Best Small Cars to Buy in Australia Right Now

Looking for low on petrol and easy to park? If you’re nodding, small cars are probably right up your street. But with so many makes and models on the market, how can you be sure which one to get…

That’s where PD Insurance steps in. We’ve compiled facts, specs and other figures on the best selling makes and models of small cars in Australia this year. Just skim through it and you should be closer to your answer. We’ve included much of the tasty details you simply must know!

Step right this way for what you need to know about small cars today.

Small cars are the best (so here are the best small cars!)

Small cars are arguably the best way to get around urban areas. They can handle constant stops and starts well while burning less fuel – and goodness knows lowering your petrol spend is crucial these days. Not only do they cost less to buy, they’re also cheaper to run.

And many models offer great returns on safety too, despite their size. Speaking of size, these compact cars can also provide enough space to enjoy being a driver or passenger. After you read this, explore the most popular cars in Australian history.

According to Canstar Blue, these small cars are Australia’s top sellers:

Hyundai i30

Search engine data tells us the Hyundai i30 is the SEO hero of small cars. It gets searched for online around 50,000 times a month in Australia alone. That means Aussies are seriously interested in researching, buying and owning this little gem. No wonder it’s top of the list!

Hyundai’s i30, colloquially dubbed just the i30, looks good, has great boot space for a small car (395 litres) and is economical. These are mighty big pluses we keep hearing about.

At the front, it has an eye-pleasing cascading chrome grille flanked by LED daytime running lights that add a touch of elegance. When it comes to wheels you’ve a choice of exclusive 16” and 17” alloys. Unlike standard steel wheels, alloy wheels are made from aluminium or magnesium so they’re lighter without compromising on strength (in fact they’re stronger!). And they help make your car more fuel efficient.

If you’re thinking of joining the Hyundai club here are some fast facts:

Price	From $23,720
Transmission	6-speed manual / 6-speed automatic
Colours	Polar white, Amazon grey, intense blue, fiery red, fluid metal, phantom black
Safety	Forward collision avoidance sense, blind-spot collision warning, lane keeping assistant, rear cross-traffic collision warning, smart cruise control with stop and go, driver attention warning, forward collision warning, tyre pressure monitoring system, 7 airbags
Steering	Column mounted motor driven power steering
Dimensions	Length 4340 mm x Width 1795mm x Height 1455mm
Fuel consumption	7.1-7.4 / 100km (varies from manual to automatic)

MG 3

There’s no doubt about it, this chic little vehicle is eye-catching. But, compared with the other top small cars the emphasis seems to be more on looks and experience than on safety.

According to carexpert.com.au:
“The elephant in the room with the MG 3 is its low safety rating… the technical answer is that there is no ANCAP safety rating for the MG 3. Not only that, it misses out on autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane-keep assist, and driver attention monitoring, plus a few things that are now pretty much standard in cars a level up.”

Along with sweet, sweet external looks, inside the seat upholstery comes in synthetic leather and tartan fabric with a soft wash tartan design and contrasting stitching. Like the Hyundai i30, the MG 3 boasts daytime LED lights too, affectionately called the ‘London eye.’

For boot space, the MG 3 offers up 307 litres for those upcoming Easter road trips. Here are more of this small car’s specs:

Price	From $18,490
Transmission	4-Speed automatic
Colours	Tudor yellow, Dover white, regal blue metallic, skye silver metallic, tartan red metallic and pebble black
Safety	ABS with electronic brake force distribution, emergency brake assist, electronic stability program, active cornering brake control, side impact absorbent door padding (front doors), pretension and load limiting front seat belts, hill launch assist, automatic door unlocking in accident, automatic activation of hazard lights under emergency braking, ultra-high tensile steel cage body, 6 airbags
Steering	Hydraulic power steering
Dimensions	Length 4055mm x Width 1795mm x Height 1504mm
Fuel consumption	6.7 / 100km

Toyota Corolla

Ahhhh Toyota, one of the most reliable car brands for us Australians. Corollas have long been known to be reliable and cost-effective to repair, if a little boring.

Having said that, it’s worth mentioning this small car is the award winner for Australia’s Best Small Car 2020 under $35,000. Now that’s saying something! Another worthwhile boast is that it comes in petrol and hybrid options.

For those guys and gals wanting to drive greener, hybrid cars are the gateway option to having an all out electric car. Speaking of which, find out what the different types of electric vehicles are and get some insights into the electric cars vs petrol debate.

