Christopher Tan, 60, journalist, 2006 Toyota Wish (owned since 2006)

My Toyota Wish has served me and my family well for the past 13 years. I like it because it does not try to steer, park, accelerate or brake for me. Its seats do not remember their last positions and its "drive modes" are determined solely by my left hand and right foot. It is a completely unconnected car, so when the machines start to hunt us (some time during the car's third COE), it will be invisible to them.

Andre Lam, 61, dentist, 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (owned since 2014)

With so many new cars offering a mind-boggling spectrum of artfully curated drive experiences using software and electronics, I needed a clear reference car - something that points to the true North. It took a couple of decades of testing cars before I came across the Holy Grail of automobilia: the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. When you distil the entire talent and resource of Porsche into one car, that is what you will get.

Shreejit Changaroth, 62, mechanical engineer, 2018 Volkswagen Golf GTI (owned since 2018)

The two cars I regret scrapping are a 1982 Volkswagen Scirocco GTi and the first Golf GTi I owned. I have always loved VW's GTis. Although my Mk 7.5 has obviously grown from the days of its early predecessors, it is perfectly sized for me. It offers sparkling performance and handles with remarkable precision. Will I keep this Golf beyond 10 years? I'm not sure, but I suspect I will still be driving a VW Golf GTi.

Toh Yong Chuan, 50, journalist, 2019 Suzuki Swift 1.0 (owned since 2019)

I booked this 1-litre Swift in October last year for under $70,000 to replace a February 2009 1.3-litre Swift. It was registered in January and, for a month until the older car was scrapped this February, there were two Swifts in the family. My 21-year-old son, a full-time national serviceman, shares the Swift with me. He calls it "the red dawg" - like a puppy, he says. I agree. It moves with an eagerness and agility that surpasses cars that cost more.

Jeremy Chua, 40, journalist, 2018 Kia Cerato Forte K3 (owned since 2018)

It's been 16,500km since I first drove "Katie" home. Since then, I've grown more appreciative of this saloon's abilities. Practical, reliable and with ventilated front seats. It's cool too. Those are just a few reasons this model previously won an ST-Torque Best in Class award. It's hard to explain why else I love my car. All I know is that seeing her at the end of the day, or after I return a test car, makes me happy.

Wong Kai Yi, 30, journalist, 2015 Suzuki Vitara (owned since 2016)

Its cabin may be made of mostly plastic and its thin insulation means you can hear every car on the road, but the Suzuki Vitara is straightforward and honest. It executes family duties well with its fold-flat rear seats and capacious boot, and even shows off its handling chops when given a set of corners. For the most part, it has just enough features without making me hanker for more. The Vitara may be cheap, but it's definitely cheerful too.

Lionel Seah, 62, logistics trainer, 2008 BMW 525i (owned since 2008)

My regular ride is an E60 BMW 525i, a car built when Christopher Bangle was BMW head of design. It has a straight-six naturally aspirated engine. What it lacks in outright power compared with turbocharged BMWs, it makes up for with a silky smooth delivery. And it still holds up when it comes to the essential qualities of driving dynamics, quiet refinement and roominess. As rum-and-raisin ice cream is my comfort food, you could say this 11-year-old sedan is my comfort drive. Old is gold.

Tony Tan, 53, motorsports steward, 2017 Hyundai Accent 1.4 (owned by wife since 2017)

This metallic-grey Hyundai Accent 1.4 is not mine. It belongs to my wife. I have owned cars from September 1996 to March 2017, but since then, I have been without one. The reason is because of my constant travels for work. Interestingly, I didn't play a significant role in picking the Accent - my wife bought it in October 2017. But I am the one chauffeuring her around whenever I am not overseas. I have been eyeing a 1973 Japanese ride though, so stay tuned.

Sarjeet Singh, 53, lawyer, 2008 Mini Cooper S Convertible (owned since 2017)

The supercharged Mini was one of the most memorable cars I have test-driven since 2000. When I chanced upon a pristine 2008 Mini R52 Sidewalk Edition with low mileage for sale two years ago, I knew I had to get it. This is the first car my wife hates. She threatened me with divorce should I buy it. I took my chance and, to date, I am still waiting for the divorce papers.

Edric Pan, 47, lawyer, 2007 Honda Civic Type R (owned since 2015)

I love the simple purity of this car. With its lightweight body, track-bred handling, close-ratio manual gearbox and screaming Vtec engine, it is the perfect embodiment of Honda's Type R ethos. A sensible four-door saloon it may be, but its sleek lines and purposeful stance hint at the race-car engineering that lurks beneath. I still get a kick just looking at it. Other cars may come and go, but this one is a keeper.

Lynn Tan, 42, freelance writer, 2010 BMW 523i (owned since 2016)

A woman driving a BMW 523i seems like a lethal combination, given the bad rap Beemer drivers and female motorists seem to get. Contrary to belief, my BMW comes equipped with a turn signal indicator I use religiously. I navigate the roads better than I can find my way around some malls. And I manoeuvre my car with more ease than a supermarket trolley. I have never been constrained by stereotypes because I follow my heart.

Kong Yongyao, 31, doctor, 2016 Mazda MX-5 (owned since 2016)

The best things in life are the simplest. The MX-5 is tiny, so the city is huge. Remember what it was like to be five years old and everywhere you went was a playground? The fuss-free, featherlight MX-5 puts you back in that mind. Here is driving pleasure - unpretentious and distilled. Every road a canvas, every journey an adventure, every gap an improvised goal posted with schoolbags. When every time is playtime, the dull ache of life disappears.