The cheap cars Australia needs now! Toyota, Suzuki, Hyundai and others that could bring cut-price cars to local shores

You might have noticed that along with almost everything else you’re buying at the moment, new cars are generally quite expensive.

The reason is a perfect storm of factors. The main one among them is the fact that COVID-related supply chain issues have risen the cost of supplier parts, and a collective desire for individual transportation over public transport in the face of a global pandemic has changed the status quo of supply and demand.

Other factors affecting Australia specifically include strict minimum ADR crash safety requirements, as well as the desirable maximum five-star ANCAP safety requirements, both of which mean many automakers are forced to send us cars with similar spec to Europe.

These are cars packed with not only a high degree of safety technology, but also ones which have expensive emissions-reducing features which are not yet a requirement for the Australian market.

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Yet, overseas, there are plenty of cars which could be compelling price-leading options in Australia, but aren’t offered for a variety of reasons. Here are some of our favourites, and some reasons why we think they should be offered, as well as what we know about why they aren’t.

Note: The prices for each model in this article are raw conversions from prices in each vehicle's local market, and do not necessarily reflect the prices they could be sold at locally once shipping, compliance, and local costs are factored in.

Hyundai Casper

The Casper is a quirky SUV relative of the Kia Picanto.

From $15,165 (converted from ₩)

Hyundai is so far from the cut-price alternative to mainstream Japanese automakers which it was in the ‘90s, now fielding some of Australia’s best and most competitive products in multiple categories.

The trouble is, since the demise of the Accent hatchback in 2019, the most affordable Hyundai money can buy is now the Hyundai Venue manual, which starts from $21,740 before on-road costs, and nearly $24k for the auto.

This has left a notable vacancy at the entry-point to the range, which we think would be filled nicely by the Casper - a brand new sub-compact SUV offered in the South Korean domestic market.

This little jigger is powered by a little 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine and has super fun city car styling which would make it an apt rival to the likes of the Suzuki Ignis or Kia Picanto.

Hyundai Australia hasn’t outright ruled the Casper out for a local launch, but they have said that it’s unlikely. It’s not hard to see why, with the little car only built in left-hand drive for now, although the Casper does pack auto emergency braking and other key safety tech. Regardless, as is the story with many light cars, the brand also runs the risk of adding a less-than-five-star ANCAP safety-rated vehicle to their fleet.

Toyota Raize

This cut-price Toyota would only add to the brand's strong offering in Australia.

From $18,240 (converted from ¥)

The Toyota Raize is another sub-compact SUV, falling into a lower size bracket than even the existing Yaris Cross. Toyota has a dominating position and the Australian market, and knows consumers are willing to pay more to get into its popular SUV range.

The issue with the Yaris Cross is that it’s far from ‘cheap’. Even a base non-hybrid GX auto (with steel wheels and plastic hubcaps, no less) costs a whopping $26,990 before on-roads. Yikes.

This leaves plenty of space in the Toyota line-up for yet another SUV, albeit a more affordable, non-hybrid option like the Raize. 

The best things about this little SUV is its fun, boxy style, practical interior space, and a flexible choice of either a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo producing 72kW/140Nm, or a 1.2-litre engine in hybrid (78kW/170Nm) or non-hybrid (64kW/113Nm) forms.

Toyota Australia seems to put the Raize in the basket of unsuitable vehicles for our market, with the key reason likely being range-cannibalisation with the pricier Yaris Cross, and perhaps the chance of running into issues with ANCAP given the little SUV is developed for urban Japan or South East Asian markets. In terms of parts commonality, it would also be the only Daihatsu-based Toyota offered in Australia.

Suzuki Hustler

Practical, clever and, most importantly, fun, the Hustler would make a fine addition to Suzuki's local line-up.

From $15,000 (converted from ¥)

Suzuki already has a fun city car line-up populated with the likes of the Ignis, Jimny and Swift, and the brand is certainly doing its part to provide Australians with affordable alternatives to some of its big-name rivals.

Why not double down then and offer even more stylish alternatives from Japan? The Hustler is essentially a more fun and practical version of what the Ignis already claims to offer.

It is also more recently updated than the Ignis, offering auto emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and other more advanced safety features which more cars in the Suzuki line-up could benefit from.

In Japan it also scores a mild-hybrid powertrain, with fuel consumption claimed to be as low as 4.0L/100km, but also with the option of all-wheel drive to back its tough looks and give it a chance on slippery surfaces like gravel or ice. Power is sourced from a 660cc three-cylinder turbocharged engine, required to match Japanese Kei car regulations, producing just 47kW/98Nm, less than ideal for the average Aussie buyer.

Suzuki has mentioned to CarGuide before that its looking to change things in its current line-up, and that some platform-share vehicles with Toyota and Kei-vehicles like the Hustler are absolutely possibilities as it looks to replace the now-discontinued Baleno, S-Cross, and ageing Ignis.

Nissan Note

The Note would make an intriguing hybrid rival to the likes of the Toyota Corolla, Kia Cerato, and Mazda 3.

From $21,700 (converted from ¥)

Nissan has a Toyota Corolla and Hyundai i30-sized gap burning a hole in its local line-up. Sure, the brand offers the electric-only Leaf which is the right shape and size, but the problem is it costs over $50,000.

This is made worse by looking at the brand’s Japanese line-up, which prominently features the Note hatch. This spiritual successor to the likes of the Pulsar starts from just the equivalent of $21,700 in Japan and is available with the brand’s e-Power hybrid system which drives the wheels exclusively with electric motors, using a 1.2-litre four-cylinder combustion engine as a power generator. Total power output for the more basic front-wheel-drive version is a Corolla hybrid beating 85kW/280Nm.

It’s a little more crossover-styled than a standard hatchback, but also offers electric all-wheel drive, with this version adding a second 50kW/100Nm motor on the rear axle.

Nissan in Australia has been very up-front about its plans to focus on SUVs going forward, with even its tech-leading Leaf rumoured to be replaced by a small SUV for its next generation, and it has stated in the past that the new Note which launched in 2020 is not part of its immediate product plans.

Mitsubishi Xpander

The Xpander doesn't quite tick all the boxes for Australia, but with a few tweaks it could make an interesting SUV-like entry offering.

$31,350 (converted from ฿)

Up until the release of the new-generation Outlander, Mitsubishi could make the claim that it had one of the most affordable new seven-seaters on the market with the outgoing version.

This is still the case, but the new-generation Outlander has significantly jumped in price to $36,490 before on-road costs. This leaves a nearly $6000 hole at the entry-point of the market if you need a seven-seat SUV.

Enter the Mitsubishi XPander. Part SUV, part people mover, this little truckster, which size-wise slots between the ASX and Eclipse Cross, is truly a South East Asian special. In fact, it’s not even sold in Japan.

We think there would be a place for it as the market’s entry-point to a simple car like this with seven seats, which in other markets offers the latest Mitsubishi styling and a decent multimedia offering, wrapped in a very conveniently-sized package which could work just as well in the gravel outback as it could in the confines of a city.

However, perhaps because of its development exclusively for the South East Asian markets of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines, the Xpander with just two airbags and rudimentary active safety is woefully under-equipped to face our local crash safety trials. 

After Mitsubishi’s most recent PR disaster in the form of a zero-star ANCAP rating for its Express van ended up sending that Renault-based vehicle to an early grave, we’re sure it will steer clear of the Xpander in Australia for the time being.