Market Watch: These Increasingly Rare And Sporty Cars Are Perfect For Singapore Streets

There’s always a temptation to adopt the bigger-is-better approach when it comes to car buying. Sure, you’ll get more metal for your dollar, but do you really require something heavier and wider?

It’s comforting to know that brands are bringing in compact EVs; these are the fuss free cars people do grocery runs in. The Dongfeng Box kicked things off, and now the Aion UT and Firefly have joined the party.

If you’re after something more old school and visceral, ICE-powered compact cars can still be had. Just browse Carousell’s used car classifieds and you might be able to locate some diamonds in the rough!

2007 Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart Version-R

For many young petrolheads, this “Baby Evo” was the closest thing to its larger, more expensive sibling. Having a factory turbo made it appealing too, in a period where the Suzuki Swift Sport rival was naturally aspirated.

Ingredients were there for proper driving fun: 5-speed manual, short wheelbase and a sub-1,200kg weight made it a hoot to drive. Who would have thought this now falls under the “collectible” category...

But these are built to be tuned and driven, so it’s time for you to do it some justice!

2012 Honda CR-Z Hybrid

The idea of a hybrid didn’t sound cool more than a decade ago. Toyota had the Prius, while Honda was trying to push sales of the Jazz and Civic Hybrid.

The CR-Z flipped that narrative. Its coupe silhouette gave it the magnetism few would argue against, while a split rear glass paid homage to the 80s CR-X.

Granted, some felt that it looked more aggressive than its performance, but electric torque fill from the IMA hybrid motor made it usable in the city. This example looks in fine shape, with tasteful mods and regular servicing done to keep it box fresh.

2006 Mazda RX-8

Mazdas today stand out for their sporty looks. They've stayed loyal to torque converter automatics too (phew!), avoiding CVTs. But back in the 90s, it was all about the magic under its bonnet - the RX-7 made headlines, followed by the RX-8. The latter was the last mass produced rotary sports coupe.

Power delivery was smooth and compared to conventional piston motors, it was very high revving, even by Honda’s standards!

It might look visually arresting, but it's actually rather practical too - rear suicide doors made it a genuinely usable 4-seater sports car.

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Before you buy or sell your car, Carousell first.

Carousell Autos. Singapore’s largest direct owner marketplace for everything cars and motorcycles.