Whether you’re looking for an inexpensive runabout, a premium sedan, or a family SUV, buying a used vehicle may give you a stronger value proposition than you’d get with a new one.
Clearly define your needs and budget
This may seem self-explanatory, but the first step in a successful used-car hunt is to know exactly what you need and can afford. If you have a family or frequently carry more than one passenger, coupés and sports cars are non-starters, and if you only drive alone in heavy traffic, a big 4x4 will be vastly surplus to requirements.
It’s easy to get distracted by desirable exotics (or even nostalgia) along the way, and knowing what you need before starting your search is key to avoiding ending up with the wrong or inappropriate car.
With this in mind, we set some basic parameters, and then went hunting for the best second-hand buys currently in our listing pages. We set and age limit to our search, for cars no older than 2 years (2020-vintage), because this age bracket will deliver many cars that still have a part of their OEM warranties in place.
By the same token, we’ve capped our search subjects at 30 000 km, which correlates to an industry-average of 15 000 km per year. At this low mileage, some of the search results will still have part of their maintenance- or service plans in place as well, bringing more peace of mind for their owners. Let’s see what’s out there!
Related: Which used cars are the best value for money?
Compact/city cars up to R 200 000
This is the segment with a lot of activity in the new-car market, because many cash-strapped buyers want to downsize their automotive budgets. You could get a new Renault Kwid or Triber, Datsun Go, or a host of Suzukis (S-Presso, DZire, Celerio) for the money, which will give you a fresh warranty along with that new-car smell.
But turning to the second-hand market opens up a wider range of possibilities, with the evergreen Toyota Etios, Ford Figo, or even a low-mileage Toyota Starlet on the menu around this price point. If you want a sedan instead of a hatchback, you could get a used high-spec Suzuki DZire for similar outlay to a base-spec new one, or opt for Honda Ballade or Suzuki Ciaz if you want something bigger.
These are all larger and more refined than the new entry-level cars you’ll get for similar money, and offer better practicality and more features than most new budget cars as well – ideal if you need to keep a family’s needs in mind as well. Or, if you need a working vehicle, a nearly-new Nissan NP200 can also be had for a similar outlay.
Family SUVs up to R 400 000
If you need to move a family and have a larger budget to work with, you can easily find an attractive, capable compact SUV with very low mileage for less than R 400 000. A case in point: While a new, entry-level 70 kW (manual) Volkswagen T-Cross can be had within our budget cap, you could enjoy a mid-trim, automatic T-Cross Comfortline with 85 kW instead.
Another strong contender here is the Kia Seltos, which falls outside our price cap in the new market, even in base spec. Our budget will however allow a mid-level Seltos EX+ automatic with less than 20 000 km on the odo, with some change to spare. Given Kia’s excellent warranty and service plans, which both run for 5 years on the Seltos, this will give you a well-equipped, modern family SUV with considerable aftersales peace-of-mind.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you could also get a nearly-new example of the spacious, sumptuous and stylish Citroën C5 Aircross for less than R 400 000, marking a saving of about R 150 000 in comparison to a new example. Two other high-style alternatives are the Toyota C-HR and Mazda CX-3, but beware: these cars are lovely to drive, but they fall short on family duties on account of limited cabin space (CX-3) and luggage volume (CX-3 and C-HR alike).
Related: The 10 best used family cars of 2021.
Premium cars (R 600 000 – R 1-million)
We imposed an arbitrary budget limit of R 1-million for this category, but there is some logic to this: A buyer in the million-plus bracket likely won’t care too much about budget considerations, and has a wide selection of nice cars from which to choose. Instead, we focus on the mid-to-higher end of the market, for those who want something special without breaking the bank.
First up is the MINI Clubman JCW ALL4, which can be had for up to R 200 000 less than a new one. On offer is an all-wheel drive hatchback/estate with 225 kW and 450 Nm on tap. Performance is about on par with a Golf R, and the wagon-shaped body is pretty practical as well – and you can get all this for less than the price of new Golf GTI. And, with the initial depreciation knock taken care of, your JCW should hold onto its value fairly well for the next few years, too.
If you want something a bit more traditional (and a lot classier and more comfortable), you could find a Volvo S90 sedan or V90 Estate for around 75% of its initial value. With a wide array of engine- and trim options, you could get anything from a mild-mannered FWD diesel (D4) to a wild-ish twin-charged, AWD variant (T6), and all of them will give you a formidable premium saloon or estate for a moderate outlay.
Related: New vs used cars – which one should you buy?
Double-cab bakkies (R 400 000 – R 800 000)
We’ll lower our budget for these workhorse/leisure/family vehicles, because you can get a wide array of brand-new double-cab bakkies for (much) less than R 500 000. But, if you want something a bit special, and you could afford to spend more, you could get a really fantastic bakkie at a comparative bargain price.
Take the Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 V6 TDI 4Motion as an example. A new one costs R 953 100 in Highline trim, but you can get a 2-year-old example with only 25 000 km on the clock at a discount of more than R 154 000. That’s a pretty good price for a 180 kW/550 Nm super-bakkie with an 8-speed automatic gearbox and plenty of premium features. While the Amarok is coming due for replacement, the outgoing model still looks great and remains the best performing double-cab out there.
If you’re not interested in storming performance but still desire a comfortable and well-equipped bakkie without paying too much, we’d point you towards a 2020-model (imported) Nissan Navara 2.3D instead. In LE 4x4 manual trim, it sold for R 668 000 when new, but can now be had for about R 474 000. That’s almost R 200 000 off it new price, and a similar amount cheaper than a new Navara 2.5DDTi LE as well.
* Prices were accurate at the time of publication, but are subject to change without prior notification.
