Britain's cheapest new cars 2024
The cheapest new cars are rarely in four figures, but they’re better than they’ve ever been. Here are the 10 cheapest new cars on sale.
Looking for the cheapest new cars on sale in 2024? Look no further. If you want to find out the most affordable new cars on sale in the UK today, you've come to the right place.
True, new car list prices may not be as relevant today as they once were, with so many buyers electing to purchase through finance - but even if you're buying on a PCP for instance, the list price still affects what you end up paying.
While new car prices have risen - for instance the cheapest Vauxhall Corsa you can get is now £19,635 - there are still models around if you're on a budget.
Opting for a finance deal - especially those that offer 0% APR, or interest-free credit and large deposit contributions - can make these cheap cars even more affordable. Beware however, as some of the cheapest new cars come with the worst value finance deals and you may find higher APR figures on the cheapest models.
Brand new cars in this price range normally require some sort of compromise - particularly when it comes to amount of equipment on board. You'll likely need to pay a bit more for things like air-conditioning or Bluetooth connectivity. Plus you'll likely be getting the lowest powered engine in the range.
Cheapest new cars 2024
- Citroen Ami
- Dacia Sandero
- Citroen C3
- MG3
- Fiat Panda
- Dacia Spring
- Kia Picanto
- Dacia Sandero Stepway
- Toyota Aygo X
Cheapest car for urban commuters
List price: From £7695
Read our full Citroen Ami review
It's the cheapest cars on sale in the UK today by more than £6000, although the Citroen Ami might not be the kind of transport that will suit everyone.
Still, it's hard not to like a car that is as simple and clever as this one. Legally defined as a quadricycle which means it has far fewer expensive regulations to meet, the Citroen Ami uses a small 5.5kWh battery and is limited to a top speed of only 28mph, so it's only really viable as a city car.
But what a city car. Its tiny dimensions and absurdly tight turning circle makes it more agile than almost anything with four wheels. Plus it will also cost peanuts to run. It's unrefined, very basic inside and left-hand-drive only, but if you need something small and affordable for whizzing around the city, it could be the perfect choice.
Cheapest car for family duties
List price: From £13,795
Read our full Dacia Sandero review
The Dacia Sandero arrived in the UK as the cheapest new car you could buy back in 2013, and by using some older Renault components and stripping back on the standard equipment, it provided no-frills transport for buyers who wanted a new car at a bargain price.
The latest generation version is a bit more expensive, but it's a worth trade-off as it now comes with more standard equipment like an infotainment screen with Bluetooth and DAB, LED headlights and cruise control, so it's a bit more civilised and feels more modern as a result.
It's about the same size as a Polo or Fiesta but makes good use of its interior space, and as long as you choose the TCe 90 turbocharged petrol version it has a useful turn of speed too. Running costs will be low too, so it will help you save the pennies even after you've left the showroom.
Cheapest car for urban comfort
List price: From £14,150
Read our full Citroen C3 review
Another Citroen makes the ten cheapest cars you can buy in the UK, and one of the cheapest small cars you can buy from a mainstream manufacturer, the C3 is a grown-up small car with a small price tag too.
Taking a little inspiration from the Citroen C4 Cactus, the C3 takes a sensible approach to urban living by focussing on comfort for the driver and passengers rather than sporty handling. That means it's not particularly exciting drive, but it's well equipped to deal with poor road surfaces and the PureTech engines are peppy and frugal too.
The cheapest You! trim isn't stacked with kit, but you do get LED headlights, electric folding mirrors, a DAB radio with Bluetooth and air conditioning, so all the key essentials are covered.
Cheapest car for driving fun
List price: From £14,355
Read our full MG 3 review
MG has already announced a new version of the MG 3 with a hybrid engine, but this is the older and cheaper version that is a little more basic. It's small hatchback but offers pretty good interior space for its footprint.
It still looks pretty sharp on the outside although some of the materials inside do feel cheap. However, the specification is good even on the basic Excite trim, with rear parking sensors, an 8-inch infotainment screen and Apple CarPlay.
