A £250 per month budget feels like a real sweet spot for used cars.
Paying £250 a month or less usually gets you into a current-shape model that might only be a couple of years old, but for considerably less than the same car if it’d just rolled out of the factory. So you get the latest tech, a plate that’s not very old and, often, the balance of the manufacturer’s warranty.
We've chosen our 10 favourite cars at this price point, including posh hatchbacks, roomy family cars and some of the most stylish cars on sale. For even more choice, browse our range of used cars under £250 per month here – or check out our cars available for £249 a month with £249 deposit.
Skoda Karoq
Vanilla is the best flavour of ice cream, and the Skoda Karoq – while a bit bland-looking at first – is one of the, er, tastiest SUVs. Its handsome, well-proportioned bodywork hides a smart and considered dashboard, featuring a blend of materials that strike a good balance between plushness and durability. The Karoq offers a huge amount of interior space and excellent versatility, but it’s also good to drive and comfortable.
It’s one of our favourite family haulers, and you can spend considerably less than £250 per month to get behind the wheel of one. You can even buy a Karoq with the zippy 1.0-litre petrol engine and in a decently equipped trim level for around £200 per month. SE L trim adds lots of bells and whistles and still comes under budget.
Shop used Skoda Karoq cars for sale or read our Skoda Karoq review
Nissan Qashqai
As one of the larger cars on this list, the Nissan Qashqai shows you can have family-friendly practicality without spending a fortune. At this budget you can choose from last-shape and current-shape Qashqais, and we’d definitely recommend going for the newer one if you can. It’s bigger and more practical than before, it boasts sharper styling and the interior is noticeably more modern.
Fuel economy is also a little better in the new-shape car, thanks to its standard-fit mild-hybrid assistance. Acenta Premium trim offers an enticing blend of value and equipment, with alloy wheels, lane-departure warning assist, a reversing camera and bright LED headlights.
Shop used Nissan Qashqai cars for sale or read our Nissan Qashqai review
Mazda CX-30
The Mazda CX-30 straddles the line between small and midsize SUVs, and is good value on the second-hand market. Its styling is smoother and curvier than something like a Volkswagen T-Roc, with details that catch the light as if they're liquid metal.
The Mazda has one of the best interiors of any compact SUV when it comes to material quality, but you might find its infotainment screen – controlled by a rotary dial – a little unusual to use, compared to the more conventional touchscreen fitted in rivals.
Shop used Mazda CX-30 cars for sale, or read our Mazda CX-30 review
Ford Focus
A firm family favourite, the Ford Focus is still a top choice even among a seemingly endless number of SUV alternatives. The Focus offers class-leading rear legroom, a boot that’s big enough for day-to-day use, and an interior that’s as easy to use as it is connected. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol is nippy and frugal, while there’s also a 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel engine if you’re aiming your Focus at the motorway network. We haven’t even mentioned that it’s a hoot to drive – ideal if you moonlight as an owl.
If the Focus isn't quite trendy enough, the best-selling Puma is also widely available for under £250 per month.
Shop used Ford Focus cars for sale or read our Ford Focus review
Volkswagen Taigo
There are lots of VW SUVs – you probably can’t think of them all. The Taigo sits alongside the T-Cross and T-Roc, and blends SUV style with coupe sleekness. You get the VW feel of solidity, plus an intuitive interior with a great mix of physical and digital controls. There are a couple of petrol engines to pick from, both capable of 45-50mpg, and automatic and manual gearboxes. The Taigo offers strong practicality for a small SUV, with good passenger space and a very useful boot.
Shop used Volkswagen Taigo cars for sale or read our Volkswagen Taigo review
Vauxhall Astra
If you're still open to buying a conventional hatchback, you're spoiled for choice with great options. The humble Vauxhall Astra has blossomed into a great all-rounder, even if you might go for it on looks alone. Underneath its bold, sharky styling, you'll find a range of economical engines and a refined driving experience that majors on motorways and is talented around town. The interior is modern and angular, with sharp screens but thankfully still a focus on usability.
Shop used Vauxhall Astra cars for sale or read our Vauxhall Astra review
Peugeot 2008
.jpg&w=1280&q=75)
A superb compact family car, the Peugeot 2008 packs a lot in and doesn't ask a lot in return. It's plenty spacious and has a big boot for its size, while further forward the interior is more premium than most small SUVs – and more interestingly designed, too. Then we get to the exterior, which is just as style-led with an intricate grille, LED strakes and arresting alloy wheels. You'll find petrol, diesel and fully electric options available, and mid-spec models just a couple of years old are widely available within budget.
You can find examples of the larger Peugeot 3008 for this money, too.
Shop used Peugeot 2008 cars for sale or read our Peugeot 2008 review
MG3
The MG3 is one of the smaller cars on this list, but it's also one of the newest. You can pick up a top-spec Trophy model that's just a few months old for well under budget – and it's not because the 3 is a bad car. Far from it – the hybrid MG3 is one of our favourite superminis. It's impressively economical – a necessity when petrol prices are so high – but powerful too, and blissfully easy to drive. Standard equipment is generous, including heated leatherette seats, LED headlights, keyless entry and a 360-degree parking camera. And it's all wrapped up with the remainder of MG's seven-year warranty. A swing and a hit.
Shop used MG3 cars for sale or read our MG3 review
Volkswagen ID.3
The Volkswagen ID.3 is a fully electric hatchback that’s roughly the size of a Golf. Its wheels are pushed right out to the corners, so there’s more passenger space than the Golf, and an airy-feeling cabin. That’s helped by the minimalist interior design and the free space beneath the centre console. Plus, the driving experience is smoother than the Golf’s and running costs are cheaper if you can charge at home, too. All ID.3s officially manage more than 200 miles to a charge, and a full charge can cost under £10. A used electric car like the ID.3 makes for bargain motoring.
Shop used Volkswagen ID.3 cars for sale or read our Volkswagen ID.3 review
Vauxhall Frontera
You might double take at the price of a Vauxhall Frontera – whether new or used. This roomy SUV (with as much boot space as an Astra estate) is one of Vauxhall's cheapest models, and the electric Frontera is phenomenal value as a used car. If you can charge at home and don't typically do regular long journeys, the modest range should be plenty – and its restrained stats benefit how much a charge costs and how much you'll pay for insurance. The sensibleness continues with a fantastically simple-to-use infotainment system.
The Frontera is largely the same as the Citroen e-C3 Aircross, but you'll get a slightly newer Frontera for the same monthly price.
Shop used Vauxhall Frontera cars for sale or read our Vauxhall Frontera 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 £300 per month
- 10 of the best cars for under £400 per month
Affordable finance on used cars
Check out Motorpoint's huge selection of nearly new and used cars, all with a range of flexible finance options.
