Top 20 Used Cars for less than £10k – 2018
Now updated: Top 20 Used Cars for less than £10k – 2020
Got a budget and need a bit of inspiration as to what you can get for your money?
We’ve put together this list of the Best 20 Used Cars for Under £10k to highlight the wide range of vehicles that you can get on a relatively restricted budget.
From exciting sports cars and powerful SUVs to comfy family cars and spacious estates this list is far from the most popular hot hatches right now… although we’ve included a few of our favourites!
So take a look at what we think are the 20 best used cars for less than £10k and see if you can grab yourself a bargain:
Best Luxury Cars under £10,000
As the name suggests, Luxury cars are those that go the extra mile to provide a comfortable and relaxed ride, even if that means spending an extra few pounds. As we’re trying to stick to a £10,000 budget, you may have thought that this category is even harder to find a decent car. But you’d be wrong! Here’s our top Luxury Cars under £10k.
Jaguar XF
Arguably not as sensible a purchase as many of the cars on this list, the Jaguar XF combines style and luxury and is one of very cars for the £10,000 budget that can make you feel super-important when you pull up in it.
In terms of downright good looks, there’s not many better cars you can get for 10k.
You may struggle to find an XF with low mileage, and they may be more value for money than other Jags, but with such a smooth ride and ferocious engine, who cares?
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
The Mercedes badge is one of the most well-known and easily identifiable logos in motoring, and it simply screams class.
A Mercedes is one of those cars on this list that you wouldn’t consider if it were new, as it would be way out of your price range, but with £10k, you can still get an incredible used Mercedes.
Whilst you may have to go for a slightly older, higher mileage car than many in this article, it’s definitely worth it for the style, comfort and pure fun that a Mercedes can provide.
Not only that, but it’s pretty easy to get a Mercedes-Benz E-Class with a full service history for your money, and with its incredible attention to detail and sophistication, it’s quite the bargain.
Best SUVs under £10,000
SUV stands for Sport Utility Vehicle and they are specifically designed for off-road and testing conditions. With plenty of space for bikes, camping equipment and sports gear, SUVs are the perfect family cars without sacrificing any style. A real all-rounder. View our top SUVs under 10K.
Range Rover
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Whether you’re driving around the city centre or traversing the countryside, the Range Rover has both the ability to do it well and look right at home at the same time.
For £10,000 you’ll be hard pushed to find another car that has the same level of street cred yet makes you feel incredibly safe at the same time.
Handling may differ from what you’re used to if you’ve never previously driven such a large 4×4, but this intimidating beast is plenty of fun once it’s tamed!
Jeep Cherokee
The Jeep Cherokee is a tough-looking American classic that is still affordable and surprisingly easy to come by.
With spacious, luxurious interiors and a 5 star Euro NCAP safety rating, the Jeep is ideal for families of all sizes!
As you’d expect, the Cherokee is as good off-road as it is on-road and manages a very good fuel economy for such a large car.
Despite older Cherokees having quite a few small issues, popular ones being the dash lights, oil leaks etc, your £10,000 budget should get you a very solid vehicle that will make your look like a boss when you’re driving down the road.
Best Compact Cars Under £10,000
A compact car, otherwise known as a small family car, is a classification of car that is defined by the US Environmental Protection Agency as having an interior volume between 100 to 109.9 cubic feet. Interesting right!? Anyway, check out our best Compact Cars for your budget below:
Lexus CT
This beautiful hybrid is often underlooked but for the budget it offers a stunning interior with a modern design.
Being a hybrid, it’s naturally a very relaxing drive (if that’s your thing) and, of course, economical. But if you’re a thrill seeker who’s not fussed about how much petrol you’re burning, then this ain ‘t for you!
Another downside noted is that the car can be very loud on acceleration, but don’t let that deter you from an overall very comfortable drive, and for the 10k budget, there are a bunch of great options.
SEAT Leon
Perhaps without the plush interior of its competitor, the Volkswagen Golf, the Leon excels from the outside and has an air of class that can’t be matched.
Despite its limited interiors, there is still plenty of space and the whole car has been made with practically in mind.
