Christmas might feel like a bit of an odd time to change cars. But as we all know, it’s about the most expensive time of the year, and saving a few bob here and there always brings welcome relief.
In fact, it's a great time to buy a used car. The double whammy of it being both the end of a quarter and a traditionally quiet time for dealerships makes getting a discount more likely. And if you switch to a smaller, cheaper car you could have even more money to spend on gifts, trimmings or even a special night out.
Or perhaps you’re eyeing a change in the New Year, as a way to allow your bank balance to recover after the excesses of the festive season. Either way, swapping from your gas-guzzling SUV or saloon into a frugal supermini could be a great way to balance the books. And given most small cars these days are pretty comfortable, choosing a back-to-basics model doesn’t mean having to go without mod cons entirely.
Take the latest Dacia Sandero, for example. The poster boy for no-frills motoring, it’s frugal, spacious and incredibly easy to drive – and of course, it’s great value too.
How about a 2021 Essential for just £7,850? With 32,000 miles on the clock it’s barely run in, and thanks to the 1.0-litre turbo engine under the bonnet, it won’t feel overwhelmed on motorway runs.
Essential is the entry-level trim, which means it well and truly fulfils our no-frills criteria. But you do at least get air conditioning, electric windows and automatic headlights and wipers, meaning you don’t have to go completely without. And according to our CarGurus Instant Market Value (IMV) algorithm, this car is actually priced at £900 less than its worth, making it a real bargain.
But what if I told you it’s actually possible to buy a bargain-basement small car with the reassurance of a manufacturer warranty for less than £8,000? That means not only do you save on buying and running costs, but potentially on the cost of any repairs.
Well, seek out a Toyota Aygo and that’s exactly what you can get. The caveat is that you have to have your Aygo serviced at a Toyota dealer. Do this, though, and you’ll get a year’s warranty thrown in for free – and you can keep doing it until the car is 10 years old, or has covered 100,000 miles.
So with that in mind, how about an Aygo X-Play for £7,999? It’s the base version of this city car, and with just 30,000 miles it’s got loads of life left in it. This one’s a 2019 example, which means if you keep servicing it at a Toyota dealer, you can keep it warranted for up to three more years. How’s that for peace of mind on a budget?
‘But hang on a second,’ you might be thinking, ‘I haven’t got that much to spend. I want something to well and truly get my costs down.’ How about a Vauxhall Viva instead?
This small car was Vauxhall’s answer to the cheap-as-chips competition from Dacia, and while it’s basic inside, the Viva is decent to drive, roomy, and surprisingly well equipped.
These days, a 2017 Viva 1.0 SE with 55,000 miles can be yours for just £4,290. That’s an awful lot of car for the money, and around £740 less than its CarGurus IMV.
Don’t expect the latest tech, but with simple mechanicals and low running costs, the Viva should look after your wallet.
Still too much dosh? How about a Kia Picanto with only 65,000 miles on the clock for just £2,000? Well, the 2013 example I found is on for £2,294, but a bit of haggling would surely get that price down a bit. And even if it doesn’t, this car is still on for £622 less than its IMV.
These second-generation Picantos are smart-looking cars, too, and with mileage this low, and a service history that shows an oil change just a few months ago, this one looks to have led a charmed life. If you want to slash your motoring costs so that you can spend money on Christmas cheer instead, there are few better ways to do it.