{"id":24939,"date":"2021-10-27T10:00:46","date_gmt":"2021-10-27T02:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carsome.my\/news\/?p=24939"},"modified":"2022-06-30T13:06:12","modified_gmt":"2022-06-30T05:06:12","slug":"best-cars-for-first-time-drivers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carsome.my\/news\/item\/best-cars-for-first-time-drivers","title":{"rendered":"Buying Your First Car? Here Are the Best Cars for First Time Drivers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buying a new car is always an exciting experience, even more so for new drivers. However, choosing the best car for first-time drivers can be a daunting task with so many cars available in the market. You\u2019d have to consider your needs such as space, comfort, fuel economy, ease of maintenance, ride quality, and the list goes on. And with limited time to survey and test drive suitable cars, you could have a long buying process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately, there are numerous resources to help you narrow down the right car. To help you decide, we\u2019ve considered the price, practicality, and fuel economy of some of the most popular cars in Malaysia to come up with a list of the best first cars you can buy in Malaysia<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Economical City Hatchback – Perodua Axia<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Perodua<\/p>\n

The <\/span>Perodua Axia<\/span><\/span><\/a> is among the most affordable new cars you can buy in Malaysia. It\u2019s great for drivers looking for a budget-friendly, compact, city car that\u2019s fuel-efficient and affordable to maintain. Powered by a 1.0L engine across the lineup, its price starts at RM23,367 for the base manual variant up to RM41,427 for the range-topping automatic AV variant. This small, five-door hatchback is big on practicality and economy. With a fuel efficiency of up to 22.5 km\/L and a low price, the Axia is the best first car for budget-conscious first-time drivers, especially students and young adults.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some notable features in this car are an anti-snatch hook to hold valuables such as a handbag and a key reminder so drivers don\u2019t leave their key in the ignition. The Axia even has Perodua\u2019s A.S.A. 2.0 safety suite, though only on the range-topping AV model.<\/span><\/p>\n

Best Economical Sedan – Perodua Bezza<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Perodua<\/p>\n

For those who want the fuel economy of the Axia but with more space, the <\/span>Perodua Bezza<\/span><\/a><\/span> is a good alternative. It\u2019s just as economical to drive and maintain as the Axia, but is a more practical car overall. Plus, It\u2019s available in two variants: a fuel-efficient 1.0L engine and a more powerful 1.3L engine. Its price starts at RM33,456 for a new 1.0L manual G variant up to RM48,356 for the top-of-the-range 1.3L automatic AV variant.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like its sibling, the Bezza has impressive practicality. It has similar fuel consumption numbers as the Axia, multiple storage compartments throughout the cabin, and a massive 508-liter boot – the largest in its class. On the highest-spec 1.3 AV, the Bezza even has Perodua\u2019s A.S.A. 2.0.<\/span><\/p>\n

Great Value Family Sedan – Proton Saga\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Proton<\/p>\n

As Malaysia\u2019s first national car, the <\/span>Proton Saga<\/span><\/a><\/span> has gone through many updates and remains one of the best sedan cars for first-time drivers. Its large boot space, good NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) dampening, ease of maintenance, and ride quality makes the Saga a sound choice for drivers who are looking for a spacious car that they can drive for years. It\u2019s robust enough to carry you through different life stages, such as when you start a family.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Saga is among the most affordable sedans you can buy. It starts at RM32,800 for a new 1.3L manual transmission Standard variant and tops out at RM42,800 for the R3 Limited Edition. Being a sedan, the Saga has a decent 420-liter boot that can fit multiple luggage bags – suitable for families. As a budget car, the Saga is also affordable to maintain. Compared to other cars in its price range, it has better handling and ride quality. Thanks to Proton\u2019s ride and handling tuning, the Saga is suitable for drivers who do a fair bit of long-distance driving on highways and winding backroads.<\/span><\/p>\n

Best Value International Car – <\/span>Honda City<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Honda<\/p>\n

The <\/span>Honda City<\/span><\/a><\/span> is a great value-for-money non-local sedan. It\u2019s one of the best first cars for first-time drivers who have a bigger budget. With its higher price tag, it\u2019s also equipped with more features, better NVH dampening, and more power than the other cars on this list making it a great car for drivers who want a more refined vehicle. It\u2019s powered by a 1.5L engine mated to an automatic CVT (continuously variable transmission). Prices for new units range from RM73,851.27 for the base 1.5L S variant up to RM105,610.45 for the 1.5L RS hybrid variant.<\/span><\/p>\n

Compared to the previous cars mentioned above, the City is bigger overall. This means the City has a roomier cabin that\u2019s more comfortable especially on long drives. Additionally, it has a boot space of 519 liters which is the biggest on this list. Although it\u2019s the largest car here, it has good fuel consumption at 18.5 km\/L for the regular petrol variant and 27.8 km\/L for the hybrid variant.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Its extensive list of features includes rear air conditioning vents, 60:40 foldable rear seats, ECON driving mode, and Hill Start Assist (HSA) across the range. The hybrid RS variant includes additional safety features in the Honda SENSING suite of technologies and Honda CONNECT. Honda CONNECT allows owners to connect their car to their smartphone and monitor its location, car diagnostics status, and remotely start or stop the engine, among other things.<\/span><\/p>\n

Overall Best First Car – Perodua Myvi<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Perodua<\/p>\n

The <\/span>Perodua Myvi<\/span><\/a><\/span> is Malaysia\u2019s top-selling car for good reason. It\u2019s stylish, practical, and equipped with loads of safety features. These also make it one of the best first cars in Malaysia. The Myvi is a great car for new drivers as it\u2019s compact, making it easy to maneuver around town. That being said, its efficient design allows for a roomy cabin. If you\u2019re looking for a stylish first car that you\u2019ll be comfortable in for years, the Myvi is it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A brand new Myvi starts at RM41,292 for the base 1.3L engine manual transmission G variant and RM52,697 for the top of the range 1.5L engine automatic AV range. The Myvi is one of the best cars for first-time drivers as it\u2019s reliable, spacious, fuel-efficient, and affordable to maintain. Even if you plan to upgrade the Myvi to a bigger car after a few years, you could get a good price on it as Myvis tend to hold their value quite well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All variants have the essential safety features you\u2019d expect from a modern car but the top variants come with Perodua\u2019s Advanced Safety Assist (A.S.A. 2.0) which includes pre-collision warning, pre-collision braking, front departure alert, and pedal misoperation control.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tips for Buying Your First Car<\/span><\/h2>\n

Buying a car involves numerous steps from researching, securing a car loan, to test driving the car. With all the steps required and factors to consider, it can be challenging and time-consuming to purchase the right car. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve compiled some tips to help you buy your first car.<\/span><\/p>\n