Top 10 affordable cars for first-time buyers
Buying your first car can be scary — especially if you don’t know much about cars. You have to consider fuel economy, handling, safety and more. Not to worry; we’ve prepared a list of cars suitable for first-time owners based on price, fuel economy, road tax, maintenance and noteworthy features.
Hint: If you want to lower your car loan, you can improve your credit score — a lower loan means more savings!
Read more: Best cars for students
Perodua Bezza from RM294/mth
Monthly fuel cost: RM150
Road Tax: RM20
Maintenance cost: RM638
Safety rating: 5 stars
The Perodua Bezza is Malaysia’s most popular car and for good reason. It has all the hallmarks of a Perodua car: it is affordable, has low maintenance costs, is fuel-efficient at 22.8 km/L, and is beginner-friendly with a very tight 5-metre turning radius. On top of that, the sedan has a large 508 L boot, perfect for taking your things with you when you move out or head to university.
Browse more As Good As New Perodua Bezzas!
Proton Saga from RM261/mth
Monthly fuel cost: RM185
Road Tax: RM70
Maintenance cost: RM759
Safety rating: 4 stars
Our first national car has come a long way. From its humble boxy beginnings, it has undergone many facelifts and iterated many times. As such, it now sports a rounded, sleek exterior and comes with modern amenities and safety features like front and rear parking sensors, reverse cameras, electronic stability control, and brake assist. However, a few things remain constant: the large boot of 420 L and decent fuel efficiency at 18.5 km/L (5.4 L/100km).
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Perodua Axia from RM316/mth
Monthly fuel cost: RM145
Road Tax: RM20
Maintenance cost: RM611
Safety rating: 4 stars
The smallest car on this list, there is no better car than the Perodua Axia to drive into tight alleys and narrow streets. It also boasts a 4.5 metre turning radius which helps novice drivers maneuver around obstacles. This small size also benefits fuel efficiency, as the Axia can travel up to 27 km per litre (4.3 L/100km)! This makes the Axia the car with the lowest fuel consumption of RM145 a month! It is also the cheapest car to maintain, at an average of RM611 a year.
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Perodua Myvi from RM327/mth
Monthly fuel cost: RM164
Road Tax: RM90
Maintenance cost: RM652
Safety rating: 5 stars
No list of affordable cars can exclude the King of the Road. The Perodua Myvi was the best-selling Malaysian car for 5 years in a row from 2018 to 2022, and for good reason. This nimble hatchback can navigate tight turns and corners with its small 5.1-metre turning radius. Of course, we cannot forget one of the Myvi’s best features: fuel efficiency! Sipping fuel at 4.5 L/100km or 22 km/L, you are sure to save with the Myvi.
Pick from our inventory of As Good As New Perodua Myvis!
Proton Iriz from RM360/mth
Monthly fuel cost: RM199
Road Tax: RM70
Maintenance cost: RM715
Safety rating: 5 stars
Proton’s answer to the Myvi, the Proton Iriz is an affordable hatchback with modern safety features, including 6 airbags: 2 front, 2 side and 2 curtain airbags. Its small size and nimble 5-metre turning radius also make it very beginner-friendly. A great plus is its moderately low fuel consumption of 5.8 L/100km or 17.2 km/L.
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If you can’t decide which of the above to choose, this article compares several popular hatchbacks and sedans.
Nissan Almera from RM371/mth
Monthly fuel cost: RM159
Road Tax: RM70
Maintenance cost: RM777
Safety rating: 4 stars
Like all sedans, the Nissan Almera comes with a spacious boot at 490 litres. This spaciousness extends to the cabin, with rear passengers enjoying up to 440 mm of legroom. If you prefer more tech in your car, you will love the Almera’s tyre pressure sensors, high-beam assist and electronic brake assist. On top of all the high-tech features, the Nissan Almera sips fuel at 21.5 km/L or 5.4 L/100km!
Peek at our inventory of Nissan Almeras!
Honda City from RM623/mth
Monthly fuel cost: RM185
Road Tax: RM90
Maintenance cost: RM781
Safety rating: 5 stars
A poster child of Japanese engineering, the Honda City is a reliable workhorse any driver can rely on for many years. This means any driver can be confident in saving a pretty penny on maintenance fees so long they take good care of the car. This reliance extends to its fuel efficiency, which results in a car that sips 5.4 L per 100km (18.5 km/L). But of course, the City’s comfortable seating will make the time in the car that much more pleasant.
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Toyota Vios from RM579/mth
Monthly fuel cost: RM178
Road Tax: RM90
Maintenance cost: RM698
Safety rating: 5 stars
Look around the streets of Malaysia and you’ll likely see a Toyota Vois. Popular among salarymen, the Vios is stylish and boasts a quiet cabin so you won’t hear the sound of rain hammering onto your roof. The Vios also sips fuel at 5.2 L/100km (19.2 km/L), making it a stylish, fuel-saving car that is easy on your wallet. It also comes equipped with 6 airbags, which is one of the reasons it got a perfect 5-star NCAP rating!
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Perodua Ativa from RM590/mth
Monthly fuel cost: RM181
Road Tax: RM90
Maintenance cost: RM717
Safety rating: 5 stars
True to its Perodua roots, the Ativa is no fuel guzzler as it consumes a low 5.29l/100km which is rare for an SUV! If you are already familiar with the Perodua Myvi and are looking for a similar but larger car, you’d be pleasantly surprised as the Ativa has comparable handling and performance. A major difference is the larger boot size of 369 litres compared to 277 litres of the Myvi, which is a big plus!
Check out more Carro Certified Perodua Ativas!
Toyota Yaris from RM678/mth
Monthly fuel cost: RM201
Road Tax: RM90
Maintenance cost: RM758
Safety rating: 5 stars
Rounding out this list is the Toyota Yaris. When you get behind the wheel, you’ll enjoy the feedback from a responsive engine and manoeuvre smoothly through city streets in a sporty car. It’s also one of the safest cars around — it earned its 5-star safety rating in part because of a whopping 7 airbags! It also has a decently sized 286-litre boot which can be expanded, though passenger seating will be reduced.
The Toyota Yaris is also incredibly economical, travelling a respectable 17 km/L. This gives us a total expenditure of RM950/mth
Check out our fleet of As Good As New Toyota Yaris cars!
Buying your first car comes with many joys — the freedom to go wherever you want, but also responsibilities like paying for petrol and maintenance. Choose the car that is best for you, even if it is not the fanciest.
If you’d like to browse more cars, Carro has a wide range of Carro Certified cars that have passed our 160-point inspection and are rigorously refurbished to be As Good As New! Test drive one today!
