The Best Cars Under S$100k in Singapore
CarBuyer Team
8:07 July 19,2020
CarBuyer.com.sg’s guide shows you that getting a great car for less than 100 Gs - COE included - is very much possible even in Singapore
SINGAPORE
Note: Prices are quoted with reference to July 2020’s first round of COE bidding.
Why you should trust us:
CarBuyer.com.sg is the online version of CarBuyer Singapore, which is currently the only homegrown car magazine on newsstands here and has been in circulation since 1997, pointing out the good, bad, and ugly of Singapore’s car market.
What makes these cars ‘the best’? :
Cars here have been tested and voted on by CarBuyer’s editorial team. We have a combined experience of more than 70 years in the industry and have tested thousands of cars. In short, you can rely on us to tell you what’s worth your time and dollars – and what’s not.
Welcome to another CarBuyer.com.sg Best Of - today we’re taking a slightly different tack, but one no less valuable to consumers.
While our usual Best Ofs run by segment, the guiding principle of this one is budget - just like our Best Drivers’ Cars Under S$200k story (which was one our local readers seemed to enjoy a lot!).
So we’re throwing the net wider this time and keeping it under the magic S$100k mark, with that in mind there’s more cars included in the list but with shorter descriptions, though you can always read our in-depth reviews to get the full skinny.
If you're worried about rising COE prices, they might not rise again in the coming weeks - we explain why in our COE analysis story.
Pretty much every car from the Best Mainstream Sedan and Best Small SUV and Best Compact Hatches lists can be included here, so we’ve included some new names in the list, and more potentials on the horizon toward the end - both of which reflect the fast-changing market situation in mid-2020.
And if you scan through the list and see nothing that grabs you, keep in mind we’re not including used cars, nor parallel imports on this list, though you should be aware that a different set of risks which come with each.
What should you expect from a sub-S$100k car?
- Modest engines
Since we’re in the budget side of motoring at this price point, cars in this segment will have small engines that will give good fuel economy. For more info, read our guide on how engine size affects how much you pay for a car over time.
- Decent room and cargo space
The smaller the budget the smaller the car, but at minimum you should be shooting for a car that fits four adults without fisticuffs breaking out, and boot space of at least 300-litres.
- Fewer safety features
Cars in this price range will not have active safety features (which are something we always recommend) but it should definitely have: traction control, stability control, automatic brakeforce distribution, and at least four airbags.
- Less technology onboard
Infotainment systems in less expensive cars used to consist of merely a radio head unit, but increasingly we’re seeing more capable ones with features like colour touchscreens and smartphone connectivity. If you use your phone to navigate, the latter are especially useful.
Continue to Page 2: The Usual Suspects
Page 3: SUVs and Hatchbacks
Page 4: European Offerings
Page 5: New kids on the block
The Usual Suspects
Honda Civic 1.6 : Sedans ain’t dead
Price: Civic 1.6 LX from S$96,999 with COE
Read our review of the Honda Civic LX here
Honda has the sub-S$100k segment tied down with three impressive models and the Civic leads the way here. Recently facelifted, it drives well, still looks great and is also one of the more spacious cars in its class - the rear legroom is probably the best you can find at this price point. There’s a $92,999 with COE ‘non-LX’ base model, but the S$4k upgrade to the LX is well worth it in our view - we detail the differences in our review.
Kia Cerato - Value is still its Forte
Price: Kia Cerato 1.6 EX S$95,999 with COE
Read our review of the Cerato GT Line and Cerato SX
The Kia Cerato (it’s actually dropped the ‘Forte’ bit) is another unsurprising addition to the list, but it does straddle the S$100k price point - the top-of-the-line GT Line model is S$103,999 with COE, and the next in line is the EX which goes for S$95,999 with COE. The GT Line naturally has all the trimmings - wireless phone charger, sunroof, ventilated seats, and four airbags (EX only has two) - so we’d recommend the upgrade if not for breaking the S$100k mark. Still the EX has an 8.0-inch touchscreen (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capable) and a decent load of equipment too.
Toyota Corolla Altis - No compromises
Price: Toyota Corolla Altis Elegance S$101,888 with COE
Read our review of the Toyota Corolla Altis Elegance here
Yes, yes we know we finally broke the budget, but hear us out: At just S$2k over the budget, the sheer amount of improvements - not least the Toyota Safety System active safety suite - the Elegance model adds over the Standard (S$94,888 with COE) are just too good to miss out on. Again, read our review to see the differences, and to find out why the Corolla is now a front-runner once again.
