Don’t spend more than you have to – a £150 monthly budget is enough to get behind the wheel of some very impressive cars.
There's a good chance you spend more than £150 per month on TV subscriptions and takeaways – but what if we told you that you could get into a nearly new or used car for the same monthly cost?
Most of these cars won't only be affordable to buy, but they'll be cheap to run too, with small efficient engines bringing decent fuel economy and low insurance costs.
Small, affordable hatchbacks are what you’ll get for £150 per month with a 10% deposit – that’s what we’ve focused on – although if you’re happy to increase your deposit, a much wider selection of cars and SUVs becomes available.
Alternatively, if you’re a bit more flexible on the monthly payment but don’t have much deposit to put in, check out our cars available for £189 or less with just a £189 deposit.
Fiat 500
We start with one of the most characterful cars on the road. The Fiat 500 will brighten up any miserable commute with its chic styling, funky interior and zippy handling. There are plenty available for under £150 per month, so you can pick your perfect trim level and colour. We like the Lounge version, with its long equipment list including parking sensors and cruise control. Get one with the 1.0-litre mild-hybrid engine and you’ll be able to manage up to 57mpg.
Shop used Fiat 500 cars for sale or read our Fiat 500 review
Hyundai i10
Hyundai’s i10 is the complete small car – it’s tiny on the outside and easy to park, but big enough to fit four adults in. And, unlike some of the cars on this list, they won’t need a shoehorn to get in and out. It’s reliable and cheap to run, and will happily sit on the motorway as long as you don’t mind stirring the upper reaches of the engine. What’s really impressive is the amount of tech the i10 gives you – even the cheapest version gets a big touchscreen to connect your phone to, cruise control and air conditioning.
Shop used Hyundai i10 cars for sale or read our Hyundai i10 review
Skoda Scala
Think of the Skoda Scala as a cut-price Volkswagen Golf. It sits below the Octavia and above the Fabia in Skoda's hatchback range, and it still offers plentiful cargo and rear-seat space, combined with a grown-up driving experience. It's available with a range of efficient engines – and, for our budget here, you'll have to go with the 95hp 1.0-litre petrol, which does a decent job of propelling the Scala around town and on motorways so long as you have a little patience. Combine all that practicality with a monthly cost of £150 and you're on to a winner.
Shop used Skoda Scala cars for sale or read our Skoda Scala review
Kia Picanto
Perhaps the most impressive city car currently on sale, the Kia Picanto does everything a big car does but in a deliciously easy-to-park footprint. It’ll seat four adults with (some) room to spare, there’s enough space in the boot for a small weekly shop and high-spec cars get sat nav and even heated seats. But it still has the small-car flickability and fun handling. And all that is wrapped in the balance of a seven-year warranty.
Shop used Kia Picanto cars for sale or read our Kia Picanto review
Toyota Aygo
The Toyota Aygo is an honest, cheap-to-run city car that won’t leave you stranded by the side of the road. It’s a cheap car and it feels it, but the simplicity is refreshing. You still get a good spread of modern equipment – all but the very basic-est trim level get a reversing camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It won’t do you wrong if you need a cheap runabout with phone connectivity.
Shop used Toyota Aygo cars for sale or read our Toyota Aygo review
Citroen C1
The Citroen C1 is the sister car to the Aygo and the Peugeot 108, and offers the same qualities and low prices as its siblings. Most C1s get a touchscreen with the aforementioned phone mirroring, plus a reversing camera so you don’t scrape its tiny bum when parking. The C1 gets a couple of interesting trim options that aren’t offered on the Peugeot and Toyota, and an Urban Ride trim with SUV-like plastic wheel arches. For the urban jungle, of course. Insurance is cheap and it costs very little to fill up. Tyres and servicing are also dashingly affordable.
Shop used Citroen C1 cars for sale
Peugeot 108
Underneath, the Peugeot 108 is the same as the Citroen C1 and Toyota Aygo, but the dinky Peugeot manages to feel slightly more sophisticated than its siblings. It’s still cheap and cheerful inside, with durable materials and just enough tech to feel modern – there’s smartphone mirroring and a reversing camera, keeping you connected and helping you squeeze into the tightest parking spaces. All 108s come with a frugal 1.0-litre petrol engine, but there’s also the option of a ‘Top!’ version with a folding fabric roof.
Shop used Peugeot 108 cars for sale
Dacia Sandero
The Dacia Sandero is famously a cheap car, but you’re no longer getting an old car dressed up as a new one. The current Sandero, with its Y-shaped LED daytime running lights, shares a lot of parts with the latest Renault Clio, so it feels modern and not like it’s made of tin foil. Even a two-year-old Sandero is well under the £150 per month mark at the time of writing, with the Essential trim getting air con, cruise control and Bluetooth phone connectivity. The essentials, you might say.
Shop used Dacia Sandero cars for sale or read our Dacia Sandero review
Vauxhall Corsa
The last-shape Vauxhall Corsa is still a strong pick if you don’t want to spend a fortune. While it doesn’t get the latest car’s styling, it looks modern enough with some fun design touches, and it still features all the same phone connectivity as the new car. The Corsa’s interior is delightfully easy to use, and includes more equipment than you probably expect. Most cars get a city steering mode to make low-speed manoeuvring easier, plus luxuries like a heated steering wheel!
Shop used Vauxhall Corsa cars for sale
MG3
The MG3 led the charge when MG relaunched in the UK, and after more than a decade on sale it’s only just been replaced by the new MG 3 Hybrid. The outgoing 3 is one of the best-value MGs – it can be picked up for peanuts and still comes with space for four people, a rear-view camera and Apple CarPlay. Its 1.5-litre engine is fairly spritely for a car this size, too.
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