Cheapest cars to buy 2026
Searching for a brand-new bargain? These are the cheapest cars in the UK right now
Until recently, there was a strong sense of 'you get what you pay for' around the cheapest new cars in the UK. Today, increasing competition at the lower end of the market makes it much harder for manufacturers to get away with stripped-back, utilitarian products, even if the price is low.
It means that the cheapest cars in the UK are actually quite appealing. Not only are running costs generally low and you get reasonable levels of in-car kit as standard, you can choose a variety of fuel types, with electric cars now making their way on to our cheap cars countdown thanks to some competitive manufacturer discounts and the UK government launching the Electric Car Grant (ECG).
Top 10 cheapest new cars on sale
You'll find the UK's top 10 cheapest new cars listed in order of official Recommended Retail Price (RRP) below.
| Rank | Make and model | Price from | Overall rating |
| 1. | Dacia Sandero | £14,765 | 4.0 |
| 2. | Dacia Spring | £15,990 | 3.5 |
| 3. | Leapmotor T03 | £15,995 | 4.0 |
| 4. | Dacia Sandero Stepway | £16,065 | 4.5 |
| 5. | Kia Picanto | £16,745 | 4.0 |
| 6. | MG3 | £17,245 | 4.5 |
| 7. | Renault Clio | £17,995 | 4.5 |
| 8. | Hyundai i10 | £18,350 | 4.0 |
| 9. | BYD Dolphin Surf | £18,675 | 4.0 |
| 10 | Fiat Grande Panda | £18,995 | 4.5 |
Our expert road testers have driven and reviewed every car on the list so scroll down to learn how good the cheapest cars currently on the market really are, or click the jump link above to go directly to a make and model…
1. Dacia Sandero
- Prices from £14,765
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For a long time, the Dacia Sandero has been one of the cheapest cars you can buy, and while it no longer is a sub-£6,000 car, the Romanian manufacturer still offers simplicity, comfort and surprising practicality for those who are after basic transport without any gimmicks.
The interior is actually more spacious than many of the Sandero's supermini rivals, running costs are usefully low and the mechanicals have proven their worth in the past, so the Sandero should be reliable. Thanks to its Renault heritage, the latest Sandero shares a platform with the current Renault Clio – a much more expensive supermini.
This means the car’s chassis is more modern than in previous editions and it feels sophisticated to drive. Build quality can be questionable in places, but some of the engine line-up uses Renault’s latest fuel-saving technology, meaning the Sandero is surprisingly efficient and perky on the road.
“They say the most simple ideas are often the best, and despite not being one of those trendy small SUVs, Dacia’s well-judged, great-value supermini is right up there with the best in the class.” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter
Dacia Sandero reviewDacia Sandero deals
2. Dacia Spring
- Prices from £15,990
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Dacia has become known for producing cars which are great value for money, but what might shock you is that the Dacia Spring is a car which is purely electrically powered.
In order to keep the cost down, the Spring is a bit basic compared with most of its rivals, and the entry-level model will only cover up to 140 miles on the WLTP combined cycle, which we managed to match when we put the Spring head-to-head against the Leapmotor T03.
That being said, if you often find yourself regularly zipping around city streets on shorter journeys, this should prove more than enough. There’s a reasonable amount of essential kit included, such as air-conditioning and rear parking sensors.
The Dacia Spring might be dinky in stature, but for an electric city car it is reasonably spacious. The boot is a generous 308 litres, matching much larger rivals like the Vauxhall Corsa in the class above, and kneeroom for rear passengers is similar to what you get in small SUVs like the Jeep Avenger.
The lofty driving position provides great all-round visibility, but some drivers might struggle to get comfy behind the wheel thanks to a lack of height or reach adjustment, so we recommend you thoroughly test drive the Spring before parting with your hard-earned cash.
“The Dacia Spring makes a tempting case for itself, with its low price making it easier to overlook the flaws that often come with a car built down to a budget.” - Alex Ingram, contributor
Dacia Spring reviewDacia Spring deals
3. Leapmotor T03
- Prices from £15,995
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As part of efforts to increase its share on the budget car market, Stellantis has introduced the Leapmotor T03 to the UK. This Chinese city car is fully electric, and with a £15,995 starting price, it’s taking aim squarely at the Dacia Spring.
With an official WLTP combined range of 165 miles, the Leapmotor does have a slight advantage when it comes to distance, and it comes with its fair share of standard kit, too. The T03 is such a compelling little package, that this small electric car was commended at the 2025 Auto Express New Car Awards, and is already mixing with the best in-class.
