10 great used first cars for under $30,000

Who out there has never owned a car and now has $30,000 to spend on one to call their first? Quite a few of you, apparently.

People might for various reasons find themselves well into adulthood before the need to own a car arises. There will be new drivers as well; those who come from families able to fund something a bit special, or who have worked and saved since their early teens in order to buy a car that stands out from the rest in the Uni car park.

Older people may come from circumstances where a partner was the only licenced driver and that partner is no longer around, obliging the non-driver to belatedly become responsible for their own transport.

Finally, there will also be new arrivals to Australia who left a car behind in their country of origin and are technically newcomers to a market filled with diverse and sometimes unique models.

When considering second-hand cars for the first-time buyer who has a healthy $30,000 budget, we review a variety of models and vehicle types – and here our list includes compact sporty models, SUVs big and small, and even 4x4 off-road SUVs and dual-cab utes suited to adventuring.

For the first time, a hybrid model has reached our top 10. Cars like this have been tried and tested by taxi and ride share operators, and while the up-front cost is higher than for petrol-only versions, hybrid owners should recover their outlay via savings on fuel and maintenance.

What all of these first-time choices have in common is a focus on safety. Cars at prices approaching $30,000 should have plenty of features, but there are differences in specification that are worth exploring.

Each model will have unique maintenance needs and might have the balance of its new-car warranty available to a used-market buyer. Check, though, before committing to a car that a major service isn’t pending or even overdue.

The dealer who sells the car may have looked after it for the previous owner and might be keen to maintain the relationship, offering an ongoing fixed-price service contract.

No matter how new the car of your choice might be, or the distance it has travelled, ensure it undergoes professional inspection with an organisation such as RedBook Inspect.

These assessments go much further than the typical service department on-hoist check and will supply a comprehensive written report that includes a condition report and list of impending repairs.

For the sporty coupe spot, the hardest choice when making this selection was to pick between the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ.

The shape came from Toyota as did the rear-wheel drive platform. The car’s near-perfect weight distribution helps the chassis deliver impeccable balance, but then there is the flat-four engine that is pure Subaru.

Inside, a Premium Pack BRZ will offer grippy Alcantara seats with heaters. The options list also included a stereo upgrade, sat-nav and a very handy rear-facing camera.

Performance is very similar to the Toyota, but handling will be more composed thanks to Subaru’s unique approach to suspension tune and the car’s 17-inch wheels.

If colour is important, then track down a car in evocative WR (World Rally) Blue Mica. This is a shade very similar to the STi Blue used on 22B versions of the WRX and is ideally matched to the BRZ’s low-slung and aggressive stance.

Find a used Subaru BRZ on carsales

If you’ve waited until well into adulthood before buying your first car, then why not own something that will turn heads as you drive by?

We could have picked an uncompromising sports car like the Mazda MX-5 or a BMW Z4, but people with the money for a BMW might want to carry some friends, so the four-seater got up.

BMW’s 2 Series Convertible arrived here in 2015. Cheapest was the basic 220i at $54,990 plus on-road costs, with the M Sport we see here listed at $62,300 plus ORCs. However, you can bet that most were loaded with options and the delivery price had soared well above $70,000.

The convertible top closes rapidly in the event of rain and works even when the car is moving at up to 50km/h. The interior is trimmed in leather and looks classy but isn’t festooned with timber veneer that could be damaged if the car does get caught in the rain with its roof down.

Find a used BMW 220i M Sport convertible on carsales

Ford’s well-respected Territory has gone but in its place came the Ford Everest, which would still cart half of your kids’ soccer team and tow a decent-sized camper into all kinds of forlorn places.

Look under the Everest and you will see things that put you in mind of the big-selling Ford Ranger (or the related Mazda BT-50) dual-cab ute. That’s not surprising because this is effectively a more civilised version of the Ranger 3.2 diesel.

Pre-2018 models use the well-respected five-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and it is the one to have if you are exploring the rough stuff or towing something on the high side of two tonnes.

Inside, these roomy Fords have powerful air-conditioning with rear ducting and a half-decent music system. If you can afford the extra, go for a Trend which includes plenty of driver assistance gear and a rear-view camera.

Find a used Ford Everest Trend on carsales

Choosing a reliable, comfortable and economical family wagon is tough. The market offers so many top choices, but then along comes the Hyundai Santa Fe and edges its way to the front in areas that will be noticed by people whose experience with car ownership is limited.

Inside, the Hyundai is roomy and all-round visibility is excellent. It’s easy to park and can ease along an overgrown track without bumping things. Seat trim in Highlander versions is leather and the front pair can be heated or adjusted via a couple of buttons.

Santa Fe models selling at around $30,000 will primarily be the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel with 147kW of power and 440Nm of torque. Fuel consumption in continual city use will climb to around 11L/100km, but steady highway pace sees consumption dip below 7L/100km.

Highlander versions that have averaged around 15,000km since new offer terrific family transport, but the strong retained values make them expensive. Try to get one with some factory warranty remaining.

