5 Cars That Feel More Premium Than Their Price Tags Suggest!

Technological advancements have afforded automakers the ability to equip even the most basic of cars with some pretty fancy gizmos and gadgets. Widespread adoption of these technologies have driven down production costs of said items, enabling more to be fitted to a car than ever before. We’d argue that the cars of today are of much better value than they have ever been, being increasingly fitted with ever more high-tech safety features, fabrication methods and modern materials. Some cars though, have even more tech and luxuries in than their pricetags may suggest. Here are 5!

The current generation Cerato is a handsome looking thing indeed. It has an unashamedly European look to it, a massive step-up even against its predecessor. It still is the value buy that it always has been though; all trim levels come with alloy wheels and have a well-put together interior with design cues borrowed from Kia’s larger, and more powerful, Stinger saloon.

Sure, it may have switchgear that came from the Hyundai/Kia Group parts bin, but nothing looks or feels out of place, and that cohesiveness is what convinces you that there is an air of quality about it. Power comes from a 1.6litre 4 pot lifted straight from the previous generation car, though with 130bhp and a 6-speed automatic gearbox, it doesn’t let the rest of the car down!

The Superb sits on the very underpinnings that Volkswagen used to create its Passat. As the latter is designed to compete with cars in the executive segment (the Superb is not), the Superb benefits from a relatively plush ride that rivals some cars in the aforementioned executive segment. Cabin space is more generous than any of the offerings from Japan, and you can expect a well-equipped cabin, with components courtesy of Volkswagen-Audi Groups not insignificant portfolio of cars.

Even the lower-spec variant, which utilises a 1.8 litre engine instead of the larger 2.0 litre unit, impresses. Kicking out 180bhp, the engine has more than sufficient power to propel this saloon to 100km/h in just 8.1 seconds. It also comes with a clever Eco-mode, that allows you to decouple the transmission and engine when coasting so you save some fuel!

If you don’t like the drone of a 1.4 litre 4 pot under load, then do consider the Hyundai i30. The powerplant puts down 138bhp to the road through an in-house developed 7-Speed DCT gearbox, but the impressive thing about the combo is the amount of torque it has low down. This means the engine doesn’t have to work all that hard, especially in city driving situations, reducing drone from the engine, but also burning less petrol.

It has the styling to back its impressive drivetrain, and its spec sheet isn’t too shabby as well; the i30 comes with a reversing camera, hill-start assist control (HAC), which holds the brakes when starting on a hill, and an electric parking brake (EPB) which activates at the end of your journey.

The cabin of the latest Mazda 3 is a fine example of good user experience design. Coupling some seriously futuristic swooshes with soft-touch trim in common touchpoints, it really is a pleasant place to rack up some mileage in. Their thoughtfulness goes far beyond just some nicely covered squishy bits though; higher spec variants have a sound system co-developed with Bose for optimal speaker placement for better audio performance, and even the headlining fabric has been specifically chosen for the same purpose.

The powerplant also promises improved fuel economy, and the M-Hybrid system means the car has more power off-the-line, whilst burning less petrol. Other modern tech in the car includes features such as Distance & Speed Alert (DSA) and Smart Brake Support (SBS), which is a system that warns and reacts in the case of an emergency.

The 2.0 litre motor in Audi’s entry in small executive segment puts out 190bhp, but its biggest selling point has to be its low-end grunt, which, combined with its 7-speed Dual-Clutch transmission, makes for a nice driving car indeed. Fuel economy is also one of this A4's best selling points, with its B-Cycle engine returns an impressive 19.2km/l... we got 26.4km/l with some mild hypermiling. The car turns in well, and rides well too, fitting well into its intended purpose of offering a relaxed driving experience.

On the road, the engine noise is barely audible in the cabin. That isn’t surprising though, as we all expect a German manufacturer to make some seriously quality vehicles, and that quality continues in the fit-and-finish of the dashboard, which has been lavished with lashings of quality material. It also comes with a generous spec sheet, and excellent fuel economy, making this probably the best value premium German saloon on sale in Singapore today!

Depending on your needs and your budget, you really can’t go wrong with any of the cars mentioned in this list. However, do consider purchasing a used vehicle from our extensive classifieds if you’re seeking to extract the maximum bang-for-your-buck! With thousands of listings for almost any kind of car that you can find on our roads, there is bound to be something for everyone!

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Credits: Jek Ray Low