Although usually it’s much pricier to buy a new car rather than a used car, searching at the cheaper end of the market reveals there are still some good deals out there. And that applies whether you’re using a car finance lender to make monthly payments with a PCP or lease, or forgoing finance deals and buying outright.
At the cheapest end of the spectrum, car buyers can say goodbye to brands such as Ford, Volkswagen and Audi, but there are still some great new cars on offer, in a range of body styles. City cars and small hatchbacks can be had for bargain-basement prices, most with useful features such as air conditioning and parking sensors. What’s more, because the cars on this list tend to be small, they are also generally quite light, which means good mpg. Throw in the fact that all will come with a warranty, and you have the potential for tiny running costs.
With that said, here are details of the 10 cheapest new cars on sale in the UK. The prices in this guide are regularly checked and updated, however do note that they are subject to change. Keep scrolling down the page for more information about each car.
The 10 Cheapest New Cars in the UK
- Citroen Ami (from £7,695)
- Dacia Spring (from £12,240*)
- Leapmotor T03 (from £14,495*)
- Dacia Sandero (from £14,765)
- Dacia Sandero Stepway (from £16,605)
- Kia Picanto (from £16,745)
- MG 3 (from £17,245)
- Renault Clio (from £17,995)
- Hyundai i10 (from £18,350)
- BYD Dolphin Surf (from £18,675)
*: After temporary self-funded grant, see below for more details
1. Citroen Ami - from £7,695
Fancy a lightweight two-seater with electric performance, for just eight grand? Well, you can have just that. OK, OK, so the Ami isn’t exactly the sort of two-seater you probably had in mind. Instead, it’s a tiny electric car (technically classed as a quadricycle) designed specifically for gadding about town. And that really is all it’s useful for, given that its top speed is limited to just 28mph, and it has a range of just 46 miles on a good day. But as a cheap car for second car use, it could be handy for commutes, school runs, or trips to the supermarket. Just be aware that while the Ami is zero emissions, it also offers close to zero comfort, with no air-conditioning, a bumpy ride and the kind of glacial acceleration that could well irritate fellow motorists.
Citroen Ami Review
2. Dacia Spring - from £12,240 (after self-funded grant of £3,750, base price £15,990)
For quite some time now, it's been a persistent battle between the Dacia Spring and the Leapmotor T03 for the title of cheapest 'proper' car on our list (sorry, Ami!) The bragging rights have gone back and forth, but right now, they sit with the Dacia. The car has just been revised (although you wouldn't know it as it looks absolutely identical to before) with a new battery and uprated powertrains. The base version now has 68bhp and can cover 0-62mph 12.3 seconds, rather better than the 20-odd seconds of the old entry-level Spring. The range stands at 140 miles. The improvements mean that the base price has gone up a wee bit to £15,990, but Dacia is countering that with a self-funded grant of £3,750 (it doesn't qualify for the Government's one for brand new EVs) that effectively brings the price down to a little over twelve grand. You'll probably have to get in quick, though, as this grant will - as it stands - only be applied to cars ordered before the end of March and registered before the end of June. At which point, those bragging rights we mentioned might well change hands once again...
3. Leapmotor T03 - from £14,495 (after self-funded grant of £1,500, base price £15,995)
We've just been talking about the rivalry between the Dacia Spring and the Leapmotor T03 at this end of the new car market, and it's fair to say that the brinkmanship has been a two-way street. When the Government announced its grant for new EVs of either £1,500 or £3,750 (depending on the sustainability of its production process) in 2025, and it became clear that neither car would qualify for either level, Leapmotor introduced its own self-funded grant at the lower rate so that the T03 would undercut the Spring. Well, Dacia has just returned the favour, although this time at the higher rate of the Government's scheme, handing the advantage back to the Spring and beating Leapmotor at its own game. But despite the fact that the Chinese-built Leapmotor T03 city car trails by a few quid, it actually leads the Spring in a number of ways. Its 37.3kWh battery delivers a claimed 165-mile range, and its single electric motor produces 95bhp. Despite its compact dimensions (it's 3,620mm long), the T03 is a four-seater with some surprisingly premium features including a 10.1-inch touchscreen, semi-panoramic roof, and advanced safety features like adaptive cruise control. Charging capabilities include 48kW DC fast charging (30-80% in 36 minutes) and 6.6kW AC charging. The T03 comes in a single trim level is being sold through Leapmotor International, a joint venture between Leapmotor and Stellantis.
Leapmotor T03 Review
4. Dacia Sandero - from £14,765
The Sandero's position on this list has moved up and down in recent years (we update it as often as we can to reflect regular price changes). It once stood at the very top, famously, and although it's no longer as headline-grabbingly affordable as it once was, it still ranks as the cheapest car of its size and, crucially, it doesn’t feel quite as bargain-basement as it actually is thanks to a well put-together interior and some upmarket design cues. Beneath the skin sit proven Renault mechanicals, and it’s decent to drive, too, with slick handling and a reasonably comfortable ride that makes it perfectly tolerable not only on short A-to-B urban runs, but also longer motorway journeys. And if you’re willing to pay a bit more, you can upgrade to the Sandero Stepway, which gains a taller ride height and chunky SUV-esque looks.
