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 £199 or less with no 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.
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
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
Nissan Leaf
Surely one of the best-value electric cars, the Nissan Leaf is a top choice for around £150 per month. It’s a family-size hatchback with plenty of rear-seat space and a bigger boot than the likes of the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf – plus it’s cheaper to buy than those cars and much cheaper to run, too. With a cheap energy tariff, the Leaf will cost just a few pounds for a charge at home, which should give you up to 160 miles of clean, smooth driving. What’s more, the Leaf has slick acceleration, making it the fastest car on this list by some margin, and its electric powertrain means it should be very reliable.
Shop used Nissan Leaf cars for sale or read our Nissan Leaf 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
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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Mazda MX-30
If you want a small EV but the likes of the Volkswagen e-Up, Dacia Spring, Mini Electric and Fiat 500e aren’t practical enough, the Mazda MX-30 might be a better shout. A 350-litre boot is plenty for the weekly shop, while the quirky rear-opening doors (a throwback to Mazda’s fun but flawed RX-8 sports car) let rear-seat passengers in to a space that’s just roomy enough for adults. The MX-30 is good to drive, well-built and interesting to look at, and it’ll have plenty of range for you if you mainly drive around town or have another car for longer journeys.
Shop used Mazda MX-30 cars for sale or read our Mazda MX-30 review
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. The Essential trim gets 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
Ford Fiesta
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 one of the biggest cars on this list, 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 entry-level Zetec 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.
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