Best small car, SUV and family car deals ahead of EOFY

The new-car market is set to break two records. It’s on track to become the biggest June to date — and the biggest sales month in Australian automotive history.

Encouraged by low interest rates and sharp prices, Australians are enjoying the best buying conditions since records were kept.

However, some of our most popular models are about to get dearer because the Australian dollar has dropped by almost 20 per cent against the yen in the past 12 months.

Japan is our biggest source of motor vehicles, accounting for one in three imports, and Japanese brands represent 52 per cent of all vehicle sales. Import transactions are in yen even if some models are built in Thailand, Britain or the US.

Once Japanese prices begin to creep up, analysts say, other brands probably will follow — whether or not currency fluctuations have an adverse effect on them.

This year’s guide to the best June 30 bargains has unprecedented significance because cars brought in under more favourable exchange rates are starting to run out and fresh imports at higher prices are beginning to arrive.

There are still plenty of bargains if you know where to look. Start with these...

Small cars

Australia’s long standing cheapest car is the Suzuki Celerio at $12,990 drive-away for a manual and $13,990 drive-away with auto. It’s a steal at this price — and it drives better than it looks.

The 2016 Suzuki Celerio.

The Nissan Micra finally has limboed to the price it should have been all along — $12,990 drive-away for a manual and $14,790 drive-away for an auto — because Nissan is clearing stock and dropping the model from its line-up. Buyers still will get full warranty coverage and parts and service back-up long after it disappears from showrooms.

The 2016 Nissan Micra.

Suzuki’s trusty Swift is still $15,990 drive-away for an automatic (or $17,490 drive-away for the Swift Navigator, with satnav, alloy wheels and fog lights).

The Hyundai Accent remains a low $15,990 drive-away for an automatic.

Hyundai is living up to its promise of sharpening the pencil now that the popular i20 is gone.

Toyota’s Yaris is also good buying at $17,990 drive-away for an auto (also about $2000 off its full RRP).

Fancy something European? The VW Polo is $18,990 drive-away with auto, Apple CarPlay and rear camera — and a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty in the June deal. Next size up in small cars, it’s hard to beat the Hyundai i30 at $19,990 drive-away with automatic, Apple CarPlay, rear camera and a five year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

Kia has maintained its $19,990 drive-away price on the facelifted Cerato sedan and hatch. At that price the updated base model lacks Apple CarPlay or rear camera (it gets front and rear sensors) but it is covered by Kia’s industry-leading seven-year/unlimited km warranty.

Want to save $1000 more? When we last checked, Kia still had 400 superseded Cerato sedan and hatch autos in stock for $18,990 drive-away

SUVs

Want a city-sized SUV with a sharp price and decent factory warranty coverage?

It’s hard to beat Mitsubishi’s ASX — it has long been $25,000 drive-away with auto, about $4000 off the original RRP, and has a five-year warranty.

The 2016 Mitsubishi ASX.

Step up in size to the Mitsubishi Outlander 2WD petrol — this month, it’s $27,990 drive-away with automatic, also about $4000 off the full RRP.

Meanwhile Holden is having a red-hot go on its entire SUV line-up.

The city-sized Trax LS is at a low $22,990 drive-away with auto. For $23,990 drive-away, you can get the Trax Active with bigger alloy wheels, sunroof and roof racks. Both get three years’ free servicing.

The recently facelifted Captiva5 continues at $25,990 drive-away. The seven-seat Captiva7 for $28,990 drive-away, both also with free servicing for three years.

Want to go bush? Holden is ripping up the heavy-duty Colorado7 as an update is due in August. The current model starts at $42,990 drive-away, about $5000 off the RRP.

Pay $46,990 drive-away for the Colorado7 Trailblazer (warming us up for the name change with the new model) which comes with 18-inch alloys, leather seats (electric adjustment for the driver), heated front seats, fog lights, bonnet protector and more. Both get three years’ free servicing.

The slow-selling Ford Kuga isn’t bad buying (a facelift will come later this year) at $29,490 drive-away for the Mk II Ambiente automatic.

Renault has taken the knife to the Captur SUV: $25,990 drive-away for one in a plain colour but with automatic, satnav and rear-view camera. Pay $26,990 drive-away for the same car in metallic paint. To sweeten the deal there’s a five-year/unlimited km warranty. Anyone planning to carry passengers take note: the Captur has no airbag protection for rear occupants.

The 2016 Renault Captur.

Discounts on the Toyota RAV4 are rare but the base model auto is $31,990 drive-away this month.

The other surprise in the Toyota showroom: the base model Fortuner GX seven-seat 4WD is now $49,990 drive-away with auto and alloy wheels. That’s about $5000 off the full RRP.

Family cars

The Toyota Camry has crept up $1000 to $27,990 drive-away — but it comes with genuine zero finance. Pay it off over 36 months, no balloon, no hidden charges.

Bring cash or arrange outside finance and you can pay $26,990 drive-away, although if you finance it elsewhere you’ll finish up paying more than $27,990 over the life of the loan.

The 2016 Toyota Camry.

Did you know Nissan sells a Camry rival? The Altima isn’t a bad car and is $27,990 drive-away with auto. It can’t match the Camry’s service costs and its resale value is lower.

Holden has a Camry rival, too. The Malibu is now a super-low $24,990 drive-away. It has cheap servicing costs but weak resale value.

Do any of these EOFY deals appeal to you? Tell us what you think in the comments below.