Best First Car 2022: The verdict

Popular, practical, economical and meeting a minimum standard for safety, our contenders for carsales’ Best First Car 2022 start no higher than $30,000 (plus on-road costs) with an automatic transmission.

That’s $5000 higher than last year, which reflects price rises across the industry, while shifting market trends have seen traditional small cars become eligible for testing alongside smaller city cars.

New drivers are statistically the most vulnerable on our roads, so while the budget for your first new car might not stretch to premium model grades that carry more safety features, we require our Best First Car contenders to carry a maximum five-star ANCAP rating and be fitted with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and a rear-view camera.

We’ve chosen base models for testing where automatic transmission is either standard or optionally available, or else moved up to the next grade where auto is fitted standard – providing it’s still under the $30K threshold.

Those are the bare essentials, but across our comprehensive assessment criteria, which as well as safety covers technology, comfort and convenience, driving performance and ownership costs, the excellence or otherwise of our shortlisted finalists are soon exposed.

There are nine compact hatchbacks in contention for carsales’ Best First Car 2022, but a clear winner has emerged…

That the 2022 Mazda2 trails the field is not all that surprising given the light hatch has been on the market in its current third generation for the past eight years, making it the oldest model here.

It’s received updates along the way, and still looks the business, but the Mazda2 starts showing its age with its general specification – and once you’re behind the wheel.

It sits at the back end of the field for safety, comfort and convenience, and driving performance. It leaves more to be desired on the tech front, too, leaving ownership costs as the one area of assessment in which it pulls ahead of a few of its main rivals.

Don’t forget this is a quality, shortlisted field. Bring on a new generation and we expect the Mazda2 will return as a force to be reckoned with.

2022 Mazda2 Pure at a glance:
Price: $23,390 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 82kW/144Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 123g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2015)

Last year’s winner, the 2022 Kia Rio achieves mixed results in this bigger, broader and stronger field of competitors.

The Rio still impresses in a couple of areas, particularly in-car technology and ownership costs. It’s cheap to finance and insure, and holds its value well over the first five years.

But Kia’s light hatch could do better in terms of safety and comfort and convenience features. And notwithstanding its local suspension tuning, the Rio is relatively thirsty for a city car and is crying out for stronger engine performance.

2022 Kia Rio S at a glance:
Price: $21,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 74kW/133Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 143g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)

In equal sixth position, the 2022 Hyundai i30 is another model among our nine Best First Car contenders that impresses in some areas of assessment – but lets the side down in others.

Highlights? Hyundai’s popular small car is highly rated for its driving performance, offering a good dose of agility and an absorbent ride over rough roads, while its comfort and convenience specification is generous.

However, it’s not a standout as far as safety is concerned, sits below average for technology, and disappoints in terms of ownership costs.

2022 Hyundai i30 Active at a glance:
Price: $27,220 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 120kW/203Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 167g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)

The 2022 Subaru Impreza is not an outstanding entrant in this field – more a solid, dutiful small car that scores above average for safety, technology and comfort and convenience features.

It’s the only all-wheel drive model among our nine Best First Car contenders, but the Impreza’s overall driving performance is middle of the road.

Cost of ownership is the biggest area holding the Impreza back, where high servicing costs, higher-than-average running costs and a poor rating for depreciation all count against it.

2022 Subaru Impreza 2.0i-L at a glance:
Price: $27,490 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 115kW/196Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 6.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 152g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)

The 2022 Kia Cerato is an appealing first car that’s particularly good to drive, thanks in no small part to local chassis tuning and honest engine performance.

Kia’s small hatch ranks mid-field for technology and safety, although the latter hinges on the optional $1000 Safety Pack being fitted (as we’ve done here) which adds cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, a Safe Exit warning and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with cyclist detection.

More could be done to improve the Cerato’s standing in the comfort and convenience department, while relatively high running costs also take some shine off the overall result.

2022 Kia Cerato S (with Safety Pack) at a glance:
Price: $26,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 112kW/192Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 167g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)

The 2022 Suzuki Swift has broad appeal amid this strong contingent of Best First Car contenders, with solid mid-pack results for safety, technology and comfort and convenience.

Suzuki’s light hatch tries hard to live up to its Swift name, but isn’t in the same league as the best in class for driving dynamics.

On the flipside, the Swift impresses with its low ownership costs, turning out to be one of the least expensive cars to own over the first five years.

2022 Suzuki Swift GL S Plus at a glance:
Price: $22,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 66kW/120Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 4.8L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 110g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2017)

Now two years into its fourth generation, the 2022 Toyota Yaris is the ‘newest’ of the new cars in contention for carsales’ Best First Car, and that shows through with its excellent ranking in the all-important area of safety.

Eight airbags, a bevy of advanced driver assist systems and a five-star ANCAP rating under the latest testing protocols reflect its strong standing in this department.

Toyota’s city hatch is also the best of the bunch for ownership costs, thanks to affordable servicing, low running costs and a low rate of depreciation.

In other areas, however, the Yaris turns out to be merely average. It earns a well-deserved place on the Best First Car podium, but needs higher marks for driving performance, tech spec and cabin creature comforts to steal the show.

2022 Toyota Yaris Ascent Sport at a glance:
Price: $23,740 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol
Output: 88kW/145Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 4.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 114g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2020)

We might have expected Australia’s top-selling passenger car to feature prominently in carsales’ Best First Car 2022. Twelve generations are behind it, after all.

But the 2022 Toyota Corolla doesn’t crush its opposition, losing ground with its relatively sparse comfort and convenience features at this entry level and with only a middle ranking for ownership costs.

That’s a surprise considering its servicing costs are super-competitive, but other expenses are on the high side – in part due to the fact it’s the most expensive car in the field.

Where the Corolla shines is with its driving performance, technology and safety – three important areas that help Toyota’s venerable small car slot into second place, but it still falls short of our overall winner.

2022 Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport at a glance:
Price: $28,130 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 126kW/202Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 6.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 143g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)

The 2022 Mazda3 has again proven itself to be a class act – a car that impresses in most areas of assessment and stands as a great all-rounder, no matter what challenge it faces.

We’ve seen this before, with the Mazda3 having previously won our Best Small Car award.

But carsales’ Best First Car 2022 is a tougher assignment, stripping the Mazda3 back to its base model grade and pitting it against a broader range of excellent small hatchbacks and even smaller city cars.

That pegs the Mazda3 back in terms of ownership costs, for example, where its price and weight serve as a disadvantage compared to light hatchbacks. The costs aren’t excessive, with the 3 finishing mid-field overall, but Mazda’s small car is on the high side of the road for insurance, fuel bills and servicing.

Everywhere else, the Mazda3 shines. It stands close behind the two Toyota cars for safety, and is a clear leader in three of our five key areas of assessment – technology, comfort and convenience, and all-round driving performance. Our judges also rate it as the best-looking car in the field.

The Mazda3 is a fabulous package overall and a deserving winner of carsales’ Best First Car 2022.

2022 Mazda3 Pure at a glance:
Price: $28,040 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 114kW/200Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 146g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)