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Although the Volkswagen Polo Vivo is the best-selling car in South Africa, it takes third place on the list for its resale value, while the Toyota Etios takes first place.
All the hatchbacks mentioned below are reliable, practical and most importantly, affordable, which is the main factor South African motorists have on the top of their checklists when looking to buy a new vehicle.
Hatches are much-loved cars in SA, and there is a plethora of fairly affordable hatches available on the market. But which one boasts the best resale value?
Image: Motorpress
According to Darryl Jacobson, managing director of True Price, one hatch is the clear leader in the resale value stakes – and it’s the Toyota Etios.
The True Price team attends hundreds of bank repossession auctions each year in order to gather data pertaining to prices paid on auction. This data is used to provide South African motorists with free vehicle evaluations.
The data can also be used to provide highly accurate resale values, as Jacobson explains. “Using the data gathered on bank repossession auctions, we are able to generate a statistically valid resale figure. It is expressed as a percentage of the original retail sales price,” he says.
Using this methodology, the Toyota Etios is the clear winner in the resale value stakes. “It achieved 71.89%, placing it head and shoulders ahead of its competition,” Jacobson reveals. Here are the top six hatches, and the reasons why Jacobson believes that their resale value is fairly good.
1. Toyota Etios (71.89%)
The Etios range remains a staple in Toyota South Africa’s passenger vehicle stable – providing affordable, reliable and practical motoring to the South African public. It received an upgrade in May 2018 and the limited edition Etios Sport was launched.
“With the Etios, the numbers speak for themselves. There’s always lots of bidding for these vehicles on auction. On the one hand, the dealers know that they will easily be able to sell the vehicle. On the other hand, private buyers feel very safe and comfortable with the Toyota brand,” says Jacobson.
2. Volkswagen Polo (70.55%)
With more than 14 million units sold worldwide to date, the Polo is one of the most successful vehicles in its class. It is produced in Uitenhage, which built its 200 000th new Polo in September this year. The latest derivative was launched in South Africa in January 2018. In June 2018, a sporty Polo GTI was added to the range.
Image: Motorpress
“The Polo is a very good-looking vehicle. It is also a refined package, offering Golf-like ride quality, a comfortable and surprisingly spacious interior and great road manners. In fact, the Polo really doesn’t put a foot wrong,” says Jacobson.
3. Volkswagen Polo Vivo (69.79%)
South Africa’s best-selling passenger vehicle, the Polo Vivo continues to rock up month after month of impressive sales. The range gained a new derivative, namely the Polo Vivo Sound Edition, in August this year.
Image: Motorpress
The newcomer is based on the 1.4 Comfortline 63kW manual. According to Jacobson, it is the hatch of choice when South African motorists are shopping for an affordable vehicle. “It has an appealing price-tag, it’s a well-spec’d vehicle and it comes with the Volkswagen quality stamp of approval,” he points out.
4. Hyundai Grand i10 (67.52%)
The smallest new car in the local Hyundai range, this stylish and refined hatch has great build quality. It was refreshed in February 2018, when Hyundai added a new entry-level model with 1-litre engine and the Motion specification level to the range. “It’s very popular on auctions, where we see that it has mass appeal. It finds favour with buyers of all ages,” Jacobson reveals.
Image: Motorpress
5. Mazda2 (66.78%)
A stylish city car, the Mazda2 was upgraded in April 2017, when Mazda SA announced the introduction of the new Mazda2 Individual Plus 1.5L Auto derivative, bringing the total model range offering to seven derivatives.
According to Jacobson, this is the beauty queen in the line-up. “Its resale value is undoubtedly bolstered by its good looks; I think it’s a very attractive car – and buyers tend to agree,” he says.
Image: Motorpress
6. Ford Fiesta (65.98%)
The all-new Ford Fiesta was launched in May 2018 and, with its contemporary new design, revolutionary new interior and fun-to-drive character, it immediately raised the stakes in the hatchback segment.
Jacobson says that it is a top performer when it comes to quality, refinement, technology and safety. “It’s also very popular with younger buyers, as evidenced by their bidding activity,” he reports.
Image: Motorpress
Resale values: Affordable Hatches
Image: Motorpress
The data pertains to vehicles that have done a maximum of 140 000km. They were registered in 2016 to 2019 (both years inclusive).