Now, back to Australia’s favourite small cars… and onto some specs for the Ascent Sport model of this car:

Price	From $25,990
Transmission	6-Speed manual transmission or automatic
Colours	Glacier white, frosted white, silver pearl, Jasper red, graphite, eclectic blue, peacock black, eclipse black
Safety	Lane trace assist, lane departure alert with steering assist, pre-collision safety system with pedestrian (day and night) and cyclist (day) detection, road sign assist (speed signs only), automatic high beam, all-speed active cruise control reversing camera with fixed guidelines, anti-lock braking system with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, vehicle stability control and traction control, hill-start assist control, active cornering assist, seatbelt warning, engine immobiliser and 7 SRS airbags – front, front side, full length curtain airbags and driver’s knee airbag
Steering	Rack and pinion power assisted
Dimensions	Length 4375mm x Width 1790mm x Height 1435mm
Fuel consumption	6.0L / 100km or 4.2L / 100km (hybrid version)

Mazda 3

With streamlined curves plus a ton of advanced and simple car technology, the Mazda 3 very quickly invites you to own and drive it. Its build simply says luxury and modern day driving in a small bundle.

Noteworthy for mums and dads is the emphasis on five-star safety features. Plus, Mazda offers a choice of leather or fabric seating upholstery from a selection of elegant colours. The boot is a bit on the smaller size with 295 litres. But hey, with these top car storage and car organising hacks, who needs a bigger boot?

Mazda offers SkyActiv-X hybrid technology 

A somewhat huge bonus for us greenies, is that Mazda 3 also comes in a hybrid. Mazda has introduced what it calls SkyActiv-X hybrid technology to make a Mazda 3 with fewer carbon emissions. Watch this video to find out about all its ground-breaking features.

Now check out the regular Mazda 3 specs below and take the virtual tour to view this small car up close.

Price	From $32,190
Transmission	6-Speed Skyactiv-MT (manual/automatic)
Colours	Soul red crystal metallic, polymetal grey metallic, snowflake white pearl mica, jet black mica, deep crystal blue mica, platinum quartz, sonic silver metallic, machine grey metallic
Safety	Advanced keyless push-button engine start, anti-lock braking system, auto door lock, blind spot monitoring, driver attention alert, dynamic stability control, electric parking brake standard, electronic brake-force distribution, emergency brake assist, emergency stop signal, engine immobiliser, forward obstruction warning, g-vectoring control, high beam control, high mount stop lamp, hill launch assist, intrusion-minimising brake pedal, intelligent speed assistance, i-stop, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist system, left-hand-side convex, parking sensors rear, rear cross traffic alert, reverse camera standard, secondary collision reduction, side impact door beams, smart brake support (with pedestrian and cycle detection) reverse and rear crossing, smart city brake support forward (with pedestrian and cycle detection) and reverse, traction control system, traffic sign recognition, tyre pressure monitoring system, whiplash-minimising front seats and 7 SRS airbags
Steering	Rack and pinion power assisted
Dimensions	Length 4460mm x Width 1795mm x Height 1435mm
Fuel consumption	6.4L / 100km (manual) 6.2L / 100km automatic

Kia Cerato

The Kia Cerato looks like the athlete of small cars. Its punchy and well-packed body is completed by a sculpted hood and sleek, narrow front grille. Overhead, the car sports a tilted and sliding sunroof. Inside, in keeping with the design, the seat designs are tubular sports seats.

Of all our top small cars it does chew up the most fuel per kilometre, but when compared to most other cars on the market it’s still pretty economical.

In the boot, which has 428 to 502 litres of boot space depending on body style, you’ll find a moulded cargo lining to stop your shopping floating around. It’s clearly a car made to go! Here are more specs:

Price	From $21,990
Transmission	6 speed automatic
Colours	Clear white, snow white pearl, silky silver, aurora black, platinum graphite, steel grey, runaway red, horizon blue, mineral blue
Safety	Autonomous emergency braking (city and interurban), anti-lock braking system, electronic stability control, vehicle stability management, hill start assist control, emergency stop control, front parking sensors, reverse parking sensors, parking sensor dash display, rear view camera, lane keeping assist, lane following assist, driver attention alert, rear occupant alert, speed limiter, dusk sensing automatic headlights, high beam assist, speed sensing auto door lock, front seatbelt pre-tensioners with load limiters, side door impact beams, impact sensing auto door unlocking, and 6 SRS airbags (dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting (curtain) airbags).
Steering	Electric power steering system
Dimensions	Length 4510mm x Height 1445mm x Width 1800mm
Fuel consumption	7.4L / 100km

Choose small cars that suit your pocket and personality

Hopefully this list puts you on the right track to getting the ride of your choice. Remember, facts and figures change all the time… If you’re interested in one of these great small cars, be sure to do your own homework and make sure you get what you expect before signing on the dotted line.

Small cars can go the extra mile

Small cars can certainly go the added mile on less petrol. With petrol prices having skyrocketed recently and climate change in the balance this is an important factor to consider. Or you can take it one step further and simply walk or cycle for shorter trips. We all need to be part of the green revolution, so driving smarter and less often can help reduce our emissions.

In addition to safeguarding the planet, it’s always wise to safeguard both small and big cars with comprehensive car insurance. It’s the widest range of cover for the best price to protect against theft and damage.

Click below to find out about our simple online, affordable and easy-to-use car insurance.