While £400 per month is plenty to get you behind the wheel of a brand-new car, you’ll get more for your money by picking something a bit older.
New cars lose a big chunk of money in the first couple of years on the road, so this list features some cars that were quite expensive when they left the factory. From state-of-the-art electric cars to spacious family SUVs, there’s plenty of exciting choice on this list. For more options, browse our whole selection of cars for £300-£400 per month or our cars for £349 per month or less with a £349 deposit.
Renault Scenic E-Tech
Jumping in straight to the top of this list is the Renault Scenic E-Tech, which is one of the best SUVs around – electric or otherwise. A near-400-mile range means it could even work for you if you can’t charge at home, and you won’t mind spending time at a charger while sitting in the sumptuous interior. There’s plenty of tech to keep you entertained on long journeys, and Google Maps integration to make sure you’re never stuck in a surprise traffic jam again. The styling is sophisticated, the boot is nearly class-leading and rear-seat space is jaw-dropping.
Shop used Renault Scenic E-Tech cars for sale or read our Renault Scenic E-Tech review
Toyota RAV4
If your priorities are reliability, a comforting driving experience and fuel economy, rather than adrenaline and excitement, the Toyota RAV4 sounds like it’ll be totally up your street. The RAV4 feels strong and stable, undeterred by any weather or driving situation, and utterly dependable. It’s not exciting, but it’ll make you happy owning one. After all, it’s one of the world’s best-selling cars, so thousands of people all across the globe can’t be wrong.
Shop used Toyota RAV4 cars for sale or read our Toyota RAV4 review
BMW 5 Series
This generation of BMW 5 Series is one of our favourite cars we’ve tested in recent years. It’s superb at soaking up motorways, yet its fun handling can put a smile on your face when you turn onto a twisty B-road. The interior is the perfect blend of luxurious and user-friendly, with all the kit you’d probably ever want and plenty of space. Petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid engines are available, so there’s something to suit your driving habits.
Shop used BMW 5 Series cars for sale or read our used BMW 5 Series review
Volvo XC40
Petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid or even fully electric – if you like the Volvo XC40’s chunky, youthful styling, there’s an engine to suit you. Whichever you pick, you’ll get a smart, tranquil interior with a portrait touchscreen and a perfect mix of digital and analogue. As you’d hope from a premium car, the tech and materials on offer both impress, while the XC40 is still a fairly practical machine for people and stuff.
Shop used Volvo XC40 cars for sale or read our Volvo XC40 review
Peugeot 5008
It might have been replaced now, but this generation of 5008 is a premium-feeling SUV that’s perfect for a large family. Seven seats come as standard, with the added bonus of three individual middle-row seats – each with their own Isofix child-seat mounting points. It’s super stylish for a big old bus, and the interior is a riot of textures and interesting shapes. A row of piano-like shortcut keys quickly take you to the main parts of the infotainment screen, while the digital dials are very high-resolution and sharp.
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Audi A5
The Audi A5 is a truly sophisticated choice. Its bodywork is as crisp as a freshly ironed shirt, its interior is grown up and everything about the A5 is smart. If it was a person, you’d never see it wearing trainers. And, as such, don’t expect it to be hot on the heels of a supercar down a country road – but it’ll soak up long motorway journeys without any fuss whatsoever.
Shop used Audi A5 cars for sale or read our Audi A5 review
Peugeot e-3008
This is the newer-shape Peugeot 3008, which is available for the first time as a fully electric car. The e-3008 is the one to get, in our opinion, because of its 327-mile range and heavy initial depreciation – making it fantastic value as a used car. And with such a high range figure and impressively fast charging capability, you could feasibly live with the e-3008 even if you have to rely on public charge networks. New, even bolder styling is matched by an interior that includes a ‘floating’ 21-inch screen.
Shop used Peugeot e-3008 cars for sale or read our Peugeot 3008 review
Ford Explorer
An all-new model from Ford, the Explorer uses the same electrical components as the Audi Q4 and Volkswagen ID.4. The Explorer manages to feel different to its VW Group cousins, because it’s better to drive and has an eye-catching large portrait touchscreen to control its huge list of features. Six-month-old examples slot in under £400 per month, and you can expect a range figure of up to 374 miles in ideal conditions. Plus, the acceleration is rapid and the battery is covered by an eight-year warranty.
Shop used Ford Explorer cars for sale or read our Ford Explorer review
Skoda Kodiaq
One of our favourite seven-seaters, the Skoda Kodiaq is probably the ultimate family car. The interior is the perfect mix of posh and hard-wearing – you’re not going to be too bothered about the crumbs and mess that your kids cause, but it feels luxurious up front. It’s really roomy, and the boot is vast with the rear seats folded down. There’s still a torquey diesel engine on offer for easy power, load lugging and towing, and a slick-shifting DSG automatic gearbox too.
Shop used Skoda Kodiaq cars for sale or read our Skoda Kodiaq review
Alfa Romeo Giulia
We end on a wildcard. We’re not going to suggest that the Giulia is as talented as the other cars on this list but, whereas a lot of our choices feel like appliances, the Giulia will strike up an emotional connection. It’s a car you’ll love driving and spending time with, and you’re guaranteed to glance back at it when you park it somewhere. It looks particularly good under petrol station lights – handy given how often you’ll be in one.
Shop used Alfa Romeo Giulia cars for sale or read our Alfa Romeo Giulia review
Read our top picks for other monthly budgets
- 10 of the best cars for under £150 per month
- 10 of the best cars for under £200 per month
- 10 of the best cars for under £250 per month
- 10 of the best cars for under £300 per month
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