The best cheap cars 2025
Searching for the best cheap cars you can buy in 2025? You can find them here...
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By Tia Harrison-North
Last updated: 10 February 2025
The best cheap cars on the market are great value for money, solid quality, and reliable – but they’re also enjoyable to live with.
While these aren’t the absolute cheapest cars money can buy, these are some of our favourite picks for the best affordable cars that you’ll be proud to drive.
Looking at our long list of reviews and test-driven models, we’ve put together a list of cheap cars worth considering – and what our Motoring Editor, Sam Sheehan, thinks of them.
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What are the best cheap cars?
Dacia Jogger
Skoda Fabia
Dacia Sandero
Toyota Aygo
Ford Fiesta
SEAT Ibiza
Kia Picanto
Hyundai i10
Read more about each model in our guide below.
Eight best cheap cars in the UK
Dacia Jogger
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The Dacia Jogger is a spacious family car that feels pretty indestructible. And it’s often praised as the cheapest seven-seater on the market, but that doesn’t mean it feels it in any way, shape or form.
In our Dacia Jogger review, we awarded the part-crossover/part-SUV three and a half stars.
Sam said: It’s a bargain. The Dacia Jogger is a lot of car for the money – literally and figuratively. It over-delivers in so many ways.
And not only is it cheap to buy, it's cheap to run, as Sam explained, “We averaged well over 40mpg during our days of mixed driving. Cruise on the motorway and you’ll be nudging 50mpg, according to the digital readout.”
Skoda Fabia
 "Skoda Fabia front three quarters")
Sharing its underpinnings with the Audi A1, the Skoda Fabia is a great value car that feels premium in large parts thanks to its German bones.
It’s one of the best cheap cars on the market, and we awarded it four stars in our Skoda Fabia review.
Sam said: “It’s by no means the flashiest car in the highly crowded supermini sector, but it looks sophisticated and grown-up. And that’s how it feels to live with.
"Solidly built, spacious and safe – the Fabia is a great first car for solo drivers, and it meets the needs of young families too.”
Dacia Sandero
 "Dacia Sandero front three quarters")
If there's a theme to our list, it's that Dacias are exceptional value for money. And the Dacia Sandero is another great pick if you don't need space for a whole netball team.
It’s a five-door hatchback that was once labelled the cheapest car in the UK, and options on the used market are plentiful.
Sam slapped it with an impressive four-star rating in our Dacia Sandero review, saying: “We love the Dacia Sandero’s no-frills character.
"This is a car that doesn’t pretend to be anything other than what it is – namely a good-looking, deeply practical vehicle that will get you from A to B in safety and comfort.”
Toyota Aygo
 "Toyota Aygo driving")
For something small and peppy, you can’t go wrong with the Toyota Aygo. It shares plenty of its build with the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 108, so you know it’s a reliable model and one of the best cheap cars on the market.
Our Toyota Aygo review (2014-2022 models) awarded the cute city car with three and a half stars. Sam said: “The Toyota Aygo is proof that a city car can be greater than the sum of its parts, thanks to funky styling inside and out, plus low running costs.
"There’s only a single engine fitted to the Toyota Aygo – the 1.0-litre petrol unit with an official average fuel economy figure of 57.7mpg.”
Ford Fiesta
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It had to appear on this list, even though you can now only buy the Ford Fiesta on the used market. The Fiesta is one of the best cheap cars for reliability, easy maintenance, running costs and enjoyable styling.
Sam awarded a four-star rating in our Ford Fiesta review and said: “The Fiesta is nice to drive, good to travel in and easy to own.
"Fiestas with Ford’s surprisingly punchy 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine offer around 40mpg on a run, but thanks to the use of its clever fuel-saving technology, the 1.5-litre ST model can be slightly more frugal on the motorway.”
SEAT Ibiza
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The SEAT Ibiza is very easily one of the best cheap cars you can buy if you want something that feels fierce and sporty.
Our SEAT Ibiza review plonked the Golf's Spanish sibling with a healthy four-star rating. Sam said: “As one of the most stylish superminis, the SEAT Ibiza has more verve and image than its VW family siblings.
"Top-of-the-range SEAT models are definitely always very well-appointed. The state-of-the-art touchscreen infotainment screen in the most recent cars will impress anyone.
"Look out for models with the up-rated stereo — it’s an amazing onboard hi-fi system worthy of any Ibiza DJ.”
Kia Picanto
 "Kia Picanto exterior")
Another small model with a lot to offer, the Kia Picanto is surprisingly spacious and easily one of the best cheap cars if you want something compact.
Our road-tested Kia Picanto review awarded the car with three and a half stars after being surprised at just how fun it is to drive.
Sam said: “The Kia Picanto doesn’t just get by on its looks – it’s got brains as well as beauty.
“It combines compact dimensions with good driving manners and low running costs, so you can see why new drivers and those on a tight budget value it so highly.”
Hyundai i10
 "Hyundai i10 driving")
We’re big fans of the Hyundai i10 if you’re after a city car come supermini – especially as one of the best cheap car picks.
It rivals the Kia Picanto and Peugeot 108, but some motorists prefer the more aggressive look of the i10.
In our Hyundai i10 road-tested review (2013-2023 models), Sam awarded the car a three-and-a-half star rating. He said: “Here’s a city car that will take five adults in comfort. Very few of its rivals can make that claim.
“Thanks to its lower and wider stance, the Hyundai i10 makes for a far better driving machine than ever before.
“The textured black plastics and tactile switchgear lend the i10 a quality feel that can so often be missing from cars in this class.”
How we chose the best cheap cars
To choose our best cheap car options, we looked at cars that our Motoring Editor, Sam, had awarded no less than three and a half stars.
We picked a few different-size models, including a seven-seater, some spacious family hatchbacks and options that will happily nip around the city.
It was also important to consider styling and how modern the cars feel (inside and out) to create this list. The best cheap cars represent good value for money and don't feel like you're driving a tin can.
Discover used cars for sale
We’ve got plenty more cheap used cars to choose from on our site, whether you’re after a value SUV or a budget hatchback.
Take a look at our full range of used cars and use our on-page filters to sort by your ideal budget.
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