Best Used Small Car for 2023

The 2016 Hyundai i30 Premium turbo-diesel has been judged Australia’s best small car by carsales Best Used Cars for 2023, proudly presented by Bingle.

This marks quite an occasion for the Hyundai, edging out the Mazda3 that previously won this category three years in a row.

When it came right down to both RedBook’s assessment of the Hyundai and the judges’ evaluation, the i30 in range-topping form costs less to buy than the flagship Mazda3 from the same year, yet Hyundai’s resale value is so strong that the Mazda costs little more in the used market.

That’s good for both i30 buyers and sellers alike.

The judges uniformly voted nine or 10 points each for the Hyundai in this specification. So, the i30 achieves all its KPIs with a local suspension tune, an efficient but torquey little 1.6-litre diesel and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

In addition to all that, the i30 is rated five stars by ANCAP, and it’s a practical, common-sense choice, backed by a strong-selling brand and a network of over 170 dealers.

While the judges and the RedBook boffins have focused this year on flagship variants, the i30 also offers lower-priced models for those on a tighter budget. And those downmarket variants may lack some of the bells and whistles of the i30 Premium turbo-diesel, but they still provide comfort and value in a reliable package.

Across the full year in 2016, the i30 outsold the Mazda3 with a total of 37,772 units. That’s 1600 sales ahead of the Mazda and fewer than 2600 behind the class-leading Toyota Corolla.

Many of the i30 sales that year went to fleets, reflecting the i30’s low cost of ownership and reliability in service with commercial organisations. That’s also a factor highlighted in RedBook’s data.

But as admirable as the i30’s cost of ownership is, it’s the judges’ collective view that the i30 is a genuinely good car for driveability and comfort – and that really helped the i30 cross the line ahead of the other finalists in the segment.

The Hyundai i30 Premium scored 40.7 points from the RedBook analysis, and a substantial tally of 47 points from the judges for a total of 87.7 out of 100.

Selling for $35,190 plus on-road costs back in 2016, the i30 Premium with the 1.6-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is still worth $24,150 as a used car in 2023, according to RedBook.

The i30 was mildly updated for the MY17 range during 2016, but the car was little different from the previous update in 2015, when staff journalist Feann Torr wrote this from the local launch: “If you don’t mind forking over for the auto diesel, which is about $5000 more than the entry-level petrol manual model, you’ll be a happy camper.”

You can read more about the i30 in our launch review here.

carsales used-car expert, Cliff Chambers, writes that the Hyundai i30 is “the category benchmark for space and operational ease”.

And carsales managing editor Marton Pettendy reckons that the Hyundai’s “punchy powertrain and local chassis tune make the i30 a worthy winner”.

Just the right size for local roads and parking spots, the Hyundai i30 is also easy to drive and fun with it. The i30 offers drivers of all ages a mechanically dependable and frugal ownership experience.

There’s enough comfort, value and safety for the i30 to fill the role of second car in the family garage without costing an arm and a leg.

That’s why the Hyundai i30 is a deserving winner in its category for the 2023 carsales Best Used Cars awards, proudly presented by Bingle.

Honourable mentions:

The Mazda2 scored 44 points from RedBook and 37 points from the judges for a total of 81
RedBook value: $18,650

“The Mazda2 is simple and well-built. You might pay more up front, but it should deliver reliable and safe motoring for ages” – Bruce Newton, carsales senior journalist

“Solid Japanese engineering and up-to-date multimedia at an affordable price” – Marton Pettendy, carsales managing editor

The Honda Jazz scored 42.5 points from RedBook and 33 points from the judges for a total of 75.5
RedBook value: $20,200

“Been around for some time, likely to be here for a lot more. Tough little cars” – Cliff Chambers, carsales used-car buying expert

“Typically practical Honda design combining the interior space of the Tardis and bulletproof mechanicals” – Ross Booth, RedBook data services director

What makes a car eligible for carsales Best Used Cars?
• Less than six years old
• Standard side curtain airbags
• Standard Bluetooth
• Standard electronic stability control (mandated for 2014)
• Standard reversing camera for SUVs

How did RedBook weight the categories for scoring?
• 10 per cent for resale value
• 10 per cent for ANCAP rating
• 20 per cent for cost of ownership
• 5 per cent for service intervals
• 5 per cent for number of days for vehicle to sell

Related: Buying a used Hyundai i30 (2012-2016)