When buying a new car, the payment terms are just as important as the unit’s total price. After all, it’s a financial decision that will impact your cash flow.
If you want to get new wheels quickly without spending big, consider going for low down payment cars. But what are they? What are their pros and cons? What are your options?
You’ll learn that and more in this article.
What are Low Down Payment Cars?
Simply put, these are cars you can buy with a low down payment. Since you can make a low initial payment, you can get the car in no time.
An extreme variation of this payment term is zero down payment. You don’t have to make an initial payment to drive a car out of a dealership.
👍 Pros of Low Down Payment Cars
Low down payment cars in the Philippines come with the following advantages:
- You can get a car even if you can’t afford to pay cash on the spot or make a large initial down payment.
- You won’t have to drain your savings account since the required initial payment isn’t too high.
- You can put your money elsewhere. The money that you save on the low down payment car can go towards savings, education, home improvement, and the like.
👎 Cons of Low Down Payment Cars
However, you may want to think twice about checking out low down payment cars for the following reasons:
- A zero down payment car may come with a higher interest rate.
- Cars with low down payments are usually offered as part of a limited promo or exclusive deal. You’ll need to wait things out until the dealership releases them.
- You’ll need to cover higher monthly payments since your initial payment is low.
Are Low Down Payment Cars in the Philippines Worth It?
If you’re talking about practicality, a low down payment car may not be worth it. You’re paying higher monthly terms plus the interest rate, costing you more in the long run.
However, it may prove to be a viable option for those who need to get a brand-new car quickly. It’s also ideal if you don’t want to touch your savings.
Ultimately, you’re the only person who can tell if it’s really worth it or not. Do your legwork, compare your options, and compute the overall expenses to come up with a sound decision.
Top 10 Low Down Payment Cars in the Philippines
If you’re keen on getting a low down payment car, we’ve handpicked a few options:
🚗 Mitsubishi Mirage G4
- Down payment: Zero down-payment promo
- Price: ₱769,000 to ₱929,000
- Mitsubishi Mirage G4 specs:
- Seating capacity: Five
- Transmission type: Manual or CVT
- Engine: Three-cylinder, 12-valve, 1,193 cc (1.2L)
- Performance: 76 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 100 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
- Fuel type: Gasoline
The Mitsubishi Mirage G4 is a subcompact sedan for those looking for a sleek and practical car. Its sporty look is embodied by a dynamic shield front and alloy wheels, turning onlookers’ heads.
Go inside the car and you’ll be treated to plush adjustable seats and automatic climate control. Additional creature comforts include cupholders and a USB port.
When it comes to safety, the Mirage G4 is outfitted with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), a mechanism that shortens braking distance, and pretensioners, which automatically tighten your seatbelt during a collision.
You can enjoy all these at a zero down payment term at select dealerships in the metro.
🚗 Honda Brio
- Down payment: ₱10,000 (all-in promo)
- Price: ₱735,000 to ₱863,000
- Honda Brio specs:
- Seating capacity: Five
- Transmission type: Manual or CVT
- Engine: Four-cylinder, 16-valve, 1,199 cc (1.2L)
- Performance: 89 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 110 Nm @ 4,800 rpm
- Fuel type: Gasoline
One of the best low down payment cars in the Philippines comes from the legendary Japanese carmaker, Honda. The brand has an ongoing promo this February 2024 wherein you can get a Brio at a low cash-out rate of ₱10,000.[1]
The Brio is not your ordinary hatchback. While small, it boasts power while being efficient with fuel—it actually lets you cover up to 19.6 kilometers per liter of gasoline. This ultimately means great savings on your end.
The Brio’s safety features include airbags for the driver and the front passenger, immobilizer, and electronic door locks, among others.
Read more: 10 of the Most Durable Car Models
🚗 Suzuki Dzire
- Down payment: ₱29,000 (promo)
- Price: ₱609,000 to ₱758,000
- Suzuki Dzire specs:
- Seating capacity: Five
- Transmission type: Manual or automatic
- Engine: Four-cylinder, 16-valve, 1,197 cc (1.2L)
- Performance: 82 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 113 Nm @ 4,200 rpm
- Fuel type: Gasoline
The Suzuki Dzire is one of the most affordable cars in the country, so it makes sense that you can also get it at a reasonable cash out price at select dealerships.
