While teachers are motorists just like any other, their calling as educators does also mean that they prioritise specific features when shopping for a car.
Teachers look for vehicles that are great for the urban commute, offer value for money, are dependable and are able to carry children, including their own to school and extra mural activities. These five cars offer that, making them a great choice for teachers.
Toyota Corolla Cross
The Toyota Corolla has been a popular choice for teachers since it was launched in the 70s. The Toyota Corolla is conservative, reliable, well-priced and offers a roomy interior and big boot, all things that teachers need. The Corolla range was expanded a few years ago to include the Corolla Cross and this model takes all the attributes that made the Corolla a success and adds extra practicality and ground clearance resulting in a vehicle that is great for the school run during the week and light adventuring over the weekend or during school holidays.
Volkswagen Polo
The Volkswagen Polo and Polo Vivo have been SA’s top selling passenger car for the last decade and rightly so. The hatchback or sedan models offer a well put together package paired with frugal reliable engines, which makes them a perfect city runabout. A by-product of the Polo’s popularity is that it is affordable to run with cost effective parts available from Volkswagen or from aftermarket suppliers. In addition there are many good deals to be found on pre-owned Polos, which still have many miles of life left in them.
Kia Seltos
The compact SUV segment is one of the fastest growing segments of the SA new vehicle market as this body shape offers hatchback convenience with the added practicality of additional ground clearance and softer damped suspension that makes them great for tackling rough roads or light gravel. Kia’s Seltos remains one of the best options in this segment for a variety of reasons.
Kia have recently updated the Seltos with a refreshed exterior design, a significantly upgraded interior and a pair of enhanced powertrains. This model range update also saw the Seltos being repositioned in the competitive crossover segment of the market with an even greater value proposition. The Kia Seltos also offers an extremely roomy interior in relation to its exterior dimensions.
The Seltos is available with three engines, however, it is the 1.5 CRDi that really hits the sweet spot. This diesel engine offers 86kW and 250Nm making it a good performer, but its frugal fuel consumption will blow everything out the water with figures of 5.0 litres per 100km achievable in the real world adding to the value for money argument and resulting in an extremely low total cost of ownership.
Suzuki Swift
The Suzuki Swift is a compact hatchback that has been making waves in the South African market in recent times and challenging the VW Polo for supremacy on the passenger vehicle sales charts. The Suzuki Swift offers Japanese build quality and reliability along with a frugal well performing engine. In addition, the Suzuki Swift represents excellent value for money. The latest iteration has just been launched in South Africa with a starting price from R219 900 and for that you get the latest tech and safety equipment in a funky, frugal package that is ready to tackle the school run and more.
Volkswagen Kombi
Naturally teachers love children and very often they have children of their own, which necessities a vehicle that is fit for families. There is no greater family vehicle than a Volkswagen Kombi. It is the original adventure vehicle, the inventor of the command driving position and there is always space for one more. Now in its sixth generation the VW Kombi has been modernised with the latest tech and safety equipment which further cements its family friendly credentials. The VW Kombi now utilises a modern drivetrain including Volkswagens slick shifting DSG gearbox which drastically reduces the driver’s workload and means that the Kombi is able to navigate the suburbs just as easily as smaller compact cars. Teachers or parents looking for a vehicle that can carry the whole family, friends or most of the school soccer team will do well to consider Volkswagen’s Kombi.