EXIT STRATEGY
The brand is departing with sharp deals — and rivals are vying for attention, too
families. Big, spacious and with seven seats, it was ready for family duties. And at less than $40K it’s sharp buying, delivering a hearty 3.6-litre V6 and well packaged interior. Individual dealers have advertised as low as $33,990 on 2019 models.
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Kia Sorento Si $41,990. The lusty 3.5-litre V6 drives the front wheels, which on a wet road isn’t a terrific combination. It’s a decent jump to the all-wheel drive diesel at $47,490, which also comes with three years of servicing.
Toyota Kluger 2WD $41,990. There is a sizeable discount on the most affordable Kluger but it applies only to 2019 cars and expires at the end of March. The sweetener is the choice of $1000 of accessories.
HOLDEN ASTRA R $19,990
Forget the sedans, the Astra search is limited to hatches and there are some entry-level Rs selling for just on $20K. Not all dealers have that entrylevel Astra R. The top-level RS-V with a warmish 1.6 turbo is still decent buying sub-$30K.
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Kia Cerato S $22,790. At this price you’ll pick up an automatic but miss out on the blind spot warning and radar that provides advanced auto braking for pedestrians and cyclists (it’ll still stop for other vehicles). Seven-year warranty is a bonus.
Honda Civic VTi $24,990. There’s only a modest saving off RRP but the spacious Civic hatch has a limited time seven-year warranty thrown into the deal. A big step up ($6000-plus) to the VTi-L brings a better turbo engine and
more active safety kit, including autonomous emergency braking.
HOLDEN COMMODORE WAGON $33,990
The only imported Commodore was a tough sell from day one and dealers stopped ordering in 2019. So supply is limited and the deals aren’t as sharp as they were a few months ago. Some of the wagons are a decent SUV alternative, so haggle an RS to $33,990 – if you can find one.
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Volkswagen Golf wagon $29,990. The Golf is a small car but opt for the wagon body there’s loads of space, making it a more frugal alternative to something bigger. A new Golf is on its way but this one’s still solid buying. Mazda6 Sport hatch $33,990. Deals are predominantly on the hatch, with the wagon typically costing thousands more. Still, at this price, with satnav and a classy interior, it’s decent buying.
HOLDEN COLORADO Z71 4WD, FROM $48,990
The dealers who haven’t run out know these are the easiest Holdens to shift as the model was Holden’s bestseller. Shop around and you should find a leather-trimmed LTZ for about $40K or an LS for about $36K. The Z71 is also solid buying at less than $50K. The HSV SportsCat is more expensive, with the sharpest deals only just sneaking in below $60K.
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Mazda BT-50 XT 4WD $39,990. The BT-50 is in its twilight so deals are ramping up. The
3.2 five-cylinder is showing its age but there’s plenty to like with the BT elsewhere, including its spacious cabin.
Nissan Navara ST 4WD auto $40,990. You might land an SL with steel wheels for a grand or two cheaper but a 2019-build ST auto is solid buying with extra fruit. It’s easy to get one for just over $40K but some might sneak in just under.
HOLDEN TRAILBLAZER $40,990
A serious off-roader that tows up to 3000kg, the Trailblazer is terrific value in the low-$40K bracket. Sharing the Colorado’s grunty 2.8-litre
turbo diesel, it lacks the polish of rivals. Demos with 2019 plates can be had for less than $38K.
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Mitsubishi Pajero Sport $43,990. The official ask is $44,990 but you’ll walk out with a $1000 Eftpos card to spend on what you want. A limited-time seven-year warranty is a plus. Isuzu MU-X 4WD $46,990. It’s showing its age (a new version of the D-Max it’s based on is due within months) but has a reputation for reliability, backed by a six-year warranty. Sweeten the deal with $1000 of accessories.