The Dzire dons a modern look, as seen in its clean lines and chrome accents. It’s outfitted with Auto Gear Shift (AGS), a transmission set-up that automatically operates the shift and the clutch. Safety-wise, the Dzire comes with dual front air bags and Electronic Stability Program (ESP), which helps you stay in control during wheel slippage.
🚗 Chevrolet Spark
- Down payment: ₱38,000 (promo)
- Price: ₱694,888 to ₱734,888
- Chevrolet Spark specs:
- Seating capacity: Five
- Transmission type: Manual or CVT
- Engine: 16-valve, 4-cylinder, 1,399 cc (1.4L)
- Performance: 98 hp @ 6,200 rpm and 128 Nm @ 4,400 rpm
- Fuel type: Gasoline
The Chevrolet Spark is a compact hatchback designed for cruising the city streets. Its urbane exterior perfectly matches the modernity inside.
For the interior, the Spark comes with a seven-inch touchscreen display, MyLink for smartphone integration, and rear speakers. Despite being a hatchback, it can comfortably seat up to five people.
Safety features, on the other hand, include an anti-lock braking system, seat belt warning, child safety locks, and crash sensor, among others.
Drive the Spark out of select dealerships at a low down payment of ₱38,000.
🚗 Nissan Almera
- Down payment: ₱88,000 all-in promo
- Price: ₱839,000 to ₱1,149,000
- Nissan Almera specs:
- Seating capacity: Five
- Transmission type: Manual or CVT
- Engine: Three-cylinder, 12-valve, 999 cc (1.0L)
- Performance: 99 hp @ 5,000 rpm and 160 Nm @ 2,400 rpm
- Fuel type: Gasoline
Looking for a car with smart features? Check out what the Nissan Almera has to offer. Complementing its futuristic aesthetics are the NissanConnect services that allow you to manage your Almera via smartphone.
NissanConnect lets you enjoy features such as remote engine start/stop and remote lights control. Through it, you can get emergency assistance in case of an accident and receive alerts on zone, speed, and curfew.
The Almera is also designed for practical drivers. Its 1.0-liter turbocharged engine churns out a smooth driving performance while maintaining fuel efficiency.
You can enjoy all these features right away via a low down payment of ₱88,000 at select dealerships.
🚗 Suzuki S-Presso
- Down payment: ₱124,000
- Price: ₱620,000 to ₱660,000
- Suzuki S-Presso specs:
- Seating capacity: Five
- Transmission type: Manual
- Engine: 12-valve, three-cylinder, 998 cc (1.0L)
- Performance: 67 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 90 Nm @ 3,500 rpm
- Fuel type: Gasoline
The S-Presso is the kind of car that will make you do a double take. That’s all thanks to its unique look—while it’s a hatchback, it sports a crossover styling.
The S-Presso comes with generous interior features. These include the new-gen display audio, hands-free Bluetooth and audio controls, automatic window controls, overhead microphone, and more.
Safety features include airbags, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) for wheel slip detection, and hill hold control, which keeps your car from moving backward if you restart it on a slope. Meanwhile, its 1.0L DUALJET engine makes for both dynamic driving performance and fuel efficiency.
You can get the S-Presso at a relatively low down payment of ₱124,000.
🚗 Kia Soluto
- Down payment: ₱133,000
- Price: ₱780,000 to ₱865,000
- Kia Soluto specs:
- Seating capacity: Five
- Transmission type: Manual or Automatic
- Engine: Four-cylinder, 16-valve, 1,368 cc (1.4L)
- Performance: 94 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 132 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
- Fuel type: Gasoline
The Soluto, a relatively low down payment car from Kia, is a good alternative to popular entry-level sedans. What makes it different compared to its contemporaries is its generosity in features.
