Nearly new or brand new? What SA’s cheapest cars are worth after a year – The Mail & Guardian

The Suzuki Swift 1.2 GL shows a notable saving in cash terms. It is priced at R228 900 new, while one-year-old used examples average R215 045. That is a difference of R13 855, or 6.1%.

As new car prices continue to rise, along with the price of fuel and the broader cost of living, buying one of South Africa’s more affordable cars is no longer as inexpensive as it once was.

For buyers shopping below the R23 0000 mark, the gap between new and nearly new is worth looking at closely. A one-year-old version of the same car might have low mileage and warranty cover remaining but with part of the first year’s depreciation reflected in the price.

AutoTrader used car data shows that the saving is not consistent across the entry-level market. Some of South Africa’s most economical new cars are listed for thousands of rand less after a year on the road, while others remain close to their original price. In one case, the average used price is higher than the current listed new price.

The comparison looks at selected entry-level models by their base trim levels, using their new prices against average listed prices for one-year-old examples on AutoTrader. 

Mileage is generally low, with all models in the sample averaging below 20 000km.

“The first-year depreciation gap matters most where household budgets are already tight,” said AutoTrader chief executive George Mienie. “At the lower end of the market, a saving of R10 000 or R20 000 is not incidental.

“ It can influence finance approval, monthly repayments, insurance affordability and even whether a buyer can move into a better-specified model. That is why nearly-new cars have become such an important part of the affordability conversation.”

Renault’s Kwid 1.0 Evolution shows the largest percentage gap in the data. It is priced at R178 999 new, while one-year-old used examples average R156 129. That puts the used average R22 870 lower than the new price, a difference of 12.8%, with average mileage of 9 261km.

The Proton Saga 1.3 Standard Manual is another strong case for buying nearly new. A new example is priced at R209 900, while one-year-old used models average R190 730. 

That is a saving of R19 170, or 9.1%, with a low average mileage of 2 519km. On paper, that puts it among the stronger nearly new propositions in the group, particularly because the average mileage is much lower than the Kwid’s.

The rest of the field shows why the picture is not as simple as ranking the cars by percentage saving alone.

The Suzuki Swift 1.2 GL shows a notable saving in cash terms. It is priced at R228 900 new, while one-year-old used examples average R215 045. That is a difference of R13 855, or 6.1%. 

The Swift, one of the top 10 best-selling used vehicles on AutoTrader, also has the largest number of listings by far, with 914 examples listed for sale between 1 January 2025 and 30 April 2026.

Suzuki’s S-Presso 1.0 GL Manual sits closer to the middle of the group. It is priced at R178 900 new, compared with an average used price of R168 952. That gives a saving of R9 948, or 5.6%, with average mileage of 4 814km.

Another contender among the country’s best-selling new and used cars, the Hyundai Grand i10 1.0 Premium hatchback, follows a similar pattern. It is priced at R224 900 new, while a one-year-old example averages R215 551. That represents a 4.2% saving, or R9 349 in rand terms. Like the Swift, it is one of the more widely available used options in this comparison.

The appeal of buying used over new shrinks with some vehicles. The Suzuki Celerio 1.0 GA, for instance, is priced at R188 900 new, while one-year-old used examples average R181 634. That is a saving of R7 266, or 3.8%, with average mileage of 4 111km.

Highlighting the strength of the Toyota badge, the Vitz 1.0, a rebadged version of the Celerio, holds its value more strongly. Its new retail price is R180 600, while one-year-old used models average R176 192. 

That leaves a saving of R4 408, or just 2.4%, with average mileage of 8 738km. For buyers, that relatively small difference might make a new Vitz the more appealing option, depending on dealer specials, finance terms and warranty cover.

Elsewhere, the Tata Tiago 1.2 XM’s saving is modest but more intriguing. Against a new price of R189 900, one-year-old used examples average R182 948, saving buyers R6 952, or about 3.7%. Average mileage is particularly low at 1 248km, suggesting that some buyers could be getting a lightly used vehicle at a lower price.

The smallest saving on average belongs to the Renault Kiger 1.0 Evolution. The crossover is priced at R219 999, while 2025-registered examples average R218 010. This is probably because the available 2025 models are essentially new, with average mileage of just 413km.

However, the Renault Triber 1.0 Evolution, the cheapest seven-seater in South Africa, is the biggest outlier in the group. Although the vehicle retails for R218 999 new, one-year-old used examples are listed for R9 903 more on average, despite average mileage of 2 355km.

It is possible that demand on the used market is pushing prices above the new car list price. The Triber’s seven-seat layout and relatively low purchase price make it attractive to buyers who need affordable passenger-carrying capacity, including ride-hailing drivers, taxi operators and other service-based users. 

In a high-demand market, this can sometimes produce counterintuitive pricing, where nearly new examples are advertised at a premium rather than a discount.

While the data does not confirm the cause, strong used-market demand would help explain why the Triber sits apart from the rest of the group. It also shows why buyers should compare individual listings carefully rather than assuming a one-year-old car will automatically be cheaper than a new one.

For shoppers willing to consider a one-year-old car, there are savings to be found among some of South Africa’s cheapest vehicles. 

On this data, the Renault Kwid delivers the biggest headline saving. But the Proton Saga looks like the stronger nearly new value buy once mileage is taken into account, combining one of the largest discounts in the group with notably low average mileage.