BUYING | Which six hatchbacks have the best resale values?

Hatches are popular in SA and there is a plethora of affordable hatches available on the market. But which one boasts the best resale value?

According to Darryl Jacobson, MD 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 and glean the prices paid on auction. This data is used to provide motorists with free vehicle evaluations, as well as accurate resale values expressed as a percentage of the original retail price.

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 says.

Here are the top six hatches, and the reasons why Jacobson believes that their resale value is good.

1. Toyota Etios (71.89%)

The Etios range remains a staple in Toyota SA’s passenger vehicle stable, providing affordable, reliable and practical motoring. 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 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, where the 200,000th Polo was built in August. The latest generation was launched in SA in January 2018 and in June 2018 a sporty Polo GTI was added to the range.

“The Polo is 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%)

SA’s best-selling passenger vehicle, the Polo Vivo, continues to rack up  impressive sales month after month. The range gained a new derivative, the Polo Vivo Sound Edition, in August. The newcomer is based on the 1.4 Comfortline 63kW manual. According to Jacobson, it is the hatch of choice when SA motorists are shopping for an affordable vehicle.

“It has an appealing price tag, it’s a well-specced vehicle and it comes with the Volkswagen quality stamp of approval,” he says.

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 1l engine and the Motion specification level to the range.

“It’s popular on auctions, where we see that it has mass appeal. It finds favour with buyers of all ages,” Jacobson says.

5. Mazda 2 (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 1.5 auto derivative, bringing the total model range 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 an attractive car, and buyers tend to agree,” he says.

6. Ford Fiesta (65.98%)

The 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 it is a top performer when it comes to quality, refinement, technology and safety. “It’s also popular with younger buyers, as evidenced by their bidding activity.” 

Motorists can get free vehicle evaluations at www.trueprice.co.za

The data pertains to vehicles that have done a maximum of 140,000km and were registered from 2016 to 2019.