The sedan quest

Mention "car" to any of your friends and relatives, and chances are almost all of them will conjure up an image of a four-door sedan. Those who didn't come up with this picture in their minds probably imagined an SUV or a rare exotic instead.

This is hardly surprising, given how expensive it is to own and maintain a car in our local setting.

After all, many of you readers out there are smart and practical - when the cost of that set of wheels is the equivalent of a small fortune, most car buyers will naturally seek a vehicle that delivers the most bang for their buck.

Coupes might look cool, but they're not the best at ferrying people around. A bachelor turned father or bachelorette turned mother, will have to trade in their sporty two-door for (at least) a sedan, if not an MPV. Unless the person happens to be of considerable wealth, keeping a second vehicle isn't an attractive proposition.

The "regular" four-door sedan therefore, still remains the vehicle of choice. Able to seat five and have a boot for luggage, this type of car still outnumbers the hatchback (despite its growing popularity) and the thirstier SUV.

And we're sure some of you aren't sure of the choices available in our market. Well, here's a quick rundown of the current best buys...

Compact sedans

Proton Saga 1.3 We still like this one. Build quality has grown in leaps and bounds compared to its predecessor. The interior is pleasant enough, and the Saga has surprisingly been imbued with good handling traits. Plus, it looks fresher compared to the Kia Rio or Hyundai Verna. Price starts from $38,999.

Honda City 1.5 i-VTEC Starting from $63,800, there's undeniably a premium to be paid between this and the cheaper Toyota Vios 1.5 (starts from $53,988). But what we do like is the City's better styling both inside and out - the interior in particular, has a better quality when compared to the Vios.