Note: Last updated in April 2024.
The prices of automobiles have been surging significantly for more than a year now due to the country’s current economic slowdown. The increase in car prices was primarily due to the sharp depreciation of the Pakistani Rupee against the US dollar and the imposition of several taxes and duties by the government. The trend of buying new cars has decreased, resulting in a massive margin decline in car sales. In the current scenario, the demand for used cars has gone up substantially.
There are very few options left under the Rs.5 lacs in the used car segment, but still, a large proportion of the population is looking to buy a car within this budget. It also becomes quite difficult to pick the best option in this budget because the vehicles are comparatively older. So, in this article, we will let you know which cars can be purchased under Rs.5 lac that have low running costs, are reliable, and can get you from point A to B easily, which is considered a minimum budget for buying a car in the used car market.
Suzuki FX
Suzuki FX was the first car introduced by Pak Suzuki in the country in 1982. It was equipped with an 800 cc F8B engine mated to a manual transmission. In its earlier models, the hatchback came with a black interior. Later, the automaker improved the car’s aesthetics, offering it a beige interior.
It remained in production till 1988, after which Suzuki FX was replaced by Mehran in 1989. Suzuki FX is still a popular option in the country for an entry-level budget and is widely used as a taxi in the twin cities. In some years of its production, Suzuki FX came with an air conditioner installed, which still makes it a viable option in the local market.
Furthermore, it is available in the used car market between PKR 1.6-2.5 lac and is still considered as a fuel-efficient and low-cost maintenance car for commuting in the city. Even after 32 years today, its parts are still easily available in the local market, which gives it another edge.
Suzuki Mehran
The production of Suzuki Mehran started in 1989 and finally came to an end in 2019 after 30 years. Undoubtedly, Suzuki Mehran needs no introduction as it’s known as the boss in the local market. The iconic 800 cc Mehran remained identical throughout its three decades of production; however, the automaker did make a few cosmetic changes to the entry-level hatchback.
It gained matchless popularity in Pakistan, primarily due to the absence of any competitor throughout its production years. In terms of fuel efficiency, it’s as good as the Suzuki FX and also costs much less in maintenance than other models these days. Its price in the local market varies due to the different model years and starts from PKR 3 lac (1990s model) and goes all the way up to PKR 17 lac (ending models) for its end-year models.
However, after some negotiation, you will find the Mehran under the PKR 5 lac price bracket for a majority of older model years, i.e., 2000-2004
Toyota Corolla E70
Corolla E70 came into the local sector of Pakistan as the 1st consumer C-segment family sedan in 1979. It remained in production until 1986 when it was also replaced by the fifth generation. Corolla E70 was offered by the company with many major improvements as compared to the third generation. It featured an AC, FM radio, a full-size diggi, and a spacious interior. It was introduced in several variants by IMC. It’s a proper family car with a reasonable truck space as well, and it turns out to be a good option even today. If you have a budget of 5 lacs for a sedan, it will cost you around 3.8-5 lacs PKR.
Daihatsu Charade
Daihatsu Charade is is also another option for low-budget car purchases. The small hatchback remained in production until 2000, and in its years of production, it was widely accepted in the local market. Daihatsu is known for producing small Kei models, and since 2016, the company has been a completely owned subsidiary of Toyota. Daihatsu Charade was equipped with a 1000 cc engine paired with manual.
It remained the only competitor of Suzuki Khyber for years. In terms of price, any 1985 or earlier model of Daihatsu Charade is easily available under PKR 2.5-3 lac. It has a small boot space and is also very compact in terms of cabin space.
Suzuki Khyber
Suzuki Khyber, produced between 1988 and 2000, remained a popular hatchback in Pakistan. It was the local version of Suzuki Swift in the country and came equipped with a 1000 cc G10 Carburetor-based engine coupled with a manual transmission.
The 5-door hatchback enjoyed its monopoly in the 1000 cc segment of cars for several years, along with the Suzuki Mehran being the entry-level hatchback. In terms of price, it’s available in PKR 2.5-4 lac for 1988-95 in the used car market.
Suzuki Margalla
Suzuki Margalla was the first sedan offered by Pak Suzuki in the local auto sector of Pakistan. It possessed a 3-cylinder 1300 cc engine mated to a manual transmission as it received a good response from the customers back then.
Under the nameplate of Margalla, the company started its production in 1992 and ended in 1998 to pave the way for Suzuki Baleno. It was offered in GL, GLX, and Margalla Plus variants in Pakistan. Being the first locally produced sedan car of Pak Suzuki, it gained a lot of popularity in the country. It’s a good option to buy in a budget under PKR 5 lac, i.e., 1992-1994 model.
The old cars of Suzuki are still maintaining their market due to the availability of their spare parts at an affordable price.
Suzuki Bolan
Suzuki Bolan, a.k.a “Carry Dabba,” is the longest-running micro-van in Pakistan, which, too, like Suzuki Mehran, has never received any love from the company. However, being in production for such a long time now, there are multiple used Bolan vans on sale, which you can easily grab for under 5 lakh. Most of these units are from the 1994-2003 era and come in VX variants. Bolan has the same 800cc engine as the Mehran and weighs amazingly low at 550KG. Bolan can seat as many people as you can stuff in and will still have some space for your everyday items. 
Daihatsu Charade
Charade is probably the best-looking car on this list mainly due to its sleek exterior profile and low center of gravity, giving this car a very sporty feeling. Despite that, most of the units in Pakistan came in with a 1.0L petrol engine, which was enough to get the car going. However, most owners of Charade actually went a little further and modified their cars for better performance. So the downside of this car is that you might have to struggle a bit to find a nearly stock or stock unit. But if your inner self is young, then there are plenty of modified units you can get your hands on, and that too in under five lacks. But on stock, you can find the 1986-1988 models for a 2-2.8 lacs budget.
Daihatsu Cuore
Cuore was the direct rival to the Suzuki Mehran. In Japanese markets, it was known as the Daihatsu Mira, and there are two models of this car in Pakistan. One is the locally produced variant, which has an 800cc engine, while the other version is an imported one with a 660cc engine. Although both versions share a similar price, the Japanese imported variant has power steering and power windows, which the locally produced variant doesn’t. The average asking price of locally produced Cuore’s 1993-2000 model is 4-5 lacs PKR.
So there you have it. A used car can be a great first car if chosen carefully. Get your dream car inspected from PakWheels before you buy it. When you have bought it, add some nice sound system, wheels, seat covers, and other accessories to make it your own. A little car care goes a long way.
What car will you pick out of these? Let us know in the comments!
