnation (production has already ended, and it will not be replaced in RHD markets), the Jetta featured a massive boot which measures 510 litres in volume. That’s more than many large luxury cars, but unfortunately, it wasn’t quite as impressive in terms of cabin space. For this reason, the once-adored (but now deceased) Jetta grabs the number two spot. From R120 000 on AutoTrader SA
3. Chevrolet Cruze
If there’s one thing most American car manufacturers do really well, it’s engineer comfort into their products. The Chevrolet Cruze is a prime example: it’s definitely not an energizing driver’s car, but it’s so smooth and comfortable that you just won’t care. This is in a large measure thanks to its spacious cabin, which can afford four 6-footers ample room to stretch out. It’s not shabby in the luggage area either, though its 450 litres of capacity is just enough for a mid-pack finish in this regard. However, its abundance of people space is enough to secure it a solid third-place finish. From R105 000 on AutoTrader SA
4. Kia Cerato (3rd Generation)
What a nice surprise to see the pretty Cerato finish so strongly – a performance mostly enabled by its very roomy cargo hold. 482 litres is not to be sneezed at, and out-paces all but the top-2 cars in this list. However its rear passenger area is compromised by a large and sloping rear window, which leaves passengers to bake in the sun and possibly forces them to crouch down just to fit in. That’s a pity, as the leg- and shoulder room are both decent, but the rear occupants certainly pay the price for that stylish appearance. From R135 000 on AutoTrader SA
5. Toyota Corolla/Quest
While their luggage compartments are noticeably smaller than those of our top-2 (and fourth-placed) finishers, the Corolla and Quest compensate with spacious and practical cabins. While not inordinately roomy, they somehow manage to supply decent room for large adults thanks to clever packaging, long and elevated rooflines, and long wheelbases. They swallow a decent (if middling) 452/450 litres of luggage as well, so Uber drivers and shuttle services will never struggle to load packages and suitcases in the boot. From R104 000 on AutoTrader SA
6. Hyundai Elantra
Korean compact sedans never had a reputation for impressive space utilization, until the current-generation of Elantra arrived a few years ago. It was cleverly packaged, and managed to squeeze in a surprising amount of luggage (458 litres, to be exact) behind an equally-surprisingly spacious cabin. Unfortunately, that sloping roofline does eat into the rear passengers’ head room, and leaves their heads open to solar exposure under its sleek rear windscreen. So, even though it has a slightly larger luggage compartment, the Elantra has to fall in behind the Corolla and Quest in this regard. From R102 000 on AutoTrader SA
7. Honda Civic
The same issue with a sloping rear windscreen also afflicts the Honda Civic Sedan. Leg- and shoulder room are fine all round, but its low roofline and steeply-angled rear glasshouse means that headroom is at a premium for rear-seat occupants. This applies even more so in car equipped with a sunroof. It has an acceptable 440 litres of boot space, however, which secures its ranking in seventh place. From R 130 000 on AutoTrader SA
8. Ford Focus Sedan
In a surprising finish, the Focus Sedan ends up in eight place. The Focus Sedan is generally regarded as one of the more spacious options in this class, but it is smaller than most of the others here, which has to take its toll somewhere. In this case, it’s the luggage compartment which has to suffer, with a capacity of only 421 litres. On the other hand, its high and long roofline liberates a fair amount of cabin space, so passengers should be happy enough. From R130 000 on AutoTrader SA
9. Mazda3
Proof that seductive styling often forces practical compromises, the Mazda3 might be lovely to look at (and to drive) but it is surprisingly small inside and in the boot. 408 litres of cargo room is more than 100 litres smaller than the leaders here, and its tapering greenhouse and curved roofline means that the interior is rather more snug than the others. From R180 000 on AutoTrader SA