New-car bargain gems: The Nissan X-Trail, Suzuki Swift and - controversially - Subaru WRX and Honda Civic are among the hybrids, SUVs, electric cars and hatches we'd buy | Opinion

When it comes to new cars, a bargain is relative.

It certainly doesn’t have to be the cheapest, but it should represent the best value when balancing price against affordability, functionality, driveability, reliability, quality and resale. And a little bit of something special besides also helps.

Here, then, are our bargain buys for Spring, 2024. Not the lowest prices (well, one is!), but all are high on value. Let’s go!

Suzuki Swift Hybrid

One of the biggest shocks of 2024 has been how keenly priced the Suzuki Swift Hybrid is. Starting from $24,490 drive-away, it basically costs the same as before despite gaining a lot more tech.

Yes, that’s for the five-speed manual opener – which is brilliant and we’re here for it anyway as we haven’t seen a hybrid that needed its gears changed since the Honda CR-Z – instead of the inexplicably steep $2500 jump to a CVT auto. And it’s a mild, rather than full-blown, hybrid system.

But the Swift’s all-new three-cylinder petrol powertrain employs a secondary battery and 2.3kW/60Nm motor as part of an integrated starter generator to boost both performance (gently) and economy (generously). How’s 3.8L/100km sound? Even the far-more expensive MG 3 full hybrid can’t match that.

Plus, base equipment levels improve where it counts, with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), lane-support systems, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, auto high beams, rear parking sensors, keyless entry/start, telescopic/tilt steering, wireless Apple CarPlay, DAB+ digital radio and heated mirrors now included.

Suzuki has sneakily cut a few previously-standard features in the cheapest Swift – most noticeably alloy wheels, a driver’s seat height adjuster, a leather steering wheel and a spare wheel (now optional), so you’ll need the $28,490 Hybrid Plus auto for all bar the latter.

But at least Australians starved for affordable choices can get into a new hybrid with all the essentials for base Mazda2 money. That the Japanese-made Swift is also cleverly engineered, thoughtfully packaged, refined, comfortable and a cracking drive is pure icing.

It also exposes how cynical BMW is with the similarly-sized Mini Cooper C, a non-hybrid which costs twice as much.

Kia Picanto Sport

At the beginning of this decade, Australian new-car buyers could choose between 17 different makes and models under $20,000 – including the Honda Jazz, Toyota Yaris, Skoda Fabia and even one ute, the Great Wall Steed.

Most are long-gone now, including the decrepit old-shape MG 3, leaving the Kia Picanto Sport manual and auto, as well as the GT-Line manual, as the sub-$20K survivors.

Thankfully, despite being narrow, the perky Picanto is perfectly serviceable as a four-seater supermini, with willing performance, decent steering, controlled handling, sufficient refinement and frugal economy. There’s also a seven-year warranty. Good on you, Kia, for still bothering.

Nissan X-Trail e-Power

Over 21 years and three generations, the Nissan X-Trail has proven to be a spacious and dependable family-friendly midsized SUV buy. But rarely was it exceptional in any outstanding way.

Then, in 2022, the fourth iteration launched with a hybrid option known as e-Power. In a nutshell, a small petrol engine keeps a battery charged that powers an electric motor that turns all four wheels. This means electricity is always driving the vehicle.

That’s the theory. In practice, the X-Trial e-Power feels elevated in its performance and refinement, providing formidable acceleration, excellent all-wheel control and impressive smoothness. Sure, the petrol engine kicks in often, but it does so fairly quietly and always seamlessly. And all without the need to plug it in, so no range anxiety. It’s much closer to the electric vehicle (EV) experience than, say, a Toyota RAV4 hybrid.

The X-Trail e-Power isn’t perfect – it requires premium unleaded petrol, for instance – but, from $50,490 (all prices are before on-road costs unless otherwise stated) for the sufficiently-equipped ST-L, it does provide an exceptionally convincing stepping stone to full EV motoring, without the drawbacks.

And, if you can stretch to the $55,190 Ti, you’ll feel as pampered as in most premium alternatives.

With AWD as standard, it’s especially suitable for rural buyers, and the best all-round hybrid midsized SUV available right now.

Honda Civic LX e:HEV

This one’s a controversial one but hear us out.

The non-hybrid Civic VTi-LX turbo at $47,200 drive-away is highly capable but a bit too expensive for what it is and what you get, with a few specification anomalies that keep the Japanese hatchback from greatness.

Not so the LX e:HEV. Honda’s hybrid system enhances the Civic’s driving experience in the same way as a top-shelf performance-enhancing ‘pill’ allegedly would a world-class athlete, delivering a rousing stream of extra-velvety thrust, combined with real-world electrification-aided economy. Plus, that those missing features in the normal Civic are magically present in the hybrid somehow seals the deal.

But, wait: $55K drive-away is too much for a humble Civic, you may cry?

Well, when it has the measure of premium small-car alternatives costing much more from Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi in its packaging, presentation, performance, comfort and quality, our response is that the Honda is a classless cut-above small-car proposition at a more-accessible price – and therefore, the very definition of a bargain. We rest our case.

PS. In current Civic style, more is more: The Type R is one of the greatest new cars in the world, period.

Renault Megane E-Tech

In a similar way, the Renault Megane E-Tech is a compelling buy, bringing world-class EV tech, in a striking and luxurious package that questions the wisdom of choosing more-expensive European, Korean and Japanese EV SUV alternatives.

And that was our conclusion before the price was slashed some $10K to $54,990 plus ORC.

The term ‘French flair’ is a cliché, but the Renault deserves the accolade with its designer couture inside and out, while backing that up with a supple yet involving driving experience equal to EVs costing heaps more. Renault’s 125 years of making cars shows through here in spades.

Indeed, when a base Hyundai Kona Electric is almost the same price and Toyota’s bZ4X nudges $80K, the Megane E-Tech’s appeal is obvious.

Please, at least test-drive one before settling for a Tesla Model Y.

Whether you’re after an EV or not, the electric Renault deserves to be on everybody’s radar.

Subaru WRX

The 180kW front-wheel drive VW Golf GTI costs $56,090, the 235kW AWD Golf R from $70,590 and a 233kW BMW M135 xDrive some $6600 more. All have their fans.

But the 202kW Subaru WRX AWD starts from just $47,490, and in magnificent manual guise, presents a unique, highly-enjoyable and far-more attainable alternative that you can engage with like no dual-clutch transmission can emulate. It’s such a very welcome return to form for a series that began to lose its way following the era-defining Impreza Turbo original of the 1990s.

It’s a shame, then, that Subaru doesn’t offer the Levorg-by-any-other-name WRX Sportswagon in a base manual spec as well.

On second thoughts, if you need affordable five-door practicality in your hot hatch complete with a clutch pedal, there’s always the still-ferocious 206kW Hyundai i30 N front-driver, from an even-keener $46,200.

MG 4

The beauty of the MG 4 is that it rarely puts a foot wrong.

Besides starting from a startling $37,990 before on-road costs, the smartly-styled five-door EV from China is a fine example of the breed, with advanced engineering, a spacious cabin and dynamic driving characteristics. No similarly-priced alternative offers so much – even (and especially) the brand’s flawed ZS EV SUV.

The 4 does has a few foibles, including a pressing need to better tune the driver-assist safety systems to Australian roads, but even that cannot dim the luminescence of a proper new-age trailblazer. This MG brings us one step closer to the democratisation of the EV.