What sub-$60,000 family sedan or wagon should you buy?
People with families need a car that can reliably and affordably move multiple people in comfort, but some aren’t keen on the trend towards SUVs and away from traditional passenger cars.
SUVs are by far the most popular new vehicle type in Australia right now and they’re dominated by midsizers like the Toyota RAV4, Mitsubishi Outlander, Mazda CX-5 and Hyundai Tucson.
But what if you are one of those people who doesn’t want an SUV and would instead prefer a more conventional sedan or wagon? Thankfully, some brands still have you covered.
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As such cars (and families) can be expensive, we’ve decided to help guide your buying process by narrowing down the sedan and wagon options still available, with a budget of $60,000 in mind.
The reason we’ve selected the $60,000 price cap is because the average new car price in 2023 was around this amount.
Some cars have listed prices that exclude on-road costs, so some of the more expensive options may end up sneaking over the limit once they’re parked in your driveway.
Here are the sedans and wagons the CarExpert team would buy for less than $60,000.
Some of the more common options are listed below:
Paul Maric: Toyota Camry
The new Toyota Camry is an absolute ripper. We drove the mid-spec Ascent Sport variant recently and I was impressed with the fuel economy and the space inside the cabin.
The tech is finally modern and it feels every part the capable family car. Toyota is at the peak of its hybrid game at the moment and the latest iteration of its 2.5-litre hybrid powertrain is sensational.
Plus, according to the government, it’s greener than a Tesla Model 3 Long Range when it comes to lifecycle CO2 emissions – 98g/km vs 113g/km for the Model 3 – so it’s greener too if you’re charging from the average Australian grid supply.
Interested in buying a Toyota Camry? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here.
MORE: Everything Toyota Camry
James Wong: Skoda Octavia RS Wagon
Wagons are no longer the popular family choice they once were, but I’ll be damned if I choose an SUV over an equivalent sporty wagon.
The Skoda Octavia RS Wagon has experienced enduring popularity thanks to its near perfect recipe – hot hatch power, practical wagon body and European features and technology.
In its latest iteration, the sporty Octavia is even more tech-laden and practical than ever, evolving into something of a premium family GT with a huge boot. What’s not to love?
If you’re in the market now I’d suggest you hold off until the facelift lobs in the new year, which while not as handsome will bring a number of improvements and advancements to the Octavia’s feature and tech suite.
There’s also a lovely Royal Green exterior paint option in the UK market, which I would happily make a special order for…
Interested in buying a Skoda Octavia? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here.
MORE: Everything Skoda Octavia
Jack Quick: Honda Civic e:HEV
I would love to say either a Volkswagen Golf Wagon or a Passat Alltrack, but unfortunately you can’t order a brand new one of these in Australia any more. Instead there’s only limited dealer stock remaining.
With this in mind I found it really hard to choose my next pick. There are fewer and fewer options available in this segment as more people gravitate towards high-riding crossovers and SUVs.
If you’re after a car that has a comfortable ride, effortless driving dynamics and ultra-efficient fuel consumption, the obvious choice may be the new Toyota Camry, but there’s also the not-so-boring-looking Honda Civic Hybrid.
This hybrid liftback is only offered in Australia in a singular range-topping e:HEV LX trim and it’s full to the brim with tech and quality touches. My favourites include the lounge chair-like seats and punchy Bose sound system.
One catch beyond the $55k drive-away price tag is the lack of a spare wheel. It’s worth noting, however, that this is pretty common in hybrid vehicles as the space where the spare usually goes is often impinged upon by the high-voltage battery pack.
Interested in buying a Honda Civic? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here.
MORE: Everything Honda Civic
Jordan Mulach: Skoda Octavia RS Wagon
Well that was predictable wasn’t it?
Of course the person who owns both an Octavia RS and Superb Sportline is going to pick a Skoda.
There’s good reason for it, though not as much as there used to be. While they still do in Europe, Skodas no longer offer a clear advantage over equivalent Volkswagen models in terms of both price and equipment.
Thankfully the latest Octavia RS isn’t laden with the haptic control heavy interior from the Golf, leading to it being the all-rounder of choice in this category.
There’s plenty of power and torque, an efficient seven-speed automatic transmission, a comfortable and spacious interior, and a chassis that is not only good out of the box but receptive to modifications.
Like James, I think the choice of colours here is a touch on the boring side, though both my cars are silver so what would I know?
Interested in buying a Skoda Octavia? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here.
MORE: Everything Skoda Octavia
Max Davies: Toyota Camry
This segment isn’t as packed as it once was, but I’m glad some mainstream manufacturers are still selling sedans.
