What spacious small car should I buy?
The dilemma
Maureen is looking to replace her 2004 Toyota Corolla hatch. Its size, fuel economy and reliability are perfect for her part-time courier work but she’d like a bigger boot and more up-to-date safety this time around. A newer Corolla wagon would be ideal but doesn’t seem to exist. What are her options?
The budget
Less than $15,000
The shortlist
Small wagons have never been especially common and the pickings are even more threadbare in this budget range, which excludes two notable possibilities (the Corolla and Mitsubishi’s Lancer, both of which binned wagon options with the change to new generations in 2007).
Of those that are kicking around, meanwhile, several can be overlooked here owing either to costly upkeep, less than spotless reliability or a combination of both.
All is not lost, though. If you need rock-solid ownership and above-average carrying abilities in a compact package, these three contenders will do the job.
2014-on Honda Jazz, from $8300*
This Honda might be light-sized but it has a bigger boot than most small hatches (350 litres) and its back seat folds low and flat to liberate wagon-rivalling space (1492 litres).
There are advantages to going light rather than small-sized, too, from thriftier economy (5.8-6.2L/100km) to being able to target newer stock for the same money. Get one purchased after July 1, 2017 (possible with a base VTi) and you could tap into a five-year warranty (previously three years). All models have stability control, curtain bags and a reversing camera, and are covered by a five-year fixed-price servicing deal.
But there are also downsides to choosing ‘less’ car. Its 1.5-litre petrol engine needs to be worked hard on the open road and it’s noisier, less comfortable and less surefooted than a good small car, and plenty of light cars, too. It asks for more regular servicing than many alternatives (six-monthly/10,000km).
Read Drive’s Honda Jazz reviews:
Road test: Honda Jazz VTi
Road-test comparison: Light hatches
2012-17 Hyundai i30 Tourer, from $9800*
This Hyundai is bigger than the Honda and has a bigger 1.6-litre petrol engine, so it’s not as frugal (6.3-6.9L/100km) or happy in tight urban spaces. Its higher new-car positioning translates to older stock at this budget, so the Korean brand’s five-year warranty is likely to on its last legs in the case of most examples, and base Active models don’t get a reversing camera.
But the prospect of any warranty for this money is something that puts the i30 a step ahead of most small-sized alternatives. It has more cabin and boot space (528/1642 litres) than a Jazz, stronger performance and a more cosseting, surefooted on-road demeanour.
It ticks the big safety boxes (stability control, curtain bags), asks for only yearly/15,000km attention and Hyundai’s fixed-price servicing coverage has no use-by date.
Read Drive’s Hyundai i30 reviews:
Road test: Hyundai i30 Elite CRDi Tourer
Used-car review: Hyundai i30 Tourer
2010-15 Toyota Rukus, from $8600*
This Toyota is about the same size as a Corolla but, owing to its boxy and upright body, roomier and more practical. That follows through to its boot, which isn’t that big (310 litres) but expands to a very handy 1331 litres with the flat-folding back seat brought into play.
A big 2.4-litre petrol engine endows the Rukus with gutsy performance for a small car and it’s an easy, comfortable drive. Stability control and curtain airbags are mandatory safety items.
But finding one with any warranty or fixed-price servicing coverage will be tough for this money (both had three-year expiry dates). A reversing camera was left to the options/accessories chart, so ticking that box isn’t guaranteed, either.
It’s not that thrifty (8.8L/100km) or particularly well tied down through the bends, and asks for six-monthly servicing like the Honda.
Read Drive’s Toyota Rukus reviews:
Drive recommends
If you must drive a small Toyota but need more space than a Corolla, the Rukus makes sense. But this group’s weakest load-carrying, fuel economy and warranty/servicing credentials inevitably consign it to last place here.
The Jazz ostensibly doesn’t belong in this contest but its smart packaging overcomes its size deficiency. Being able to target near-new stock, not to mention its group-beating economy and safety credentials, propel it to within an inch of victory.
Not quite past the i30, though. While it doesn’t have everything over the Honda in this scenario, it can’t be said to under-deliver in any significant way, either. More importantly, it happens to be exactly what Maureen is asking for – an economical, safe, practical and dependable small wagon.
* Values are estimates provided by Redbook based on an example averaging up to 20,000km per annum and in a well-maintained condition relevant to its age.