TMR Best Buy 2016 – Top 5 Light Cars, Volkswagen Polo, Skoda Fabia, Mazda2, Suzuki Swift, Toyota Yaris

Nearly 10 percent of all Australians buying a new car last year purchased one classified in the ‘Light’ segment - the segment that sits beneath the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 class - it’s where the Yaris and Mazda2 play.

A healthy 111,954 units of light hatchbacks and sedans were sold in 2015, up by a couple of thousand on the year before. There are 15 players in this segment, mostly priced from around $15,000 to $22,000 once you get them onto the road.

Here we’ve chosen our top five Light Segment BEST BUYS across that broad pricing bracket, each with different reasons why you would buy them.

Volkswagen Polo

Price Range: $16,990 (66 TSI Trendline FWD manual) - $20,990 (81 TSI Comfortline FWD automatic)
Engine: 66kW/160Nm 1.2 turbo petrol 4cyl, 81kW/175Nm 1.2 turbo petrol 4cyl
Transmission: 5sp manual, 6sp manual or 7sp dual-clutch automatic.

The current-generation Volkswagen Polo launched locally in 2011, but was given a sizeable facelift last year (at least below the skin). It is available in two five-door hatchback versions: the 66 TSI Trendline and 81 TSI Comfortline. 

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