Financial Blog

Whether it’s a couple of years of religiously setting aside cash or you just got a big promotion at the office—regardless of the path you took to get here—the time has finally come: you’re in the market to buy your first new car! Gone are the days of living with the old and tired family wagon that always seems to pick the worst time to break down.

Unfortunately, buying a car doesn’t change the fact that you still have to get up early in the morning to do grown up tasks, nor does it change the bad traffic situation. But hey, at least you’ve earned the privilege of getting to the office in safety, style, comfort—at your own pace and not soaked in the rain when the storm hits.

With the excessive amount of options in the world of automobiles, choosing the right car to buy can be quite the task because whatever your budget, you’re still likely to be shelling out a significant amount of cash.

To make it easier for you, we’ve selected three of what we think are the best cars for every budget class that are perfect for any first-time buyer:

When buying your first new car—or anything new, for that matter—there’s always a desire to get the best deal possible—the so-called “bang-for-your-buck” deal. If you happen to share the same mindset as most of us, then you should consider the Honda City as a serious contender. It’s possibly the best choice for a car just under P800,000.

Under the hood, the City is powered by a 1.5L i-VTEC engine that produces 120hp. It’s more than enough to roll down the highway without feeling underpowered, and at the same time manage to be fuel efficient in stop-and-go city driving thanks to a dedicated Economy Mode that activates by a push of a button and adjusts engine output and transmission response to keep fuel consumption at a minimum.

Honda has always been known to possess a premium feeling interior, and the City is no different. The cabin is spacious even when full, filled with soft-touch materials scattered in various touch points on the dash and doors, unlike the dull hard plastic typically found in vehicles at a similar price point.

With an all-new chassis, 6-speed automatic transmission, and Mazda’s proprietary Skyactiv engine technology, the third-generation Mazda 3 is ready to impress those who are in the market for a more spacious, powerful, and fun-to-drive car.

The 2.0L engine delivers more than 150hp in a handsome package that is Mazda’s recently adopted Kodo or “Soul of motion” design philosophy, making the car appear even more striking and dynamic than most vehicles on the road.

For daily driving, the Mazda 3’s iEloop regenerative braking system and iStop start-stop technology greatly increases energy efficiency in city conditions—features that come in extra handy when you inevitably find yourself stuck in EDSA traffic. In addition, a multimedia touchscreen display handles in-car entertainment and is controlled via navigation wheel at the center console—à la expensive European counterparts.

With HID headlamps, stability control, and GPS navigation included, it’s hard not to consider the Mazda 3 a winner in this price category. Speaking of price, we’re sure the P8,000 over-budget amount isn’t something a dealership discount can’t take care of.

As a bonus, the car comes in two different body types: sedan and hatchback. Both look just as sporty as the other.

Want to get those keys faster? Check our how much you can borrow with our Auto Loan Calculator:

This year’s Fortuner looks as if the previous model went to the gym and started eating a healthier diet. It’s longer, wider, and visually just looks a lot sharper. If you’ve always wanted an SUV for yourself or your growing family, you’re just in time. The Toyota Fortuner has never been better.

When it comes to powertrain, the 2.4L turbodiesel produces 147hp and 400Nm of torque, which basically means plenty of pulling power on either the city or highway. If you’re not looking to work at a quarry any time soon, then the 4×2 variant should have no trouble dealing with city driving and long road trips to the beach at all.

More creature comforts are to be found inside the new Fortuner as Toyota has generously outfitted the G variants with dark brown faux-wood trim, steering wheel media controls, a 4-inch multi-information display, and dual airbags.

Not to mention, you’re getting Toyota’s outstanding reliability in performance and incredible value retention over long-term ownership. So when the time comes for you to sell the car, you know that you’re still getting the most for your money.

Remember, when looking to buy a new car, the most important thing to ask is if the car is right for you—for your needs, where you’ll be using it, and what you’ll be using it for. That decision is totally up to you. The cars on this list are in no way the be-all-end-alls in their category, but rather, are some of the best options for their price. Feel free to use our car buyer’s guide, explore and compare vehicles with one another and remember to arrange for a test drive to get a proper feel for the car.

If your budget is limited, then by all means, consider browsing the used car market. Who knows, your next car might just be there waiting—more on this topic soon, so keep posted!