Explore NUSED™
The all-new way to shop new and quality used cars available to drive away now.
Best Sedans under $40k
1.Toyota Camry
8.0
3 badges available
$39,990 - $53,990*MRLP
What we love
- -Looks great
- -Drives beautifully
- -Cheap to own and run
What we don't
- -Whistle around the wing mirrors
- -Plastic steering wheel
- -Front seats are not as comfortable as they look
2.Toyota Corolla
8.0
4 badges available
$32,110 - $70,490*MRLP
What we love
- -Engine punches harder than it has any right to
- -Automatic doesn't diminish the GR Corolla's character
- -Easier to live with daily than the manual version
What we don't
- -Small interior
- -Limited boot capacity
- -Misses out on several storage opportunities
3.SKODA Octavia
7.8
2 badges available
$39,590 - $59,990*MRLP
What we love
- -Cleverly packaged and roomy interior
- -Practical equipment touches suited to family use
- -Efficient and torquey engine
What we don't
- -Missing features found on rivals like speed sign recognition and connected services
- -Can become rough and noisy on rural roads
- -Laggy accelerator response off the line
4.Kia K4
7.6
4 badges available
$30,590 - $42,990*MRLP
What we love
- -Bigger and more spacious than ever
- -Warmed-up performance and good handling characteristics
- -Still rocking Kia's seven-year warranty
What we don't
- -Overbearing safety technology can still make you cranky
- -Doesn't ride as well as others in the segment
- -1.6-litre turbo engine is a little thirsty
5.Hyundai i30
7.4
5 badges available
$29,250 - $56,200*MRLP
What we love
- -Excellent real-world fuel economy
- -Nicely appointed and spacious interior
- -Well-sorted ride comfort
What we don't
- -Three-star ANCAP safety rating
- -More expensive to service than key rival
- -Infuriating speed sign recognition system
6.Mazda 6
7.4
3 badges available
$36,290 - $55,685*MRLP
What we love
- -Buttery-smooth powertrain
- -Upmarket-feeling interior
- -Unobtrusive active safety systems
What we don't
- -Dated and slow infotainment system
- -Thirsty turbocharged engine
- -Limited rear leg room
7.Mazda 2
7.2
1 badge available
$26,990 - $28,190*MRLP
What we love
- -Fun city car handling
- -Premium-looking exterior
- -Reasonable running costs
What we don't
- -Squeezy rear seat
- -Interior lacks much-needed storage
- -Auto transmission needs to be smarter around town
8.Mazda 3
7.2
2 badges available
$31,310 - $43,310*MRLP
What we love
- -Interior looks and feels like a luxury car
- -Refined and responsive when driving in town
- -More striking to look at than most price-matched rivals
What we don't
- -Vision Technology option pack adds features, but detracts from the driving experience
- -Fuel-saving tech introduces refinement issues
- -Practicality takes a hit in the name of style
9.MG MG5
6.9
2 badges available
$24,990 - $31,990*MRLP
What we love
- -Sporty styling
- -Responsive steering
- -Value for money
What we don't
- -Lack of safety features and ANCAP safety rating
- -Frustrating turbo lag
- -Noisy cabin
Drive's Best Cars
Drive's team of experts reviews and rates hundreds of the latest models each year to help you find your next new car. Browse our Best Car lists to discover how different models rank against each other and what our team loves and doesn't love about these top-rating vehicles.
* ‘MRLP’ is the manufacturer’s recommended list price as provided by our data provider and is subject to change, so is provided to you for indicative purposes only. Please note that MRLP is inclusive of GST, but is exclusive of any options and does not include on-road costs such as registration, CTP, stamp duty and dealer delivery. Where an MRLP is stated as a price range, this reflects the lowest to highest MRLP provided for that model range across the available variants.
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