Dacia Sandero Review
5. Dacia Sandero Stepway - from £16,605
The Dacia Sandero Stepway is a jacked-up version of the Sandero supermini that features higher up on this list. It’s still not a proper SUV like Dacia’s Duster, but with its chunky body cladding and moderately elevated ride height, the idea is that it takes on some of that aesthetic, and in fairness, it does a pretty good job in that regard. Like the regular Sandero, it also boasts a modern interior and decent driving characteristics. If you're in the market for a small crossover with a very competitive list price, the Sandero Stepway is far from a bad option.
Dacia Sandero Stepway Review
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6. Kia Picanto - from £16,745
The Kia Picanto used to sit a bit further towards the top of this list, but a recent facelift has brought modest price hikes that have seen the car shuffle down the order a bit. Having said that, the facelift means the Picanto is now better - and better looking - than ever, and the fact that it's still cheap enough for inclusion on this list is good news. Even in its most basic of trim levels, the Picanto is a great little car to drive, with perky handling and a reasonably comfortable ride. Then there’s the space: like its close relation, the Hyundai i10, the Picanto is a roomy little car, with space for four adults and a usefully sized boot. It boasts excellent fuel economy and a very low insurance group, too, and while the entry-level version isn’t very well equipped, you do get most of the essential stuff, plus a robustly built and smartly styled interior. Oh, and the Picanto comes with a whopping seven-year warranty. Think of it this way, then: you’re paying £2,392 for each year of warranty, and you get a free brand-new car thrown in. What a deal!
Kia Picanto Review
7. MG 3 - from £17,245
When this second-generation version of the MG 3 supermini was first released in mid-2024, it was offered exclusively with a self-charging-hybrid powertrain. And while it was impressively affordable for a hybrid, the sophistication of the running gear on board prevented it from being cheap enough for this list. MG has sorted that now, though, and the Hybrid+ version has been joined in the MG 3 range by a new petrol-only version. This version is even cheaper as a result, to the tune of around two grand, and that wedges the car firmly within our list of the cheapest cars on sale. We haven’t driven this derivative yet, but the numbers sound fairly promising. It has a 1.5-litre engine with 113bhp, making it capable of 0-62mph in 10.8 seconds, and official WLTP figures say it’ll return an average of 46.3mpg. We also expect the same mix of smart styling, impressive quality, decent practicality and generous equipment that we observed with the Hybrid+ version.
MG 3 Review
8. Renault Clio - from £17,995
The Renault Clio is getting a bit long in the tooth now. The looks have been refreshed several times in recent years, but under the skin, it's still the same car that arrived back in 2019. Indeed, it's due for replacement in 2027, but even that version will use a rehashed version of the same basic platform. And the Clio has had something of a complicated relationship with this list. Early on in its life, it was present and correct, but then a few years later, Renault decided to make the car hybrid-only, which elevated prices steeply and ruined its value-for-money appeal. Renault later saw sense - just as the cost-of-living crisis started to bite, interestingly - and rowed back on that decision, reintroducing the combustion-engined versions that represented such excellent value. And the French firm hasn't looked back since. Not only is the Clio affordable, it's also stylish, comfortable, high in quality and practical.
Renault Clio Review
9. Hyundai i10 - from £18,350
Like most of the other cars here, the Hyundai i10 is designed for use in the city, but inside it majors on practicality and interior space, which means you can fit in four adults – and a decent amount of luggage – with relative ease. What’s more, the i10 can boast one of the smartest interiors of any car on this list, with high-quality materials that belie its price. And while it isn’t quite as sharp to drive as some of its rivals, it’s perfectly pleasant, not to mention surprisingly comfortable for such a small car, and competent on the motorway, too. But the real cherry on the cake is the five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty.
Hyundai i10 Review
10. BYD Dolphin Surf - from £18,675
In recent months, this spot on our list has changed hands several times. Soon after their respective releases, both the Citroen C3 and Fiat Grande Panda (both from Stellantis brands and both effectively the same car underneath) had held the position, but after the initial flurry of headlines surrounding their arrival had passed, prices were quietly put up (not quietly enough for us not to notice, mind), causing them to fall away in the race. That has opened the door for the cheerful little BYD Dolphin Surf to sneak into our top ten. The entry-level Active version of this charming little Chinese all-electric supermini is still impressively well equipped, with vegan-leather upholstery, a 10.1-inch rotating touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It's 30kWh battery also makes it good for an official WLTP range of 137 miles, which isn't bad for the money. It's impressively practical for such a small car, too: there are only four seats, but they're surrounded by a good amount of room, and there's a very decent 308-litre boot. What's more, it's an easy car to drive, with light controls, and comfortable ride and strong refinement.
BYD Dolphin Surf Review
(All prices correct at time of publication but are subject to change and should be independently verified by checking the relevant manufacturer websites.)
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