I would love to be able to recommend something from the catalogue of my beloved Subaru, but I don’t think anyone will be surprised to hear the brand’s sole model eligible for this list – the WRX – isn’t the one to go for.
Maybe if the WRX STI still existed it would be a different story – in fact, even a manual version of the WRX Sportswagon would do. One can dream.
Alas, rationality prevails, so I’m going to have to stay in Japan but slide across to Toyota and the new Camry. It is the ‘safe’ option and you could argue it’s a bit boring, but this latest generation really is a tremendous car.
Now that we’ve had time to take it in, it really does seem like Toyota has taken an already solid formula and improved on the things that matter.
It looks great, it’s comfortable on the road, it’s packed with modern tech and it’s highly efficient thanks to that updated hybrid powertrain.
The top-spec SL is no doubt the Camry variant best-geared towards private buyers, given it looks classier and has a more premium aura than the other two variants.
At just under $54,000 before on-roads it’s certainly not cheap, but at that point it’s in higher-spec WRX territory anyway – even if it lacks the power and a manual gearbox.
Interested in buying a Toyota Camry? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here.
MORE: Everything Toyota Camry
Marton Pettendy: Mazda 6
It’s no secret that affordable family cars are a dying breed – if you exclude SUVs, which have become the de facto replacements for once-popular mainstream models like the long-lamented Camry wagon that’s now effectively morphed into the RAV4 and Kluger.
That’s a shame since passenger sedans and wagon are generally cheaper to buy and run than their SUV equivalents, as well as more fun to drive, better to look at and, at least in five-door form, just as practical.
And while the latest Skoda Octavia wagon and new Toyota Camry sedan also nominated here are great choices, my pick is the Mazda 6, which may now be getting long in the tooth (the current, third generation dates back to 2012), but still offers one of the best ride/handling packages on the road and packs plenty of advanced safety systems, plus intuitive multimedia tech and top-notch build and material quality.
Available in both sedan and wagon forms, the Mazda 6 line-up is priced between just $36,290 and $56,685, offers solid retained value, looks great and – now that plans for a rear/all-wheel-drive straight-six powered successor have been shelved – will be the last purely petrol-powered mid-sized Mazda passenger car before it’s eventually replaced by the battery-electric and plug-in hybrid EZ-6.
Interested in buying a Mazda 6? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here.
MORE: Everything Mazda 6
Josh Nevett: Skoda Octavia RS Wagon
Happy to go with the crowd on this one.
The Octavia RS is the ultimate all-rounder and the culmination of a recipe honed over nearly two decades.
It’s spacious and comfortable, boasts excellent tech and packs enough performance to offer thrills on a twisty back road.
You’ll have to pass on any options to keep the sticker price under $60k, but even in base form Skoda’s enthusiast hero is a shrewd buy and far more interesting than any similarly priced SUV.
Interested in buying a Skoda Octavia? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here.
MORE: Everything Skoda Octavia
William Stopford: Hyundai i30 Sedan
I may like larger cars – I own a Hyundai Genesis, which is frankly a bit decadent for a one-person household – but I also appreciate small cars.
I grew up in the back of a Holden Astra and a (groan) Daewoo Nubira, and our family managed just fine in these small sedans.
Not that the Hyundai i30 Sedan is really all that small.
SUVs are often blamed for the near extinction of mid-sized passenger cars in markets like Australia, but save some nails for small cars too. ‘Small’ cars like the i30 and Cerato have grown ever larger and more comfortable, making mid-sized cars seem almost superfluous.
Seriously, sit in an i30 Sedan and a Sonata back-to-back and tell me the latter feels a whole segment up in size.
The i30 Sedan’s swoopy roofline does eat into headroom a bit, though its back seat is more comfortable than that of a Toyota Corolla.
Hyundai’s moaning 2.0-litre is now much, much more palatable thanks to a continuously variable transmission and, overall, the i30 Sedan is quite a good steer for the segment.
It is irksome that – at least for now – you have to opt for the so-so 1.6T/seven-speed dual-clutch combo to get the highest level of specification. If you can forgo some goodies like a sunroof and ventilated front seats, though, you can get the mid-spec Elite with either the quite decent 2.0-litre or the even better and impressively thrifty 1.6-litre hybrid.
Stepping up to a Toyota Camry Hybrid, Skoda Octavia or Hyundai’s own Sonata is tempting, but if you want maximum metal for minimum money, the i30 Sedan is a thoroughly appealing option.
Interested in buying a Hyundai i30? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here.
MORE: Everything Hyundai i30
Originally published as What sub-$60,000 family sedan or wagon should you buy?
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