3 Cars You’ve Probably Never Paid Much Attention To, But Are Worth The Gamble

Judging by how COE trends operate nowadays, it comes as no surprise that car purchases are one of the most important decisions in our life. It needs little reminding that a license to own a car for 10 years has reached six figures. If this ain’t enough to put you in a spot of bother, new cars we can buy nowadays (like this BYD) have tweaked specs to steer within the “cheaper” end of the COE spectrum. Perhaps this has prompted a local landscape that has no choice but to play it safe, and offer more affordable cars tuned for mass market appeal.

That brings us to differentiation - if you’re not keen to buy what’s served as standard fare, Carousell’s used car classifieds can supply the platform for you to be more creative in your car buying decisions. These 3 cars do not have glaringly inflated annual depreciations (a rarity nowadays), have flown under the radar since their introduction, and are on track to be the funky alternative for those who thrive on walking paths less explored.

Opel Adam

Depreciation: S$14k per year

It takes some courage to name a car model after its founder. Wait, isn’t that common in the car world? Sure, that works for Japanese car manufacturers. But when the Opel Adam launched in 2012 was named after its German entrepreneur founder, we can’t help but figure that it must possess some special qualities.

Calling it a momentous period in Opel’s history would be a stretch, but it did collect a couple of design awards in its early years. City cars like the Adam were a tough sell back then, with consumers preferring more practical compacts like the VW Golf, or even compact SUVs like the Mokka (which incidentally started life the moment the Adam ceased production). But it looks like nothing else on the road now, and that’s exactly what some car buyers are looking for in 2023.

Ssangyong Tivoli

Depreciation: S$13k per year

Ssangyong’s Tivoli is going for Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid money, brand new. It’s a tough sell then, but luck plays in its favour in the used car market - a similar depreciation Tivoli can only snag you a lower-spec Yaris, or one with multiple owners and higher mileage.

Its 1.6-litre turbo diesel beneath the hood is tuned for efficiency and daily duties, so it should have no issues covering good, stress-free ground on local tarmac. Sure, those in the classifieds are not part of the 2019 facelift generation, but in a way that gives it a more rugged, utilitarian appeal. Fun fact: the 2019 Tivoli was launched in conjunction with Carousell Autos at Bedok Mall!

Peugeot 107

Depreciation: S$9k per year

A French used car recommendation? You heard that right - it’s pretty much as uncertain as Russian roulette, and their reputation for being as tough as paper teapots might ring true in some instances. But concessions can be made when depreciation is tiered at less than S$750 per month.

Even more so when the Peugeot 107 is basically a rebadged version of the Toyota Aygo. It wasn’t the most reliable subcompact even with Toyota’s know-how. But if you’ve ever been rear-ended, hunting for a new light cluster could be less troublesome than envisioned - it shares the same parts as a Citroen C1! This is a quirky sample, so bizarre that it has popped on a Proton-branded steering wheel. Leaps of faith don't get much more blurry than this, but boy will it be absolutely bang for buck if it holds up.

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Selling your car? Whatever the reason, caryousell@carousell, sell your car at the highest price today.