As a petrolhead, we all aspire to own multiple types of cars, be it a executive sedan with a silky-smooth engine, or a pocket rocket for hooning around town.
Realistically speaking, sensible car buyers won’t be purchasing multiple cars; instead, they will be buying one car that can do it all – transporting their family in comfort and yet practical enough for a weekend shopping spree.
With a set budget of RM 100,000, let’s take a closer look at which used cars can do it all.
Honda Civic FC – The only sedan in this list, for a good reason
If you’re a petrolhead but already have a family, perhaps a used Honda Civic FC would be right up your alley.
With prices of used units on Carsome hovering below the RM 100k mark, a used Honda Civic FC does offer plenty of features for the money. Plus, the Civic FC is also the best driver’s car in this list.
For starters, by opting for the top-spec Civic 1.5 TC-P variant, buyers will get the sweet turbocharged 1.5-litre VTEC Turbo 4-cylinder petrol engine that does 173 PS and 220 Nm, hooked up to a CVT type automatic.
The 1.5 TC-P variant also offers LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, 6 airbags, leather seats, and dual-zone automatic climate control. All variants of the Civic FC offer a 7-inch infotainment system with support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The downside of the Civic FC is the lack of 60:40 split folding rear seats, which hampers its practicality. Honda Malaysia remedied that upon the introduction of the facelifted Civic in 2020, but those units are priced above the RM 100k mark.
Honda HR-V – The de-facto B-segment crossover for the longest time
Another Honda in this list is the RU-generation Honda HR-V. Introduced in 2015, the Honda HR-V went on to become Malaysia’s best-selling B-segment crossover, outselling rivals like the Ford EcoSport and Toyota C-HR.
A quick check on Carsome reveals that the RM 100k budget can net you a facelifted 2019 Honda HR-V, and that’s a good thing.
The facelifted Honda HR-V gains a restyled exterior, now with reflector LED headlights on upper variants, sleek LED tail lights, and even 18-inch alloy wheels (RS variant only, lower variants get 17-inch units). There’s also a hybrid variant for those who wants to squeeze every drop of fuel.
But the HR-V’s magic happens on the inside – not only does the HR-V shame larger SUVs when it comes to practicality, its multi-utility (not Ultra Seats) rear seats are bar-none. Need to store taller items at the rear? Flip the rear seats up and you can store taller items with ease.
Head-unit feels cheap, a contrast with the rest of the car
The downside is that the facelifted Honda HR-V’s infotainment system is borderline garbage – there’s no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay and visibility under direct sunlight is abysmal at best.
Honda Malaysia did fix this with a running change in early 2021, replacing the dreaded head unit with a much improved one with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. Keep an eye out for this if you’re in the market for a used HR-V. The easiest way to tell is the number of buttons on the right side – the updated head unit has 6 buttons on the right, whilst the older unit has 4 buttons, as well as a cover that hides the HDMI and USB ports.
Proton X70 – Used CR-Vs are too expensive, why not a used X70 then?
Introduced in 2018 as the first model under the new Proton and Geely partnership, the Proton X70 went on to become one of Malaysia’s best-selling SUVs.
Thanks to depreciation, a used Proton X70 can now be had for well below the RM 100k mark on Carsome. A 3-year-old X70 1.8 Premium now goes for as low as RM 90k, a substantial drop when it was new (RM 123k). And at this price range, you’re looking at the initial imported (CBU) batch.
Although the Proton X70 may be Proton’s first-ever SUV, the donor SUV, the Geely Boyue, has been a very popular SUV in China, making it an excellent candidate.
The top-spec X70 1.8 Premium does offer a lot for the money, including automatic LED headlights, gorgeous 19-inch alloy wheels, comfortable Nappa leather upholstery, ADAS suite, and even a panoramic sunroof.
All variants of the Proton X70 offer a very resolved ride comfort. Bumps and rough roads are well insulated from the cabin. Moreover, Proton has done a swell job with sound insulation with the X70.
The flipside is that the Proton X70, regardless of variant, can get rather thirsty behind the wheel. On average with town driving, the Proton X70 returns about 9-litre/100 km, while the Honda CR-V can manage 7-litre/100 km.
Said C-segment also lacks support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which is a let-down, considering how well-appointed the cabin is.
Nissan Serena – Far from the most exciting choice, but gets the job done
No list would be complete without the mention of the Nissan Serena. After all, for one car to do it all, it’s hard to fault the Serena in this aspect.
On Carsome, prices of a used Nissan Serena hover around the RM 100k mark. The earlier C26-generation model is even cheaper, but we can’t recommend that model as it only has two airbags; insufficient for a modern-day family MPV.
Not only does the Nissan Serena offer dual power sliding doors, it also offers a trick split-opening tailgate, a boon when needing to access the boot area when reverse parked in a tight spot.
The C27 Nissan Serena also offers 7 USB ports throughout the cabin, ensuring that everyone’s devices are fully charged. There’s also Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for infotainment duties.
The downside is that the Nissan Serena lacks a power tailgate, so female owners may have difficulties closing the tailgate.
Subaru Forester – Symmetrical AWD for go-anywhere, do-anything families
For families with an active lifestyle, especially those who go jungle trekking or camping sites, there’s no better family SUV than the Subaru Forester.
Thanks to its Symmetrical AWD system, the Forester can tackle light-to-medium off-road stuff with relative ease.
Used units of the Subaru Forester are priced around the RM 100k mark on Carsome, which given its off-road capabilities, is a pretty decent price.
That said, potential owners should give a used Forester a once over at an authorized Subaru dealer to fix all wear and tear bits, ensuring a trouble-free ownership experience.
Conclusion – Different body styles for different needs, but these cars can do it all
Each and every vehicle mentioned here is suitable as a “do-it-all” family car, subject to your individual family needs and family size.
For smaller families, cars like the Honda HR-V or Honda Civic would suffice, owing to Honda’s well-known practicality.
If your family has more than 5 members, then the Serena is definitely worth checking out.
With all said and done, which family car is your pick?
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