For instance, its outside mirrors are electrically controlled and even have LED side repeaters. It also has rear combination lights and fog lights, making night drives a whole lot safer.
Its spacious interior can comfortably accommodate up to five people. A 2.8-inch LCD display, rotary temperature controls, 360-degree rotatable air ducts, and driver’s seat armrest are among its creature comforts.
🚗 Toyota Wigo
- Down payment: ₱145,800
- Price: ₱609,000 to ₱729,000
- Toyota Wigo specs:
- Seating capacity: Five
- Transmission type: Manual or CVT
- Engine: Three-cylinder, 12-valve, 998 cc (1.0L)
- Performance: 65 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 89 Nm @ 4,400 rpm
- Fuel type: Gasoline
The Wigo is one of the most competitive cars in the hatchback category. One can attribute it to the car’s compactness and overall reliability, making it an ideal drive in and out of the city.
The new Wigo design features an updated grille, making it sleeker than ever.[3] It’s also updated with smart features, such as keyless entry and eight-inch audio display. Safety features include rear parking sensors (upper trims) and airbags for the driver and the passenger.
This Toyota hatchback is relatively affordable. As such, it only makes sense that the Wigo down payment follows the same level of affordability. You can own this car if you put down an initial payment of a little over ₱140,000.
🚗 Honda City
- Down payment: ₱145,950
- Price: ₱973,000 to ₱1,128,000
- Honda City specs:
- Seating capacity: Five
- Transmission type: CVT
- Engine: Four-cylinder, 16-valve, 1,498 cc (1.5L)
- Performance: 119 hp @ 6,600 rpm and 145 Nm @ 4,300 rpm
- Fuel type: Gasoline
The City from Honda is a modern sedan for the modern driver. Its constant innovation makes it a strong player in the sedan category.
Its elegant design language veers away from the generic styling of entry-level sedans. That’s partly because it somehow resembles its siblings, the Civic and the Accord.
Its upscale design is coupled with a powerful performance. It can churn out a maximum output of 119 hp and 145 Nm, taking on both city and rural roads.
Safety is a serious business for Honda, as evidenced by SENSING. This is the carmaker’s safety suite that includes adaptive cruise control, Road Departure Mitigation, and Lane Keeping Assist System, among others.
While pricier compared to other sedans, you can get your hands on the City by initially paying a little over ₱145,900.
🚗 Toyota Vios
- Down payment: ₱146,400
- Price: ₱732,000 to ₱1,039,000
- Toyota Vios specs:
- Seating capacity: Five
- Transmission type: Manual or CVT
- Engine: Four-cylinder, 16-valve, 1,329 cc (1.3L)
- Performance: 98 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 123 Nm @ 4,200 rpm
- Fuel type: Gasoline
To say that Vios is one of the most popular sedans in the country is an understatement. It’s one of Toyota’s best-selling cars for a few well-founded reasons.
First is its timeless and wholesome design, which suits young professionals and families. Second is its driving comfort, as seen in its CVT transmission.
The upper trims are equipped with features that make driving more convenient. These include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for connectivity; push start button for easy engine activation; and hill start assist for better navigation of sloping roads.
The Toyota Vios down payment is around ₱146,000.
Read more: A Classic Drive: 15 Best Sedans in the Philippines in 2023
Price List: Top Low Down Payment Cars in the Philippines
For easier decision-making, this table lists the top low down payment cars and their costs:
Read more:
- Cars for Sale in the Philippines: Top Places to Score New Wheels
- Your Ultimate Guide to Buying a Brand New Car in the Philippines
Final Thoughts
A car usually comes with a hefty price tag. Thankfully, many dealerships offer low down payment options, making car ownership easy. But before you go at it, calculate the expenses that you may incur in the long run. After all, low down payment cars often come with higher interest rates.
Once you’ve taken your pick, it’s time to get car insurance. Compare your options here at Moneymax. We’ve partnered with the country’s top insurers to offer comprehensive insurance policies. Click the banner below to learn more.
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