Two used hot hatchbacks you can buy for the price of a new EV

If the price was similar, would you choose a new “cheap” electric hatch or opt for a proven used petrol-powered hatchback?

Perhaps the answer lies not only with price but also with what makes the soul sing.

Retailing for R686,950, the all-electric GWM Ora 03 300 Super Luxury entry-level hatchback dashes from 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds. Electric vehicles (EVs) are renowned for their phenomenal acceleration, but this silent EV is not that quick and the claimed range is just 310km.

Still, this quirky-looking zero-emissions hatch boasts a raft of driver aids and infotainment features such as those offered by popular internal combustion engine hatchbacks. And in the EV pricing landscape it’s the most affordable EV in South Africa. If decarbonisation is on the agenda, the Ora cuts the mustard. 

“While the prices of EVs are starting to come down, the country’s most affordable new EV still does not quite fit the price point of consumers who, according to the recent AutoTrader EV buyers survey, would consider purchasing an EV if they cost R500,000 or less,” said AutoTrader CEO George Mienie.

So how does the new electric hatchback stack up against last year’s top-selling used petrol-powered hatches in the R650,000 to R700,000 price bracket? 

After the BMW 1 Series, the VW Golf was the second most sold used hatchback. The legendary popularity of the premium hot hatch has also guaranteed sound value retention. 

The all-wheel drive VW Golf R is hands down the country’s fastest petrol-powered hatch. Dynamic, engaging and boasting a lengthy list of standard bells and whistles, a 2020 Golf R rockets from 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds. The 2.0l turbocharged engine automatic claims consumption of 7.2l/100km (with pedal to the metal maybe not), equating to a fuel range of 764km. Emissions come in at 165g/km. Last year, three-year-old VW Golfs with an average of 28,752km in mileage sold for an average of R686,818, according to AutoTrader data.

Dynamite comes in small packages. Ranked eighth is the all-wheel drive pocket rocket, the Toyota GR Yaris. The high-performance, rally-inspired hot hatch with its 1.6l turbocharged engine and six-speed manual gearbox sprints to 100km/h from a standing start in 5.5 seconds. Consumption is a claimed 7.6l/100km, with emissions of 172g/km. Three-year-old models with 8,708km average mileage sold for an average price of R678,318. 

Price might not be the only factor that could put a kibosh on choosing a “cheap” new EV hatch over a fuel-propelled hatchback. Performance, driver engagement and authentic exhaust notes are central to making the souls of South Africa's petrolheads sing.