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Three-car garage: Mercedes CLS, Ford Focus ST and Renault Zoe for the price of a C-Class

A brand-new Mercedes C-Class will set you back a minimum of £46,175, or you could have this three-car garage for less…

3-car garage for 46000

We like the Mercedes C-Class here at Auto Express, thanks to its impressive on-board technology, stunning cabin design and solid range of engines - but even in its most basic C 200 form it costs £46,175. With this budget in mind, we studied the Auto Express classifieds to see what three cars we could get instead.

Mercedes CLS - £25,000 

Mercedes CLS front

If you want a Mercedes to ferry you up and down the country in stylish comfort, forget the C-Class – this CLS is what you want. At £25,000, it takes up a decent chunk of our budget, but as with the two generations that preceded it, this CLS is a real looker. The 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine is silky smooth with its power delivery, which will see you go from 0-62mph in just 5.7 seconds. Of course, motorway miles are where the CLS performs best, and with just over 61,000 miles on the clock this 2018 example has plenty more ahead of it. 

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If you've just missed this Mercedes CLS by the time you get here, you can find more great buys by clicking the link below...

Used Mercedes CLS deals

Ford Focus ST - £13,190

Mk3 Focus ST

This week saw order books of the final Ford Focus ST fill up, meaning that with Focus production ending you can’t get a new one anymore. That’s a real shame because as with the Fiesta ST that bit the bullet a few years ago, the Focus ST has been one of the best hot hatches you could buy. The third-generation ST may have had its thunder stolen a little by the rambunctious RS model (like any other Focus ST), but with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder motor sending 250bhp through the front wheels and a typically engaging Ford chassis underneath, it was a real hoot. This one from 2015 has only done 45,000 miles and with production of the current version ending, now could be the perfect time to buy. 

If you missed the opportunity to snap up this particular Ford Focus ST there are several more available through our Find a Car service...

Used Ford Focus ST deals

Renault Zoe - £7,882

Renault ZOE - front cornering

The two cars featured above offer very different things, although neither can really provide the urban runabout status some of us need. The Renault Zoe does this with aplomb, thanks to its zippy 94bhp electric motor and nimble, supermini handling. This version, with its 50kWh battery, also has a 238-mile range (almost as much as the new Renault 5) and comes with a surprisingly large 338-litre boot. 

If you weren't able to snap up this particular Renault Zoe in time, there are plenty of others available right now...

Used Renault Zoe deals

Tell us which new car you’re interested in and get the very best offers from our network of over 5,500 UK dealers to compare. Let’s go…

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Senior news reporter

A keen petrol-head, Alastair Crooks has a degree in journalism and worked as a car salesman for a variety of manufacturers before joining Auto Express in Spring 2019 as a Content Editor. Now, as our senior news reporter, his daily duties involve tracking down the latest news and writing reviews.

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