Buying guide after May round 1 COE bidding

With a sticker price of just under $110k, the entry-level S40 is the most affordable Volvo saloon you can buy. For your money, you get a four-door saloon from a prestige Swedish brand, a nicely crafted interior, unparalleled safety features and an efficient twin clutch gearbox. There are downsides though - the engine can sound a bit gruff and the interior is short of space at the rear but at $6,400 cheaper than a couple of weeks ago, who can complain?

This quirky French hatchback is a great alternative to the base Volkswagen Golf TSI. The 1.6-litre turbo motor in this variant is shared with cars like the Peugeot 207 GTI and Mini Cooper S among others and offers more than adequate performance. The only big let down is its four-speed automatic gearbox but it does have that WRC image and association doesn't it.

The base 1.6 VTS C4 is a full eleven grand more affordable than its turbo cousin. The normally aspirated engine is not as eager as the THP's turbo one and hence doesn't deliver that is as much but you still get that quirky interior and stylish looks on the outside.

Lexus' BMW 3 Series Convertible rival is offered in two trim levels, with the higher spec Luxury $15k more than the base model. Prices for both variants are down by as much as $16,000 this week. The ISC doesn't drive as well as its BMW rival but it is certainly more refined. It looks better in lighter hues so trust us on this one - get a white or silver one.

The 1.8-litre mid-range Civic, together with several other Honda models have seen their prices fall as much as $13k, making a tempting one to commit to one. The Civic might be almost five years old and there are newer rivals, but the venerable Honda is still well specified and equipped to fight off many challengers.

In addition to the above-mentioned models, you can also look forward to more affordable prices for other models in the Honda line-up as well as $10,000 on selected Kia models and more.

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Credits: Story by Raymond Lai