Best Value Cars
Gallery 1
Style and substance meet in the premium hatch showdown
1. Citroen DS3 D Sport WHETHER it’s D Style or D Sport, Citroen’s forward-looking DS3 leads the premium compact class for value. Unlike many in the segment (see Mini Cooper), it defies retro to deliver a new take on Euro-cool hatch. But the true beauty of the DS3, as our Gold Star Value analysis reveals, is that it’s both the adventurous and the sensible choice.
The $30K D Sport is pricier than the Style, but more economical at 6.7L/100km (on 95 RON fuel). Resale is reasonable for the class, at 59 percent, while annual insurance is at the cheaper end of the scale at $1053. Its 12-month service interval is as good as it gets, and the six-year warranty sets it apart in this class.
2. Mini Cooper THIRD-GEN Cooper is no longer quite so mini, but still big on value. Miserly 4.7L/100km fuel figure counts for plenty, while consistent showings elsewhere help it to the silver medal.
3. Volvo V40 D2 Kinetic TURBO-DIESEL economy and solid resale help V40’s bid, while its 4.2L/100km turbo-diesel economy and 12-month service interval drive the Volvo’s value equation home in convincing fashion.
| Premium Compact <$50k | Purchase Price | Comb. Fuel (L/100km) | Fuel RON (min. rec.) | 3-year fuel cost | Redbook resale (%) | 3-year deprec. | AAMI insurance prem. | Service interval (months) | Warranty (years) |
| Citroen DS3 D Sport | $29,990 | 6.7 | 95 | $4072 | 59 | $12,295 | $1053.19 | 12 | 6 |
| Mini Cooper | $26,650 | 4.7 | 98 | $3018 | 61 | $10,393 | $1147.34 | 12 | 3 |
| Volvo V40 D2 Kinetic | $36,990 | 4.2 | D | $2538 | 66 | $12,576 | $1159.27 | 12 | 3 |
Notable classmates: Lexus CT200h, Mercedes-Benz A180 / Number of cars crunched: 9
