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Car group tests

Family cars for supermini money

As used values go down the plughole, we look at how you can cash in – and get a large family model for supermini money.

Mazda 6

To say that the second-hand car market is struggling would be something of an understatement; you can almost hear the gurgle as the residuals drain away. But not all classes of car are being affected in the same way – one sector in particular remains solid as a rock.

Small diesels are holding on to their value in spectacular style. Such is the demand for super-economical, tax-efficient cars in the current financial storm, buyers are paying over the odds for any supermini wearing a TD badge. As a result, prices of three-year-old superminis are riding high.

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In turn, values of large-capacity models are tumbling, as owners become more and more fearful of being lumbered with expensive bills for their annual road tax – on top of high fuel costs – when the retrospective vehicle excise duty rules come into force in April. The effect of these two price trends is that savvy buyers can cash in – and get a three-year-old family model for the same cost as a supermini of the same vintage.

“It’s a knee-jerk reaction,” said Jeff Paterson of Glass’s Guide. “Fuel prices and the road tax situation have created a large premium for diesels over petrol, and smaller cars over bigger models.”

We’ve rounded up five large family cars you can buy for supermini money. We stuck to three-year-old models with fewer than 60,000 miles on the clock, and focused on small diesels at the bottom end of the price scale. And the message is clear: think big this autumn, and the second-hand market is your oyster.

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New & used car deals

Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £23,990Avg. savings £2,161 off RRP*
Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

RRP £29,820Avg. savings £4,754 off RRP*Used from £13,982
Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £14,575Avg. savings £2,614 off RRP*Used from £7,850
Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £3,297 off RRP*
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
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