Find a used Hyundai Santa Fe Highlander diesel on carsales

Every time the staff and contributors at carsales have our say in the annual Best Used Car awards, one model invariably scores at, or near, the top as Best Medium SUV – the Mazda CX-5.

Best of the Mazda CX-5 bunch is the oddly named but very well-equipped Akera. This comes standard with a 138kW 2.5-litre engine and six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is there too, along with a big range of driver assistance features.

The leather seats might start out feeling a little firm but mould to your shape over time. They are also electrically adjustable and heated.

The sunroof is massive and tinted so you can pull back the cover for some extra sunlight without getting cooked.

The Akera can’t be termed a ‘bush basher’ but well-kept tracks and moderate sand won’t bother it. Ground clearance is good, with vulnerable underbody components tucked away, and compliant suspension.

Find a used Mazda CX-5 Akera on carsales

Utterly inappropriate in a world braying for automotive efficiency and going electric, the Holden Caprice is historically important as a throwback to the time when cars like this were the pinnacle of local automotive opulence.

For decades before the SUV and dual-cab ute became dominant, Australians bought four-door, rear wheel drive sedans and aspired to own a Caprice or Ford Fairlane. People who haven’t owned a car in this country before owe themselves a taste of that cultural experience.

The big Ford bade farewell in 2007, but Holden’s luxo-barge sauntered on until the doors closed in 2017, so it is possible to find cars built very late in the production schedule at less than $30,000.

They are characterised by big, US-sourced V8 engines and sprawling leather interiors, booming sound systems and air-con outlets that will blow the froth off a schooner from any direction.

Grab one before they disappear.

Find a used Holden Caprice WM 6.0 V8 on carsales

Latecomers to the craft of driving really don’t need a car that is anything but user-friendly and the 10th-generation Honda Civic deftly ticks that box.

Low-kilometre examples of the well-kitted Civic VTi-LX version will leave plenty of change from our $30K budget and won’t immediately be needing costly repairs either.

Owners of these cars – which might be for sale privately by the original purchaser – seem to use them sparingly and still get their cars serviced twice annually, even if they haven’t reached the oil change interval. Just to be sure though, spend a bit extra on a pre-purchase inspection.

Under the bonnet you will find a 1.5-litre engine, and while that might seem undersized in a 2.0-litre world, it is turbocharged and makes 127kW of power.

As is the fashion, the Civic uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT) which should give no trouble this side of 250,000km.

Find a used Honda Civic VTi-LX on carsales

People moving to Australia from Europe will no doubt know the Skoda name and perhaps have owned an Octavia in their home country, but maybe not the smartly styled and rapid RS version.

In Australia, the majority of recent Octavia models use a 1.4-litre turbo engine, but the car you want, if one’s available in your area, is the 2.0-litre RS.

These cars won’t be very old – the earliest of them built in 2017 – and they came to our market loaded with goodies and safety features.

In addition to the expected array of airbags and belt tensioners there was emergency crash avoidance, driver fatigue and attention warnings, park distance beepers and a reversing camera.

The transmission will in most cases be a six-speed dual-clutch and these do have their share of problems. Take the car you like on good, long test drive, noting any hesitation under acceleration or downshift shuddering and then have the car you choose professionally inspected.

Find a used Skoda Octavia RS on carsales

If you’ve ever slid aboard a Toyota Camry cab and felt the car surge silently into the traffic you will have experienced the effect of petrol and electrical power units acting in unison.

The Camry Hybrid will run on the battery alone, but briefly and probably just far enough to reach a station if you’ve forgotten to refuel. Working together, the petrol engine and electric motors produce up to 160kW, which is fed to the road through a six-step continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The cabin is roomy and comfortable but basic. The seats have cloth upholstery, the six-speaker sound system will pick up AM, FM and digital signals and has Bluetooth for the phone, but restricted connectivity for personal music sources.

In this price range you may find cars that, as of early 2024, will still be covered by a year or so of manufacturer warranty.

Find a used Toyota Camry Ascent Hybrid on carsales

For those who don’t pay huge attention to activity in the motor vehicle market, dual-cabs are no longer simply a builder’s carryall or off-road explorer.

Models like the Volkswagen Amarok with diesel engines and five seats have become first-choice transport for typical Australian families and rarely used purely for commercial purposes.

They will likely be fitted with child seats and rear compartment entertainment systems. The shortened tray will be protected at least by a tonneau cover or lockable canopy because inside is the car fridge and a week’s shopping.

With a 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine and 420Nm of torque, these don’t tow as strongly as against a Ford Ranger with 470Nm, but how often are you likely to be dragging a three-tonne load through hub-deep sand?

Economical running in urban settings will be more relevant and important to first-time dual-cab owners and here the smaller-engined Amarok justifies its selection. Around-town driving should better 10L/100km, with 7.0-7.5L/100km available in open-road running.

Find a used Volkswagen Amarok dual-cab 2.0 4MOTION on carsales