Continue to Page 3: SUVs and Hatchbacks
Page 4: European Offerings
Page 5: New kids on the block
Hatching a plan: SUVs and Hatches
Honda Jazz - Still got the jive
Price: Jazz RS 1.5 S$87,999
Read our review of the Jazz RS here
Another familiar name that’s still going strong, the Jazz has endured through its near-magical ability to be more spacious than it looks, pairing that with Honda’s typical fun driving dynamics. Currently, the least expensive Jazz, the 1.3 base model, only costs S$73,999 with COE and that’s a bargain and a half, but we recommend the upper range RS model with a peppier 1.5-litre engine and more features - it’s still S$12k below our S$100k budget!
Honda HR-V - The SUV Usurper I
Price: HR-V from S$98,999 with COE
Read our review of the Honda HR-V LX here
One of the most popular cars in Singapore in the past half decade and for good reason: It takes the usefulness and spaciousness of the Jazz compact hatch, but pairs that with SUV styling (which is how SUVs have caused the compact hatch market to dwindle).
The most expensive HR-V is the LX, which breaks our budget at S$102,999 with COE - but the standard model at S$98,999 with COE still offers the crux of the HR-V experience. Looking to save more cash? The least variant only costs S$91,999 with COE.
Kia Stonic - The SUV Usurper II
Price: Kia Stonic 1.0 S$81,999 with COE
Read our review of the Kia Stonic SX here
Like the HR-V, the Stonic effectively displaced the compact hatches competing with it - proof enough is that Kia no longer sells the Rio or Picanto here. The Stonic achieved that with its good space for four, feature-rich nature, and perky 1.0-litre turbo engine. The more expensive versions are the Two Tone (S$87,999 with COE) and Sunroof (S$86,999 with COE, formerly known as theSX model), which add what they say they do, but the base model at S$81,999 is great value.
MG HS - The Shanghai Shocker
Price: MG HS S$99,888 with COE
Read our review of the MG HS here
We’d be overjoyed if there were no more curve balls in the car industry this year, but this is a welcome one: MG is a UK brand, now owned by Chinese giant SAIC, but that’s all you need to know. Throw absolutely all the assumptions you would make when hearing ‘Chinese made car’ and just go and test drive the MG HS. Bar none, you can’t get more car for the dollar right now, and the fact that it has quality to rival the Japanese and Koreans means it’s a game changer.
Continue to Page 4: European Offerings
Page 5: New kids on the block
Euro Beat: Budget Europeans
Skoda Octavia - Not a blank Czech
Price: Octavia Ambition 1.4 $98,900 with COE
Read our review of the Octavia Ambition Plus here
There aren’t many mainstream European sedans around, let alone ones that cost less than S$100k, but Skoda manages to be both with the base version of its Octavia sedan. Now with a more powerful 1.4-litre turbo engine, up from the 1.0 it had at launch, it’s the rare European car that offers maximal value for money at the moment.
Volkswagen Polo
Price: Polo Comfortline $S99,800
Read our review of the Polo Beats here
The demise of the lesser Golf model (the 1.0 and 1.2 variants) means there’s no Golf that fits our budget now, but if you don’t need that much space, nor to carry as many things, the Polo fits the bill nicely. The Comfortline model has a robust feature set - keyless entry, six airbags, colour touchscreen infotainment - but the Beats edition (at S$103,900 with COE) packs an enticing amount of extra gear and a kickass sound system.
Continue to Page 5: New kids on the block
New Kids On The Block
Two cars that just debuted in Singapore are going to heat up the competition in the sub-S$100k category - expect CarBuyer.com.sg’s test drive verdict in soon.
Honda City
From S$88,999 with COE
Honda just announced the debut of the fifth-gen City sedan earlier this week, and while we haven’t tested it yet, it looks like it could single-handedly revive the flagging fortunes of the compact sedan segment against the SUV onslaught.
Nissan Kicks E-Power
From S$99,888 with COE
As detailed in our launch story, we really didn’t expect Nissan to deliver a kicker this year, but it has: This is the only hybrid SUV in the small/mainstream segment at this price point and it has the potential to be a real strong seller for Nissan, not in least because it’s unique to drive and will likely deliver excellent fuel consumption too.
Hyundai Venue
From S$88,999 with COE
Hyundai's compact SUV has just been refreshed and now adds active safety systems to the mix, as covered in our news story. That's only for the S$95k with COE 'S' variant - the standard model has less stuff, but Hyundai's cheerful little crossover is worth a look.
Kia Seltos EX
Around S$90,000 with COE
The Seltos was officially unveiled in March this year, but you haven't heard much about it since because of the New Plauge. Our launch story has all the details - and you're thinking, wait this small SUV costs more than S$100k. That's the top-spec GT Line model, and Kia Singapore says a less expensive EX model that will very likely cost less than S$100k is on the horizon.
About the Author
CarBuyer Team
CarBuyer Singapore brings the most relevant, accurate and useful car news to Singaporeans in both print and online formats.
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