It’s pretty tiny by modern car standards, but thanks to some clever design, the T03’s cabin can still accommodate four adults in reasonable comfort, but you might struggle when it comes to boot space, which is only 210 litres and much smaller than the Dacia Spring’s. It rides surprisingly well over poorer road surfaces, too.
“There are a few quirks to the driving experience, and it does look a little ungainly from some angles, but as a first step into EV ownership there’s really very little not to like about the T03.” - Richard Ingram, deputy editor
Leapmotor T03 reviewLeapmotor T03 deals
4. Dacia Sandero Stepway
- Prices from £16,015
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The Dacia Sandero Stepway takes the best bits of the standard Sandero and adds in more rugged SUV-style looks, a little extra space and extra features that bring the base Stepway more in line with mid-spec city car rivals; as opposed to the rather sparse nature of the standard Sandero.
The base Essential trim includes a DAB radio, Bluetooth, air-conditioning and cruise control as standard. There’s only one choice of engine in the form of a pure petrol-powered TCe 90, but it’s a tried-and-tested powertrain from Renault and running costs should prove affordable. With its 328-litre boot, the Sandero Stepway is an affordable family option, too.
“Although the Sandero Stepway is underpinned by the same CMF-B architecture as the Renault Clio, it uses a more rudimentary suspension setup. Ultimately, it doesn’t provide much in the way of driving fun, instead offering a focus on comfort which suits the car’s family bias” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter
Dacia Sandero Stepway reviewDacia Sandero Stepway deals
5. Kia Picanto
- Prices from £16,745
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The Kia Picanto is now in its third generation and has developed into a stylish little city car with enough kit to make it genuinely desirable, even before the price is even taken into account.
It’s easy to see why the Picanto is so popular because this small car offers tremendous ride quality and the brand’s famous seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, which is a great deal for such a low-priced car.
There are a number of Picanto variants available, but the cheapest is a basic model in Pure trim fitted with a 66bhp 1.0-litre engine and manual gearbox. If you want an automatic gearbox, you’ll have to pay around £700 more.
For a car of this stature, the Picanto is very spacious. Being a five-door car, getting into the back is very easy and being a four-seater, rear passengers won’t be squabbling over space. Boot space is 255 litres which is reasonable for the class.
“The latest Picanto is better equipped, has impressive interior space, and a grown-up driving experience.” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter
Kia Picanto reviewKia Picanto deals
6. MG3
- Prices from £17,245
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The reborn MG brand has already shaken up the electric car and SUV markets, and now it finally seems to have found its supermini mojo with the second-generation MG3.
While cost-cutting to achieve the original model’s low price was painfully obvious in places, the latest car is a vastly improved machine. Not only is it well-equipped and comfortable, but it’s enjoyable and engaging to drive, too.
You’ll be looking at the petrol-powered MG3 if you want the very lowest starting price but, if you’re prepared to fork out a couple of extra thousand, we recommend considering the full-hybrid model.
Not only is the hybrid version is a serial winner at our New Car Awards, taking home the Affordable Hybrid Car of the Year two times in a row, its WLTP combined fuel economy figure of 64.2mpg is pretty accurate and a figure we were able to get very close to when we lived with the MG3 Hybrid on a long term test.
The MG3 doesn’t boast class-leading amount of space, but is on par with rivals and what people will be expecting from a modern supermini. The boot is a little on the small side at 293 litres and while there aren’t any clever storage solutions, we didn’t find this too much of an issue when we were living with the car.
“The MG3 is among the most fun to drive, comfortable and best-equipped cars in its class.” - Alex Ingram, ex-chief reviewer
7. Renault Clio
- Prices from £17,995
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Renault is on a roll when it comes to its small car line-up at the moment, and the Renault Clio is a testament to that. In fact, the Clio supermini is so strong as a package we rate it as one of the best superminis currently on the market at any price. It’s a serial Auto Express New Car Awards winner, too.
From behind the wheel the Clio feels incredibly refined and comfortable. It can easily soak up the worst the UK’s pockmarked roads can throw at it; and when you get to a twisty country road it is quite engaging to drive. Great all-round visibility and short overhangs make it easy to park and drive around town.
The majority of the materials used around the cabin feel both up-market and hard-wearing, making it an ideal family workhorse. Speaking of being suitable for families, the Clio is just as practical as many larger hatchbacks from the class above. Clever packaging means there’s plenty of leg- and headroom in the rear, and a 391-litre boot makes it one of the largest in its class. The boot space is even larger than you’ll find in a Volkswagen Golf (381 litres) or Toyota Corolla (361 litres).
