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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. We've focused on models that are as new as possible, to give you modern tech and that new-car feel.
Fiat 500
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- Huge number for sale means you can be picky with spec
- Petrol and electric versions
- Easy to park and cheap to run
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, and the Dolcevita with its glass roof. Get one with the 1.0-litre mild-hybrid engine and you’ll be able to manage up to 57mpg.
If you’ve got a designated parking space next to your house, consider picking the electric 500e. This is an even better city car, thanks to its effortless acceleration, automatic gearbox and cheap recharging costs. Small-battery ones manage around 100 miles of real-world driving while the bigger 42kWh battery lets you go further afield; both feel more modern inside than the petrol 500.
Shop used Fiat 500 cars for sale or read our Fiat 500 review
Kia Picanto
- Very spacious for its size
- Big car tech on some versions
- Reliable
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
Citroen C4
- Great-value alternative to a VW Golf or Ford Focus
- Comfy on scruffy British road surfaces
- Distinctive looks
The Citroen C4 shows you can have a cool, comfortable car with space for a family, even if you don't want to spend a lot. We think it looks great, with lots of eye-catching details on its coupe-SUV-like bodywork. And, despite the swoopy shape, practicality is still ticked off with a 375-litre boot – on a par with the Volkswagen Golf – and good rear-seat space. Further forward, you can enjoy a simple and intuitive dashboard, soft seats and some clever storage features.
Shop used Citroen C4 cars for sale or read our Citroen C4 review
Ford Fiesta
- Fun to drive
- Plenty of space for four adults and some shopping
- Some really useful standard features
If you’re happy with something a little older and with slightly more miles on the clock, you simply cannot go wrong with a Ford Fiesta. It’s practical enough to work as a small family car, with more space than these smaller city cars, and it’s also one of the most fun-to-drive cars of our picks. Even a 1.0-litre Fiesta in an entry-level trim will put a Cheshire Cat grin on your face – and it still doesn’t cost much to run. Alloy wheels, a heated windscreen and air-con are just some of the standard features, and there's Ford's MyKey system if you're going to be sharing the car with a young driver.
Shop used Ford Fiesta cars for sale or read our Ford Fiesta review
Hyundai i10
- Shares parts with the Picanto
- Lots of tech for a small car
- Balance of five-year warranty
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
Nissan Juke
- A great all-rounder
- SUV ride height makes access easier
- Pleasant to drive
We're starting to see examples of the Nissan Juke drop to around £150 per month. Compared to what else is on this list, that makes the Juke look exceptional value. There's nothing the Juke is bad at – it's more practical than you might expect, with a bigger boot than anything on this list, plus it's economical and even quite fun to drive. Thankfully, the Juke's zany styling isn't repeated inside, where the easy-access controls make the Juke really easy to live with.
Shop used Nissan Juke cars for sale or read our Nissan Juke review
Vauxhall Corsa
- Consistently a best-seller
- Huge choice available on used market
- Strong value for money
The UK’s most popular small car is widely available for under £150 per month. It’s not only a big seller because it’s affordable, but because it’s a very multi-talented thing. Fun to drive and peppy, yet economical and mostly comfortable. Well equipped for the price, yet also big enough to carry your friends without them feeling scrunched up behind you. Typically, you’ll be able to choose lower-spec cars with low mileage or higher-spec cars with slightly higher mileage for your hundred-and-a-half.
Shop used Vauxhall Corsa cars for sale or read our Vauxhall Corsa review
Toyota Aygo
- Simple runabout transport
- Promises to be very reliable
- Styling inspired by Japanese comic books
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
Peugeot 108
- Ultra-cheap insurance costs
- More 'grown up' styling than Aygo
- Some big car features such as a parking camera
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
- Famously cheap but feels modern
- Uses tried-and-tested parts
- Spacious for the price
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. You'll find plenty of Sanderos for 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
