These 3 Used Sedans In Singapore Deserve More Recognition Than High Riding Counterparts

I was recently stuck in a lengthy jam in Bangkok (largely due to APEC 2022 preparations) and just like any petrolhead, stagnant traffic alludes to a profound exercise of vehicle observation. Scores of pick-up trucks stuffed with fresh produce? Check. Hulking SUVs that barely fit the lane? Check. Toyota Alphards rushing to the next drop-off lobby? For sure, these are common sights on Thai tarmac. But a more profound scan revealed a couple of cars with profiles dwarfed by these high riding machines.

Could it be a Subaru BRZ, or are we looking at an Audi A7’s sloping roofline at best? Nope, it was the 8th-gen Toyota Camry. How times have changed - the vehicle in question is a mid-sized sedan with a primary intent to pamper rear passengers. And yet still manages to look sporty with a fairly low slung roofline. It’s ironic to witness the once fail-safe sedan interpretation slowly finding its way in history books, and yet still look fresh when pitched beside towering counterparts.

Can the sedan silhouette make a stunning comeback? It might not be a preferred profile nowadays, but we can still celebrate the fact that we can still hunt down proper pre-owned examples in Singapore. Never in our wildest dreams would we call family sedans sporty. But the goalposts have shifted and these three examples now exude more athleticism (not forgetting less drag and more efficiency) than their elevated compatriots.

Mazda 6

Some might argue that the Mazda 6 sedan lugged along a mixed bag of tricks for far too long. A naturally aspirated engine and 6-speed automatic transmission wrapped in a sedan shell sounds nowhere near groundbreaking innovation by modern standards. But these attributes make the Mazda 6 one of the most involving mid-sized sedans at its price point till date. Kudos to Mazda for sticking with a 6-speed automatic in an era where CVTs exist in spades, as the gearbox responds to driver inputs with sufficient urgency to keep you entertained. This example might be equipped with the less powerful 2.0-litre / 162bhp powerplant, but its willingness to rev endows it with an old school enjoyment where you work hard for your speed. A silky soundtrack in the higher regions of the rev range makes for pleasant listening, too. Mazda might have punchier turbo petrol and diesel motors in its repertoire, but their high compression NA engines somehow manage to extract that final slice of fun when congestion makes way for open roads.

Volkswagen Passat

A Passat does not look like it packs sporty credentials. It’s an accolade best left for its Passat CC or Arteon siblings. It might appear bulky in this company, but it is still nowhere as titanic for those cross shopping for VW’s large SUVs like the Touareg. At this price point, we’d be hard-pressed to find another car in this form factor that can swallow golf bags in the boot effortlessly. This low mileage example was registered in 2020 and it runs on a 1.8-litre turbocharged motor. New Passats will come with a 2.0-litre turbo engine and 10 more horsepower, but you’ll be forking out at least S$6k of depreciation more than used examples. If you crave for more power but still want to pilot a brute in a suit, rewind two generations and secure the 3.6-litre Passat R36.

Toyota Camry Hybrid

Gone are the days where family sedans consume petrol with tank-like efficiency. Fuel figures can climb all the way up to 21km/l, if the vehicle in question is the Toyota Camry Hybrid. With its self-charging hybrid tech fine-tuned over two and half decades thanks to the Prius, we are relieved that this application is still reserved for sedans. Not for long though, given that Toyota’s first BEV flaunts a higher riding stance. Toyota’s “engine first, battery second” stance is exemplified in the Camry Hybrid. Withstanding the test of time both in terms of tech and form factor in typical Toyota fashion has paid dividends. While first movers eagerly anticipate the next big range crossover EV, we are quietly optimistic that Toyota can refine sedans even further using tried and tested techniques.

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