Mzansi’s 10 most affordable hatchbacks under R300,000

Though the humble hatchback might have taken a back seat to the crossover SUV in terms of sales over the last couple of years, there’s no denying this tried and tested body style still offers a decent amount of practicality for the money.

Compact, easy to park and endowed with enough space for the grocery run and — with the rear seats folded flat — bulkier items such as bicycles, the hatchback remains a fine option for those who don’t want to deal with the added bulk and dearer price tags associated with their higher-riding relatives. Indeed, here are 10 new models available in South Africa for less than R300,000.

Suzuki S-Presso | From R178,900

The budget S-Presso range starts at R178,900 for the 1.0 GL. We’d suggest coughing up R10,000 extra to garage the 1.0 GL+ model that gains 14-inch alloy wheels, a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and a multifunction steering wheel. A teeny 49kW/89Nm 1.0l three-cylinder petrol engine is paired to a five-speed manual gearbox and offers fuel consumption as low as 4.4l/100km.

Suzuki Celerio/Toyota Vitz* | From R188,900/*R169,889

A rung up from the S-Presso, the Celerio sports sleeker styling, a roomier cabin and extra features. Highlights of the mid-tier R210,900 1.0 GL model include 15-inch alloy wheels, front fog lamps, electrically-adjustable mirrors, front/rear electric windows, a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system, digital tachometer, USB connectivity, remote central locking and hill-hold assist. To minimise fuel use in urban driving, Suzuki has also fitted a stop-start function for figures as low as 4.2l/100km.

The Celerio is also available with a Toyota badge, with the Vitz kicking off at R169,899. 

Renault Kwid | From R196,999

Though the TimesLIVE Motoring team has never had much time for the Kwid, the French carmaker’s cheapest new car offering continues to return robust sales figures on the local market. Despite its compact footprint the Kwid offers a large 279l boot, which will certainly prove useful for small families.

Other highlights include ABS brakes, an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system, reverse camera and an ultra-frugal 50kW/91Nm 1.0l three-cylinder petrol engine delivering a claimed 4.4l/100km on the combined cycle. 

Suzuki Swift | From R213,900

The Swift is one of South Africa’s best-selling new vehicles and a regular in Naamsa’s monthly top 10 list. Key to the model’s success is its cheeky styling, well-built cabin and nimble handling. The revvy 61kW/112Nm 1.2l four-cylinder petrol engine also offers decent performance and low running costs.

Opt for the flagship GLX variant (R256,900) and you’ll further benefit from 15-inch alloys, a leather multifunction steering wheel, push-start ignition, park distance control and Suzuki’s seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

Grand i10 | From R224,900

The Hyundai Grand i10 might not be the most exciting vehicle on the planet but it does offer rock-solid reliability, shoestring running costs and one of the best cabins in its class so far as build quality and choice of materials is concerned. Noise suppression is equally impressive, with little road/wind noise filtering through to the interior when travelling at the national limit.

For R269,900 you can step up to the flagship 1.2 Premium Auto model offering a less stressful driving experience in traffic and a punchier 61kW/114Nm 1.2l four-cylinder petrol engine for notably more relaxed highway cruising than its 1.0l sibling. 

Citroën C3 | From R242,900

A hatchback with distinctive SUV styling, you could say the C3 offers the best of both worlds. Nice to look at, this India-built Frenchie offers a comfortable cabin and stylish dashboard design available with either an anodised orange or grey finish (exterior colour dependent).

Other neat touches include contrast stitching on the seat bolsters, a 1l cubby hole as well as front and rear door cards that can comfortably stash a large 1l water bottle. The boot features 315l of stowage space, which can be increased by flipping down the rear seats. There’s also a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system (Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatible), three USB ports, park distance control, manual air conditioning, electric windows, multifunction steering wheel and seven-inch digital instrument cluster.

Nippy around town thanks to its 61kW/115Nm 1.2l three-cylinder petrol engine, the C3 is equally adept out on the highway where it can hold the legal limit with ease. 

Kia Picanto | From R260,995

The third-generation Kia Picanto was recently treated to a facelift which saw it adopt updated exterior styling,extended colour palette, refreshed wheel designs and a lightly spruced up interior. Given the choice we’d put our money down on the mid-tier EX model (R284,995) that rolls on 14-inch alloy wheels and features side repeater lamps incorporated into the electric folding side mirrors.

Notable interior features include a storage box between the two front seats, 4.2-inch Supervision TFT cluster, automatic headlights and six-speaker sound system. The 1.25l four-cylinder petrol engine makes 62kW/112Nm and can be meshed to a five-speed manual or four-speed auto transmission.

Toyota Starlet/Suzuki Baleno* | From R252,100/*R255,900

Equipped with a 1.5l four-cylinder petrol engine producing 77kW and 138Nm of torque, the Toyota Starlet is the most potent hatchback on this list. Expect 0-100km/h in 11.2 seconds and a top speed of up to 175km/h. Take it easy and you’ll see fuel consumption figures dip as low as 5.4l/100km.

Priced from R266,500, the mid-tier XS model features 16-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lights, automatic air-conditioning, electric windows, a sliding front armrest and a multifunction steering wheel. You also get a touchscreen infotainment system that syncs with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Three USB ports are standard as is a 12-volt power socket.

If the Toyota badge isn’t for you, then you can instead opt for the Suzuki Baleno — pretty much the exact same car starting at R255,900.

Polo Vivo | From R266,600

A dominator of local sales chart performance, the South African built Polo Vivo range remains a firm Mzansi favourite. Based on the fifth-generation Polo, the Vivo is a quality product with a solidly built interior that can put many equivalent models to shame. Offering impressive levels of comfort and refinement, this evergreen hatch is available with both naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines.

Our pick under the R300k mark is the R288,500 Comfortline model fitted with a 63kW/132Nm 1.4l four-cylinder petrol engine. Easy to maintain, Volkswagen claims this unit will sip as little as 5.9l/100km on the combined cycle. 15-inch alloy wheels are fitted as standard as is air conditioning, a multifunction steering wheel and Bluetooth enabled sound system with four speakers.

Fiat 500 | From R275,900

We have long been fans of the Fiat 500. Simply because it has a ton of character and personality. Sure, you can buy more competent and practical city cars for similar money in 2024 but none will come close to matching the Fiat in the charm department — quite a feat for a vehicle dating all the way back to 2007.

The entry-level Cult model is probably all the 500 you’ll ever need and comes with 14-inch steel wheels with plastic covers, black side mirrors and LED daytime running lights. Inside the cabin you'll find blue fabric seats, a body colour dashboard, five-inch Uconnect infotainment system, USB ports and manual air-conditioning. Power comes from Fiat’s novel little 0.9l turbocharged two-cylinder TwinAir petrol motor developing 62.5kW and 145Nm of torque. Andiamo!