“We like that child seats can be fitted to the outer positions of the rear bench seat using a pair of standard-fit ISOFIX mounting points, along with another position on the front passenger seat, making it great for small and growing families.” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter
Renault Clio reviewRenault Clio deals
8. Hyundai i10
- Prices from £18,350
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Not only is the Hyundai i10 one of the cheapest cars you can buy, this dinky city car is a two-time winner at the Auto Express New Car Awards, and it's not difficult to see why as the i10 is surprisingly sophisticated for its size.
The Hyundai i10 boasts a generous amount of on-board tech, as well as being comfortable to drive and offering plenty of cabin and boot space. It’s even fitted with interior mood-lighting, just like you’d get in a far bigger and pricier Mercedes. A five-year/80,000-mile warranty and Hyundai Roadside Assistance sweeten the deal, too.
The cheapest i10s are fitted with a 66bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine. This unit is sluggish in terms of acceleration but, when you do reach cruising speeds, the compact Hyundai is far more comfortable than most of its rivals.
Like the Kia Picanto mentioned above, the Hyundai i10 is a surprisingly spacious little car. When we lived with the i10, we managed to comfortably fit four adults and a boot full of luggage into the car with room to spare. If you’re looking to get behind the wheel of an i10, you’ll have to be quick as Hyundai recently announced that production of the i10 would be coming to an end.
“Hyundai’s smallest car is more comfortable and refined than ever, while the diminutive size, tight turning circle and light steering make it an absolute doddle to drive around town.” – Ellis Hyde, news reporter
Hyundai i10 reviewHyundai i10 deals
9. BYD Dolphin Surf
- Prices from £18,675
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The electric Dolphin Surf is BYD’s smallest car offering here in the UK, and with a starting price of £18,650, decent in-car kit and plenty of range, it’s got all the right ingredients to take on the city car elite.
There’s a choice of two battery options, which can return up to 136 miles or 200 on a WLTP combined cycle – more than sufficient for short journeys and commuting. Plus the car is easy to drive around congested streets and has great all-round visibility. Four adults can comfortably be accommodated, and with a sizable 308 litres, the boot capacity is about 100 litres larger than what’s on offer in the Leapmotor T03.
The Dolphin Surf might be targeted at the budget end of the market, but it’s far from sparse inside. As standard, you get a 10.1-inch electronically rotatable touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone connectivity, adaptive cruise control and front and rear parking sensors.
“It’s a small car but the BYD Dolphin Surf feels very grown-up when you drive it, more like a larger supermini than a city car.” - Steve Walker, head of digital content
BYD Dolphin Surf reviewBYD Dolphin Surf deals
10. Fiat Grande Panda
- Prices from £18,995
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For generations, the Fiat Panda has been a firm city car favourite for buyers who want simple and dependable transport which costs pennies to run. The Panda might have evolved over time, but the new Fiat Grande Panda picks up where the old car left off.
Sticking to the same brief as the previous model, Fiat’s Grande Panda is practical, affordable and really easy to drive in tight town and city streets. While this dinky run-around won’t win any prizes for driver engagement, that can be forgiven since it starts from a wallet-friendly £18,995.
Admittedly, you can spot where Fiat has cut some costs, especially when you take time to feel some of the harder-wearing cabin materials further down on the doors and dash. On the plus side, you will be able to squeeze four adults inside with plenty of headroom on offer thanks to the Panda’s boxy silhouette. The 412-litre boot is decent for this sector, with the Panda boasting 100 litres more than the closely related Citroen C3 and even 30 litres more than a much larger Volkswagen Golf.
“The Grande Panda rides remarkably well considering its short wheelbase. Even over the cruddy roads of central Turin that we experienced, the Panda never crashed into potholes or speed humps.” - Jordan Katsianis, news editor.
Fiat Grande Panda review Fiat Grande Panda deals
Why are these cars so cheap?
To achieve those low sticker prices, cheap new cars are often stripped of everything bar the basics and they’ll sometimes feel a little low-rent next to more expensive versions of the same car just a few steps up the trim ladder.
Many buyers will happily put up with some blanked-out buttons, downmarket trim finishes or even an underpowered engine, but others will see the extra outlay needed to secure a few more creature comforts as money well spent. Either way, the cheap car’s head-turning sticker price has done its job.
In many instances, the biggest challenge facing cars at the cheap end of the market is the existence of used alternatives offering more kit, a better engine and, often, a more desirable badge for the same money.
Many people would rather sink their cash into an apparently better car with a few thousand miles on the clock, but the appeal of a brand-new model with a full warranty and finance facilities not always open to used car buyers is still strong.
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