A £30,000 budget opens up a lot of fantastic nearly new and used cars. We’ve rounded up 10 of our favourites
These days, you might be surprised how many new cars cost over £30,000. By also searching nearly new and used cars at that price, you open your choices up and can get more for your money.
We’re not talking ropey 1980s Ferraris – unless you’re taking a very brave pill – but cars that are a couple of years old that have already lost a considerable amount of their initial value. Our list includes hot hatches, SUVs, sports cars and state-of-the-art electric cars. Which of our choices for the best cars for under £30k would you choose?
Ford Fiesta ST
A brand new Ford Fiesta ST with a couple of options won’t give you much change from £30,000, but buy one that’s a year old with just a few thousand miles on the clock and you could save £5,000. Or, if you needed a bit more space, you could choose the Puma ST or Focus ST instead. All three have some of the best handling that you’ll find in a mainstream car, but we’ve picked the Fiesta as it’s slightly lighter and probably the nimblest of the lot. Not to mention the cheapest to buy and run.
Shop used Ford Fiesta ST cars for sale at Motorpoint or read our Ford Fiesta review
Audi A4
While the Fiesta will entertain on a twisty backroad, the Audi A4 will soothe on a long and arduous motorway journey. It’s comfortable, feels plush and has powerful engines that make light work of getting up to the national speed limit. As we write this, a brand-new A4 in range-topping Black Edition trim is approaching £40,000 but, if you can cope without having the very latest number plate, you can find six-month-old examples sneaking under £30,000. Just imagine how smug you’d feel at that saving!
Shop used Audi A4 cars for sale at Motorpoint or read our Audi A4 review
Range Rover Evoque
Part fashion symbol, part off-roader – the Range Rover Evoque is the brand’s most metropolitan model but still features all-terrain tech. Its breadth of capabilities is incredibly impressive, with decent rear seat space, luxury materials and badge appeal that means it’s not out of place in Knightsbridge. Get a newish car and you’ll also get Land Rover’s latest infotainment system, which no longer feels like you’re doing brain surgery to put a postcode in.
Shop used Range Rover Evoque cars for sale at Motorpoint or read our Range Rover Evoque review
Hyundai Tucson
The Hyundai Tucson and its cousin, the Kia Sportage, are our favourite midsize SUVs. Both offer bold styling, efficient hybrid engines and long warranties, but we’ve picked the Tucson as it’s even more practical than the Sportage and gets the glossy big screens as standard. Go for the mid-range hybrid engine and you’ll get up to 50mpg without having to plug in.
Shop used Hyundai Tucson cars for sale at Motorpoint or read our Hyundai Tucson review
Skoda Superb
If you’re not absolutely set on an SUV, the Skoda Superb is a great choice. Interior space is absolutely vast and so is the boot, and you get materials that manage to tread the line between sturdy and plush. Diesel power suits the Superb down to a tee and motorway munchers can see over 850 miles to a tank of fuel, but there are also petrol and plug-in hybrid engines if you don’t do regular long journeys.
Shop used Skoda Superb cars for sale at Motorpoint
Cupra Formentor
You might not initially realise that the Superb and the Cupra Formentor share oily bits, given how executive the Superb feels and how sporty the Formentor feels. Cupra’s first exclusive model – there’s no SEAT version unlike the Leon and Ateca – is only sold with sporty looks and big wheels, and it’s marked out by copper trim and suede fabrics. Alongside a range of increasingly powerful petrol engines are two plug-in hybrid options.
Shop used Cupra Formentor cars for sale at Motorpoint
BMW 4 Series
For something even sportier, how about a premium and fun-to-drive coupe? The BMW 4 Series takes the underpinnings of the relatively humble 3 Series and wraps them in swoopy, sleek body work. A high-end, high-tech interior meets engaging handling and long-distance comfort. Pick the coupe if you won’t often have people in the back seats, or the five-door 4 Series Gran Coupe if you need a bit of practicality and rear-seat access.
Shop used BMW 4 Series cars for sale at Motorpoint
Peugeot 3008
Still one of our favourite family SUVs despite increasingly talented competition, the soon-to-be-replaced Peugeot 3008 is available for much less than £30,000. For this budget, you can get a basically new petrol in top-spec GT trim with change for a year’s fuel and insurance. Or a range-topping 300hp plug-in hybrid version with hot-hatch pace, if you’re willing to drive a car with a number plate that’s not quite as recent.
Shop used Peugeot 3008 cars for sale at Motorpoint or read our Peugeot 3008 review
Audi TT
One of the best sports cars under £30k, the Audi TT has now shuffled off to retirement. So take advantage of sizeable savings on nearly new cars and enjoy the TT experience before it’s too late. The TT might not take up much space on the road, but it packs in a fantastic and cleverly designed interior. And a sporty driving experience, whether you pick an entry-level car or a punchy TTS.
Shop used Audi TT cars for sale at Motorpoint
Tesla Model 3
Tesla Model 3s are everywhere. You’ll count hundreds on any given motorway journey. There are plenty available under £30,000, which seems like good value for a car that’s so high-tech and feels so futuristic – even several years after its launch. The entry-level Standard Plus Model 3 has addictively fast acceleration and a range of almost 280 miles, while the Dual Motor versions add more range and power.
Shop used Tesla Model 3 cars for sale at Motorpoint
