The most popular cheap cars in Australia

Aussie new-car buyers love a bargain – and these are the affordable models they’re snapping up in droves.

Like to drive a hard bargain… literally? If you’re shopping for a new car but have a strict budget, it can be hard to know the best way to spend your money.

RELATED: The worst-selling cars of 2023

Of course, ‘cheap’ is in the eye of the beholder, and as much as the purchase price is crucial, ongoing running costs can play a role too.

Still, it’s often the initial sticker price that is the biggest deterrent or attraction for a new-car buyer.

With a declining number of options under the $20,000 and even the $30,000 price threshold, we decided to look at the affordable models that Australian shoppers bought in 2023.

To narrow it down, we looked at the full-year new car sales data from 2023 to identify the 10 top-selling new cars with a starting price below $30,000 before on-road costs.

Here they are, ranked from least to most popular.

Australia’s 10 best-selling cheap cars for 2023

10. Kia Stonic – 6983 sold

Price range: $22,290–$30,790 before on-road costs

The Kia Stonic light SUV is an urban hero that offers a hatchback-like footprint but with a bit more cabin space and ground clearance. Prices start at an impressively low $22,290 plus on-road costs for the entry-level Stonic S with manual transmission and go up to $30,790 plus on-road costs for the top-spec GT-Line with automatic transmission. All Stonic variants are front-wheel drive.

9. Kia Picanto – 7706 sold

Price range: $17,890–$21,290 before on-road costs

One of Australia’s few remaining cars priced under $20,000, the Picanto continues to attract an enthusiastic audience with its pint-sized charms.

If you don’t mind a manual transmission, you can get a Picanto for as little as $17,890 before on-road costs, while the top-of-the-range GT-Line is still affordable at just $21,290 plus on-road costs. Drive-away pricing will push you over $20,000 no matter what, but a recent update means the Picanto is better equipped, even in its cheapest form.

8. Mitsubishi ASX – 9176 sold

Price range: $24,490–$35,240 before on-road costs

It might be one of the oldest new cars in Australia – still technically in its first generation despite several updates – but the Mitsubishi ASX small SUV is a reliable favourite for buyers on a budget. A manual ASX GS with front-wheel drive starts at just $24,490 before on-road costs, while the flagship Exceed grade with automatic transmission is still a steal at $35,240 before on-road costs.

7. Kia Seltos – 10,473 sold

Price range: $29,780–$45,180 before on-road costs

The third Kia on this list is the Seltos small SUV, which launched in Australia in late 2019 and quickly became a top-seller for the Korean car maker thanks to its blend of style and space. One of the few small SUVs with a sub-$30,000 starting price (even if only by a few hundred dollars), the Seltos S with automatic transmission kicks off from $29,780 before on-road costs.

6. GWM Haval Jolion – 11,252 sold

Price range: $28,490–$40,990 drive-away

Chinese carmaker GWM launched its Haval Jolion small SUV in 2021, with a hybrid variant following not long after in 2022. While the hybrid Jolion variants are all priced closer to $40,000, the entry-level Jolion Premium starts at a sharp $28,490 drive-away and offers a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and five years of capped-price servicing.

5. MG 3 – 15,430 sold

Price range: $19,990–$20,990 drive-away

Claiming the title of the last new car in Australia available for less than $20,000 drive-away is the MG 3. It only just scrapes through by $10 – with the entry-level MG 3 Core grade clocking in at $19,990 drive-away. But enjoy it while it lasts – a new model is due to land later this year, which will likely result in equipment updates and, in turn, price rises.

4. Mazda CX-3 – 15,776 sold

Price range: $26,800–$38,620 before on-road costs

Want a Mazda SUV but don’t have the budget or the garage for the swanky new CX-90? Consider the CX-3 your small – but perfectly formed – friend. As the most affordable Mazda SUV available, the CX-3 is a good introduction to the Japanese car maker’s famed refinement and craftsmanship – but on a budget. The base-spec Sport grade gives you an automatic transmission and a starting price of $26,800 before on-road costs.

3. Toyota Corolla – 19,986 sold

Price range: $29,270–$40,260 before on-road costs

Trends may come and go, but the humble Toyota Corolla is forever. Clever equipment and styling upgrades and the addition of a very economical hybrid powertrain have meant the Corolla is still relevant – even competitive – in 2024.

Buyers clearly can’t get enough – snapping up the Corolla to the tune of almost 20,000 sales. Your cheapest ticket into the Corolla range? The Ascent Sport sedan which is $29,270 before on-road costs (and $340 cheaper than the hatch).

2. Hyundai i30 – 20,626 sold

Price range: $24,000–$41,500 before on-road costs

Excluding the performance-focused i30 N variants – which command more than $50,000 before on-road costs – Hyundai’s i30 is a relatively affordable city car with plenty of safety and technology. Following its facelift in 2021, the i30 gained Hyundai’s SmartSense safety suite as standard (including autonomous emergency braking and active cruise control on automatic models).

The most affordable i30 you can buy is the manual i30 hatch, which starts at $24,000 before on-road costs. However, with a new i30 hatch due later in 2024, expect price rises to match.

1. MG ZS – 29,258 sold

Price range: $23,990 drive-away

With almost 30,000 sales in 2023, the MG ZS small SUV was officially Australia’s top-selling ‘cheap’ car last year. One of the most affordable SUVs available with its drive-away price of just $23,990, the ZS appealed to Australian buyers on a budget. Not just that, but it was one of the country’s best-selling rental cars – with 3916 of its sales going to rental-car fleets (making up roughly 13 per cent of its total sales).

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