15 Ideal Vehicles for Recession Times

Crisis times require a smart choice of transportation that will reliably, quickly, and at low costs get us to work. Small city cars seem to be the obvious choice, but there is also a solution for large families.

written by Hrvoje Ivanković
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More than 300 thousand unemployed, high illiquidity of companies and the state, high taxes, and various other burdens have taken their toll. Car sales are continuously declining, and unfortunately, a way out of such a situation is not yet in sight. However, today a car is not a luxury, as many would like to portray it, but a necessity. Mobility is one of the main conditions for the survival of employees in the labor market, which is becoming increasingly demanding every day. 

Most manufacturers offer cars for every taste. We have highlighted several models that, due to their price and offer, can still be a favorable choice during a recession. Of course, these are mostly small city cars that, in addition to their functionality, offer buyers relatively rich equipment packages, which include air conditioning units, airbags, ABS, and a few electrical devices. Also, if you are buying a new car, eliminate unnecessary and expensive additional equipment parts. For example, a radio in various supermarkets costs from 250 HRK upwards, and for an original one, you will often pay several hundred euros, which is certainly not a cost-effective option. This way of buying a car will save you a lot of money, and in return, you will get a functional car that performs its transportation task without any problems.

City Small Cars
Our selection of ideal cars for recession times starts with small city models such as the Peugeot 107, Citroën C1, and Toyota Aygo. These three cars are technologically identical, differing only in slightly changed appearance. Their starting price is already from 58 thousand HRK, which is what you need to pay for the Citroën’s little one.  The French flag is also defended by the Renault Twingo and Clio, which, considering that Renault Croatia offers its own financing, are a very interesting choice that can save you a lot of time. The Japanese representatives for purchase during recession times are the Nissan Micra and Note, which are on sale for only 66 and 84 thousand HRK. If you are a fan of Italian cars, the selection of affordable small cars is quite large. However, we decided to highlight the Panda, which, in addition to its cute appearance, offers solid spaciousness and a sufficient choice of engines. 

The starting price of this model is 59,900 HRK. If you decide to buy this model, when choosing the engine and equipment package, do not listen to the seller, but decide for yourself what additional equipment you really need. The Korean offer of affordable small cars is rounded off with three models: Hyundai i10, Kia Picanto, and Chevrolet Spark. The starting price for the i10 model is slightly above 60 thousand HRK, and for the basic model of the Picanto, you will have to pay 59,900 HRK. The most affordable of these three cars is the Chevrolet Spark, which in its basic version costs only 58,700 HRK. Regardless of which car you decide to buy, make sure it meets your desires, but most importantly, your needs. Because if you will mostly use the car only for city driving, you do not need a large car.

Smart and Hybrid
On the other hand, if you have a large family, which is why you need a spacious car, we advise you to include, for example, the Dacia Logan MCV in your shortlist, which is also offered in a seven-seat version. Such a model with the Base equipment package and a basic 1.4-liter gasoline engine costs a reasonable 66,900 HRK. Perhaps the best choice for buying a car during recession times is the Smart Fortwo, especially if you live in a city where you struggle daily with finding a parking space and navigating through city traffic. Another advantage of this model is that on the used car market, Smart always holds its value well, so it does not lose too much value like some small city models.

The basic model with air conditioning and a few other extras costs around 13 thousand euros, which is not a small amount. However, the invested money quickly returns with very low consumption, and in addition, you save your nerves while driving in city traffic. Although due to various payments to the state, which unfortunately does not recognize environmentally friendly cars that emit very little harmful gases into the atmosphere, hybrid cars are not popular, due to their low consumption, they are indeed a good choice during a recession. The two most talked-about models on our market are the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid, which, in addition to low consumption, offer plenty of space and solid driving characteristics. If only the state would get involved in the sale of hybrids by providing various tax incentives or reducing payments, perhaps hybrids would be much more popular in Croatia, as they are in other developed countries.