Car expert finds the best used car listings for any budget
It's no secret that used car prices are a bit scary at the moment. Demand has surged, and dealers are asking big money for the vehicles on their forecourts.
More than 3,500,000 cars changed hands in the first half of this year alone, and the average asking price is now nearly £18,000 - around £5,000 higher than pre-pandemic.
Some of that is down to the surging interest in more expensive electric cars, but it's also down to the fact more of us are choosing used cars over new cars, keeping values strong.
Finding an affordable used car then, can be a tricky job. Good deals are hard to find. But I've trawled through the classified adverts on Carwow to find some tasty deals, and picked out 10 cars which are well priced, nicely presented and would make excellent choices for your next big purchase.
You can see all of the listings here.
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Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost 125 ST-Line
I can't not include the Ford Fiesta. Britain's best-seller might have ceased production, but it's still a firm favourite among used buyers. And rightly so. It's attractive, build and cabin quality is top-notch, pricing has always been keen and it has class-leading road manners.
This 2016 ST-Line is a great spec, in a nice colour with low mileage for its age. The one-litre engine gives a peppy 125bhp and it's a more practical five-door version.
The ST-Line was the sportier version, so ride quality will be compromised somewhat, and those big wheels will make a set of new tyres more pricey, but residual values are bound to be strong, and it'll make a great family runabout.
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Renault Clio 1.0 TCe 100 Iconic
This generation of Renault Clio was a huge step forward from its predecessor, and saw improvements in every area. It's a bigger car, which makes it more practical, and it feels far more grown up than earlier versions.
It might have lost some of its fun factor these days, but the Clio is now a well-specced, sensibly priced, dependable family car. I got stuck with one during the first Covid lockdown, and grew to love it. It was a sad day when I had to hand the keys back.
This 2020 model has done relatively high miles, but it'll make a perfect second car, or even a primary vehicle for a small family.
The one-litre engine is powerful enough, and still delivers decent fuel economy. It's arguably in the best colour, too.
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Fia t Panda 1.2 Lounge
Ah, the Fiat Panda. One of my all-time favourite cars. No, really, it is. This generation of Panda lost some of the rugged appeal of its earlier iterations, but they really shouldn't be overlooked as a cheap, solid and reliable family car.
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They're so much more practical than you'd expect, reliability is a strong suit, and this Lounge model is the ideal spec.
This one looks terrific in white - it's one of the few cars that does, in my opinion - the mileage is good, and it's a lot of car for £8,500. They even old their value surprisingly well.
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Kia Sportage 1.6T GDi DCT Auto AWD GT-Line S
This generation of Sportage arrived when Kia was properly getting into its stride. And the fact you see so many on the road is testament to just how good they were.
Don't be fooled by its SUV looks, it's not really an off-roader, but you didn't need to mud-plug anyway - did you?
They all come with generous levels of equipment, but the GT-Line S has the perfect balance of big spec, and fine looks. Those big wheels are gorgeous, and it's a very agreeable colour.
Its 1.6-litre petrol engine might have done quite a few miles, but it's a dependable unit, and Kia offers a seven-year warranty, so there should be some of that remaining. This would make a great family car.
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Nissan Qashqai 1.2 DiG-TXtronic Tekna
The Qashqai could be credited (or some would say blamed) for triggering the SUV/Crossover boom. It was one of the first cars to make the leap from hatchback underpinnings to a soft-roader style. But the fact you see so many around just shows that Nissan got it right, and it's continued to be a success. The very latest version is a superb car, but earlier models really did have their plus points.
Despite there being so many on sale, I found it tricky to pick a bargain out, but this Tekna in a beautiful metallic red has done very few miles and it has the desirable 1.2-litre engine. It's also an automatic.
Priced at £15,000 it might seem a lot for an eight-year-old car, but this one looks like a bit of a peach and, believe it or not, that's good money for a Quashqai. I know, scary stuff indeed.
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Tesla Model 3 AWD Auto Performance
It would be wrong of me not to include an electric car in this list, and there's certainly plenty of good ones to go for, but a sound choice for a used EV is the Tesla Model 3.
I know, it's not exactly attractive, but this performance version will amaze you with its 456bhp and its theoretical range is strong at 368 miles.
The market for used EVs is all over the place, so someone's really lost some money on this car, priced as it is at £31,000. But as a used buyer you can pick up a top-spec Tesla for a shade over £30,000. And that, frankly, seems like quite the bargain.
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Volvo XC40 2.0 D4 190 AWD Geartronic R Design Pro
Volvo XC40Volvo's XC40 is under-rated. It might be drowned out by a multitude of rivals, but it oozes elegance, it's beautifully refined and conforms to Volvo's legendary safety and build quality reputation. It also looks great too, it's really grown on me over the years.
Used values have stayed very strong by the looks of it, but this three-year-old model has only done 11,000 miles, so it'll still feel fresh, and just over £33,000 for a premium SUV is not to be sniffed at.
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Vauxhall Mokka 1.2 Turbo Auto Launch Edition
I was never a fan of the original Vauxhall Mokka, but this new version is spot on. Its handsome looks and generous spec belie a very keen pricing structure across the range and they're surprisingly practical.
It feels to me like it's one of those cars that should really just be a hatchback - there's no real benefit to the crossover treatment, but it does give it quite a presence.
In this colour, in the desirable Launch Edition spec, it makes a great used buy. And it's only a couple of years old, so it should be in very good condition. Especially with such low mileage.
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Ford Puma 1.0 EcoBoost mHEV 155 DCT ST-Line Vignale
It might be a shadow of its former self, but Ford's Puma is one of Britain's best-selling cars. And the reason why is simple - it's brilliant. Unlike it's predecessor, which was a lightweight, sporty icon, this version is more family-focused and Ford refers to it as an "SUV-inspired crossover".
Quite joyfully, it doesn't really conform to the usual crossover rule-book, which might be why it's carved itself such a successful niche. Good looks, solid engines, a vast dealer network and keen pricing make this one of the most sensible used cars you can buy today.
This one I've found is in the perfect colour, in top ST-Line Vignale spec, and £25,900 for a one-year-old car makes it my star buy in this guide. It's the one I'd have out of all of them. Great to see there are still some really good deals to be had.
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Mercedes C-Class Saloon C300e 9G-Tronic AMG Line
We might as well include a bit of luxury and, while the Mercedes C-Class might be the most "affordable" Mercedes saloon, it's a wise choice for anyone looking for a comfortable, well-equipped mile muncher.
This particular one, a C300e, is a plug-in hybrid, but it still offers a huge amount of power and great spec. Obsidian black is a popular colour for Mercedes, and this one is a 72-regs, so it'll still feel factory fresh.
Of course, £41,000 is a lot of money for anyone to spend on a car, but given how good the Mercedes interiors are these days - not to mention build quality, it's hard to think of a nearly new car that will make you feel quite so special for so little.
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