Three-car garage: used Mitsubishi Shogun, Mazda MX-5 and a Honda e for £58k
For less than it costs to buy a new Land Rover, you could own a family off-roader, a fun sports car and an electric city car
If you’d like to get a little closer to the outdoors, and spend your holiday on the open road, rather than in the check-in queue, chances are the Land Rover Defender might appeal.
However, the iconic British SUV is an expensive option, so as an alternative we’ve put together a package of three cars for the cost of a basic Defender 90. Between them, they won’t just be able to take you off the beaten track, but also provide a perfect roof-down sports car, and a small urban EV for when you’re back at home planning the next big adventure.
These three interesting, and reliable, cars cover the whole spectrum of motoring – not just having kerb appeal in the Waitrose car park.
Mitsubishi Shogun Sport – £18,295
When you need to go a long way over rugged terrain, getting there is only half the journey – because you always need to come back. Defenders don’t have a perfect reliability record, so a Japanese alternative is always a good start, but these can also be expensive. Mitsubishi hasn’t offered its full-sized Shogun in the UK for a few years now, but the Shogun Sport – a mechanically simpler, but no smaller alternative – brings the same toughness with modern tech at sensible prices.
Underneath, it shares its ladder-frame chassis with a pick-up truck, so don’t expect Land Rover-like refinement or comfort, but when the going gets tough, its chunky underbody and torquey four-cylinder diesel engine make it the perfect partner for adventure.
If this particular Mitsubishi Shogun Sport has already found a new home by the time you get here, you can find loads more examples available through the Auto Express Buy A Car service...
Used Mitsubishi Shogun Sport deals
Mazda MX-5 Homura MY24 – £24,799
At the opposite end of the spectrum is the iconic Mazda MX-5. The biggest proportion of our budget has been spent here, largely so we could unlock the top-spec Homura model with the 2.0-litre engine. This doesn’t just have more power than other MX-5s, but also comes with a limited-slip differential, Bilstein dampers and Brembo brakes, plus lighter BBS alloy wheels and, in this case, a lovely cream interior.
As well as being fun to drive, though, it’s also extremely reliable, uses relatively little fuel and will be light on running costs. Unlike Porsche, BMW or Mercedes convertibles, the MX-5 is inherently simple and light, making it the perfect second car alongside a big off-roader.
If this Mazda MX-5 was snatched up too quickly for you, there are several more available through our Buy a Car service...
Honda e Advance – £11,884
With the rugged off-roader and sporty convertible sorted, the only thing left is an efficient runaround for urban driving – but efficient doesn’t mean boring. The Honda e might not have a long range – that’s what the other two cars here are for – but it’s a fascinating example of a brand going all out in terms of tech and build quality.
The Honda e’s brilliant interior and sweet touches give it loads of charisma, while also still offering four seats, a small boot and peerless build quality. Things like the full-width display still put it ahead of the supermini pack – and you can even display a virtual aquarium on that screen.
If this Honda e doesn't fit the bill and you fancy a larger EV instead, take a look at the huge selection of used electric cars available on Auto Express...
Head to the Auto Express used-car search page and let us know which cars you’d park in your dream three-car garage in the comments section below…
Find a car with the experts