Not only this, but with your budget, you can choose from a great choice of engines, including efficient, small turbocharged petrol and 1.6L diesel engines that make this motor great fun to drive.
Alfa Romeo 156 GTA
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Alfa Romeo is one of the longest-running motoring brands in Europe, and the Italian brand continues to impress with the exciting and stylish design of their cars to this day.
As one of the rarer car brands to get your hands on, there’s limited choice out there, especially with a £10,000 limit.
However, look around, and you can still find a car such as the Alfa Romeo 156 GTA, with its sports car-like driving and practicality, which makes it a real bargain.
This charming little number sounds amazing when you put your foot down and makes that search for it all the more worthwhile.
Honda Civic Tourer
Since its inception in 1972, the Honda Civic has been a firm favourite with car lovers.
The Civic looks a lot different than it did in the 70s becoming more and more upmarket with every generation.
The critically acclaimed spacious family hatchback has won a number of awards for its design throughout the years and with the new model arriving last year, you can now pick up older versions for a snip of the price.
Whilst this car is incredibly enjoyable to drive with a unique style, it’s not particularly cheap to run and it’s been suggested that reliability isn’t a strong point either.
Peugeot 308
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The Peugeot 308 is a very smart car that wouldn’t look out of place in any situation.
With quality interiors, extra cabin space and driving dynamics, comfort is no problem.
Not only this but with such a low centre of gravity, the 308 is incredibly nimble in and out of corners and very good value for money when used with a low fuel consumption.
One slight negative is the long gear change but don’t let that put you off a brilliant all round car for just 10k.
Kia Ceed
The sister company of South Korean Hyundai, Kia, used to have a bad reputation for making low-quality cars that looked terrible.
That image has been quashed in recent years and has changed dramatically as the cars they’ve produced continue to improve.
Despite the incredible improvement in the cars they produce, Kia’s price point has pretty much remained the same, meaning you can pick up a car that outweighs a lot of the competition at an absolute snip!
Low-mileage Ceeds are great value, and you can easily get one that’s just a few years old, low mileage, and high specification for your £10,000 budget.
Best Crossover Cars Under £10,000
We’ve selected a collection of Crossovers for under £10,000 that will make your mouth water. A crossover car is a vehicle that is built on a unibody platform that merges aspects of a (SUV) with those of a passenger vehicle such as a hatchback. A classic example is the…
Nissan Qashqai
Labelled as the ultimate urban crossover, the Nissan Qashqai was a frontrunner for such vehicles since it was launched over a decade ago.
Practical, economical and super fun to drive, the Qashqai is the crossover to beat.
It’s been five years since the new model was launched but it’s still tricky to find a low-mileage option within your £10,000 budget.
But with the awesome handling, modern technology, award winning safety ratings alongside the stylish interior and sleek exterior, it’s worth the time and effort spent searching.
Citroen C4 Cactus
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I’ll be honest, when I first saw this car driving past me on the road I thought there’d been an incident and the armored SUVs had been deployed!
One of the most distinctive designs in this list, the ‘Airbump’ strips on the side of the car are in fact designed to stop your car getting scratched and bumped by other road users.
Some would argue that they would rather the dents and scrapes on their car than the air filled capsules that repel danger (giving the Cactus its name), but with spacious interiors, a comfortable ride and great value for money, we’re not one of them!
Not only that, but it’s very economical and lighter than other SUVs making the Cactus a perfect family car.
Best Mid-Size Cars Under £10,000
These large family cars combine practicality and class for a refined yet efficient drive. View our top Mid-Size cars and grab yourself a bargain that oozes class.
Subaru Legacy
Subaru’s are like Marmite… you either love them or hate them.
If you fall on the side of loving the Japanese brand, famed for their incredible engineering, then look no further than a Legacy.
Subaru’s are synonymous with rallying but the Legacy isn’t just mean looking and exciting to drive, it’s also a surprisingly practical and comfortable estate.
Probably not the first choice if you’re after a car for the school run, your £10,000 will still get you a low-mileage vehicle well suited for off-roading.
BMW 3 Series
It’s little wonder that Top Gear voted the last two generations of the 3 Series as “Best in Class” when you take into account how spacious, comfortable, exciting, economical and well equipped these cars are.
