Short of chartering a private bus service, an MPV has got to be the best way to haul a large family or group of friends from point A to B. With the borders now open once again, having an MPV makes even more sense.
Want to go for a shopping day trip with your entire clique? Hop on. Impromptu drive to Genting for the weekend? Why not?
What if I told you that you can get a used seven-seater MPV for around what you would have to pay for a brand new compact sedan? It's true, the cheapest compact sedan you can buy from the dealer is a Mitsubishi Attrage, and that will set you back $92,999, which works out to an annual depreciation of $9,299.90.
So, here are the used MPVs that you can easily find for an annual depreciation of $10,000. Oh and the best part is, with used cars, you don't have to fork out for something that has a full 10-year COE left and that means the upfront cost is much lower as well.
We've arranged these MPVs by depreciation, in ascending sequence for your easy reference.
Typical cost: $21,500 - $66,800
Typical depreciation: $8,200 - $9,300
Annual road tax: $966
The Proton Exora is Malaysia's first home-grown MPV. Unlike the highly successful Wira and Saga of the past, the Exora isn't based on an existing Japanese car's platform. It's safe to say that Proton has got it right on its first try. As a budget-oriented people mover, the Exora checks all the boxes.
It is large and spacious inside, and while it doesn't even get close to the word luxury, it manages with its sturdy, utilitarian interior pieces.
With the manufacturer just right next to our sunny island, you won't really have to worry much should there be any repairs or parts required — you can probably get it all fixed at an affordable rate across the causeway.
Typical cost: $55,000 - $60,000
Typical depreciation: $8,400 - $9,400
Annual road tax: $956
If you are a frequent user of private hire vehicles, you would likely have sat in a Toyota Sienta at some point. The Sienta is a mini MPV that is able to sit seven despite its relatively compact size.
Today, the used Sienta that we are recommending is actually the first-generation model. Like the current one, the original Sienta is highly practical and will not burn a hole in your pocket.
Its cute and quirky design gives it a cheerful and lovable character, and that isn't all of its charm. Equipped with a perky 1.5-litre engine, drivers had reported that the Sienta is even able to scale Genting's steep slope at maximum capacity without any issue!
Typical cost: $35,000 (four years left) - $65,000 (seven years left)
Typical depreciation: $8,500 - $10,000
Annual road tax: $1,268 (2009 Wish 1.8l) - $1,458 (2007 Wish 1.8l)
At one point of time, the the Toyota Wish was likely the most common MPV on Singapore's roads. And it is easy to understand why. Sized appropriately, the Wish is highly practical while remaining easy to drive, and the best part of all, it is made by a brand that's widely regarded as the gold standard for reliability — Toyota.
With its popularity, spare parts and workshops that are familiar with the Toyota Wish are abundant. Thus, you can enjoy a truly worry-free ownership experience.
Equipped with a 1.8-litre engine, the road tax can be slightly costly, though you do get to enjoy that bit of additional power. And unlike the other cars in this list, there are two generations of the Toyota Wish that you can choose from, as well as a 2.0-litre variant, depending on your budget.
Typical cost: $61,600 - $88,500
Typical depreciation: $8,800 - $9,000
Annual road tax: $738 (2009 APV) - $960 (2012 APV)
APV stands for All Purpose Vehicle, and that's what it is. Whether your intention is to fetch a bunch of people, or a load of cargo, the boxy
Thanks to its boxy design, space has been maximised within the APV. Unlike many other MPVs, it has a spacious and highly useable third-row, making it a true-blue people hauler. The punchy 1.6-litre within has also been commended by owners for its useable power and sprightly acceleration .
Typical cost: $61,000 - $71,800
Typical depreciation: $9,100 - $10,000
Annual road tax: $888 (2009 Freed) - $956 (2008 Freed)
Yet another mini MPV, the compact
With respectable capacity despite its compactness, the Freed works out to be a really practical solution. Additionally, it is also equipped with sliding rear doors which enhances the ease of ingress and egress for passengers.
Its 1.5-litre engine is similar to what is found in the Honda Fit. But as expected of Honda's attention to detail, the engine was tweaked to produce a little more torque which makes it perfect for duty in an MPV.
Typical cost: $9,500 - $77,800
Typical depreciation: $9,000 - $10,000
Annual road tax: $1,174 (2010 Stream) - $1,468 (2007 Stream)
Many might consider getting an MPV to be the start of a mundane lifestyle when it comes to all things car related. You turn in the keys to your sporty coupe in exchange for an MPV at the moment you've decided to place a greater emphasis on family.
But that doesn't have to be the case, you could opt for the Honda Stream which has a sporty design. You can even search for an RSZ model which comes with a nice bodykit and tweaks to its damping to increase handling performance.
With a 1.8-litre engine and the plain fact that it is a Honda, you won't have to give up performance entirely with the Stream.
This article was first published in sgCarMart.