To drive, the MG 3 is a mixed bag. The 1.5-litre petrol engine needs to be worked hard to give up its performance and feels a little old-tech, but it has quite firm suspension which provides taut handling and plenty of fun on the right roads. The MG 3 isn't the cheapest small car in this list, but it is the cheapest with a seven-year, 80,000 mile warranty. And when shopping at this end of the new car market that is a big plus.
Cheapest car for cheeky looks
List price: From £14,750
Read our full Fiat Panda review
The Fiat Panda is no spring chicken, having first been introduced in 2011, but regular updates have helped keep it fresh. Aside from price, arguably the Fiat Panda's biggest draw is its funky design. Inside and out, the Panda is quirky and modern.
The interior is practical and pretty spacious given its size, while features like the sliding rear seats mean you can tailor the cabin to suit passengers or luggage. It offers a reasonable specification too, with air conditioning and a five-inch infotainment screen with DAB and Bluetooth as standard. Running costs are impressively low too.
The downsides are that the Panda can feel a little short of puff outside of the city and its ageing design means crash safety is behind key rivals - when last tested by Euro NCAP in 2018 it scored zero stars.
Cheapest car for EV driving
List price: From £14,995
Read our Dacia reviews
The Dacia Spring is so new you can't actually buy one yet and we're yet to test it for ourselves, but when it does officially go on sale it will be the cheapest new electric car you can buy in the UK.
Like its Dacia stablemates, the Dacia Spring is focussed on value but provides all the essentials. UK specification is yet to be confirmed, but expect features like air conditioning and an infotainment system to be standard. An SUV-inspired design means it looks pretty sharp too.
The electric system is made up of a 26.8kWh battery and a 65PS motor, giving reasonable performance of 0-62mph in 13.7 seconds. More importantly, the Dacia Spring has an official range of 143 miles, rising to 189 miles for city driving. It can also accept up to 34kW fast charging, so 80 miles of range can be added in 34 minutes.
Cheapest car for good quality
List price: From £15,030
Read our full Kia Picanto review
The Kia Picanto is one of the best city cars on the market, so the fact that it is also one of cheapest cars too is a big plus.
Cheap to buy and cheap to run, the Picanto does a good job of feeling like something a little more expensive. Clearly some cost-savings having been made in terms of the cabin materials, but the build quality is very good and it feels like it will last.
The standard specification is good too - even the entry-level '2' model gets alloy wheels, air conditioning and an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It's not short on space either, with the largest boot in the class at 255 litres and a rear seat that's big enough for reasonably-sized adults.
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Cheapest car for SUV feel
List price: From £15,295
Read our full Dacia Sandero Stepway review
The Dacia Sandero Stepway puts an SUV spin on the Dacia Sandero hatchback for drivers who want a higher ride height and the raised driving position that comes with it. It's not an off-roader of course - it's still only front-wheel-drive, but the slight increase in ground clearance does mean it is better equipped to tackle bumpy access roads or grassy car parks. It also means that getting in and out is easier, particularly handy if you have children or limited mobility.
The entry-level Essential trim has a decent amount of equipment, with manual air conditioning, automatic lights and wipers plus DAB and Bluetooth, but if you want a proper touchscreen system and climate control you'll need to spend another £1500.
There's plenty of space inside, and the driving experience is undemanding, with good ride comfort and useful performance with economy from the 100 TCe petrol engine. One demerit is that the Sandero Stepway scored a four-star Euro NCAP rating back in 2013, so it would score considerably less by today's standards.
Cheapest car for small SUV style
List price: From £16,140
Read our full Toyota reviews
The Toyota Aygo city car is no more, but instead the Japanese manufacturer offers the Aygo X, a similarly-sized small car that offers a dash of SUV style in a small package.
However, the big plus is that the Toyota Aygo X actually uses the same base as the Toyota Yaris , so it has good ride quality and dependable handling as a result. The 1.0-litre three cylinder engine is reasonably refined for its size and offers impressive economy with enough performance to stay in the swim, although the automatic option is best avoided.
Inside it offers good space for those up front and plenty of elbow room, although taller adults will find the rear seats a little cramped. The boot is usefully sized though plus you get a touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto even on the most basic version.