With luxurious interiors and a mean looking, cool exterior, the 3 Series has taken what made its predecessors so great and made a step up with refinement, innovation and an overall performance.
For your £10,000 budget you can choose from a number of body styles including estate, saloon and coupe and you are getting one of the top all-round cars on the market.
They’re are some reliability issues with the 3 Series compared with some of the cars on the list but there’s a reason the BMW is one of the most popular brands in the UK and you won’t be disappointed.
Best City Cars Under £10,000
City Cars combine incredible handling and steering with ultimate efficiency packing it all into a pint-sized vehicle. With our selections you’ll be zooming around town and fitting into those tricky parking spaces, all with plenty of change from your budget in your back pocket!
Fiat 500
Introduced in 2008, the Fiat 500 is one of the most recognisable and stylish designs on the roads right now.
Combining retro charm with a modern design, the 500 is affordable, reliable, fuel-efficient and economical.
Not only does it look great, it drives beautifully too. With agile handling and a surprisingly powerful engine
For your £10,000 budget you get to choose from a range of colour combinations but be aware that these are strictly city cars so the used vehicles you find may have the odd bumps and dents
Toyota Aygo
The striking Toyota Aygo is an acquired taste from a looks perspective but one thing everyone who drives it will agree on is that it’s great value for money.
A city centre hero with light steering, the Aygo is small, compact and cheap to run yet stylish and very modern looking.
Not only this, but like it’s Prius cousin, The Toyota Aygo has low emissions that come from its efficient three-cylinder engine meaning it’s both good for the environment and your wallet!
With a bit of research, you’ll be able to find hundreds of Toyota Aygos available for the £10,000 budget with a bunch of accessories to make your ride all that more satisfying.
Best Hot Hatches Under £10,000
We could of done a whole article about the best hot hatches under £10,000 as there’s so many great options on offer but for today we have saved them until last. Hot hatches are the ferocious, speedy sister of the traditional hatchback and focus way more on speed and style than comfort. Here’s some fo the best we could find for your budget:
Suzuki Swift Sport
Suzuki is one of the most globally recognisable automotive brands that there is.
With a long history of consistently producing top of the range, value for money cars and motorcycles, it’s easy to see why Suzuki is so loved.
The Suzuki Swift Sport is a super-exciting hot hatch that really gives it’s competitors a run for their money.
On long stretches of roads the Swift will struggle to keep up with the best hot hatches but on tight bends and windy roads, the grip and control make this nippy little car a dream to drive.
Ford Fiesta ST
We couldn’t do a Best Used Cars Under £10k list without including the cool Ford Fiesta ST.
There’s a reason the fiesta is the UK’s most popular small car and that’s quite simply because what you get for your money is incredible.
Fantastically fun to drive, the handling responsiveness, engine power and smooth ride make it very enjoyable and the 5 star Euro NCAP safety rating means it’s also perfect for families.
For your budget you get a wealth of accessories and extras options and interior to rival any car in this list.
Vauxhall Astra VXR
The Vauxhall Astra has a unfairly boring image and with your budget you can most definitely pick up a beautiful vehicle.
Perhaps it’s the practicality and reliability for the car that gets mistaken for a lack of excitement but this car actually drives really well and it’s a lot of fun.
The small family hatchback is a popular car on British roads and that’s because it’s very efficient, comfortable and is equipped with a decent amount of technology for the price.
Surprisingly spacious, The Vauxhall Astra is a great choice for someone looking for a well priced family car.
Volkswagen Golf GTI
The iconic Volkswagen Golf has been voted as European Car of the Year on two occasions and it’s easy to see why with the luxury, practicality and excitement that this car provides when you drive it.
A spacious vehicle with both 3 and 5 door options available, this car is perfect for both a first time buyer as well as for families.
A pleasurable yet safe drive has made this hot hatch a firm favourite on British roads and sales don’t seem to be diminishing any time soon.
Not only this, but for your money you’re getting one of the coolest and classiest exteriors that £10,000 can buy. A real bargain.
Missed a trick? Let us know which used car you would have included in our list by tweeting us @CarMoneyUK
