Cheap, cheap, cheap. That’s what used car buyers are looking for right now, and it’s no wonder, with fuel prices soaring and the prospect of recession on the horizon. Time to tighten the belt, batten down the hatches, and make sure your automotive choices help keep the wolf from the door.
Well, never let it be said that CarGurus hasn’t got your back. In fact, thanks to its deal ratings, this might be the best place to sniff out a second-hand car that’s cheap to buy, as well as cheap to run.
Just £2,000 is all it takes to get yourself into a hypermiling hero. Take the Vauxhall Corsa I found. A 2013 example fitted with the gutsy little 1.3-litre diesel engine, it’s capable of returning a staggering 82mpg on average. And this fourth-generation Corsa is highly regarded for its smart interior, spacious rear seats, and pleasant road manners.
Yes, diesel is quite a pricey fuel at the moment, but the fact that this car will use so little of it means it’ll still be quite a bit cheaper to run than most petrol alternatives. And with this particular example on the market for just £1,999 – £616 below its CarGurus Instant Market Value (IMV), or in other words, what CarGurus’ data tells us it’s worth - it’s about the most fuel-efficient car you’ll find for the money.
Of course, if you want something bigger and more plush, you’ll have to spend a little more, but just look at what you can get with just over £4,000 in your pocket. It’s a 2016 BMW 116d Efficient Dynamics, with a very reasonable 103,000 miles on the clock, a solid stack of service history, and an average fuel economy of 81mpg. And it’s on for £4,389, which is £1,128 less than its IMV.
Given the 52-litre fuel tank, this BMW should do almost 1,000 miles between fill-ups, which should keep you on the road even if the fuel supply runs short in your area. And all the while, it’ll remain a family-friendly hatchback that’s surprisingly good fun to drive.
But what if you really don’t fancy a diesel, or your annual mileage is low enough that one just doesn’t make sense? In that case, small is beautiful: because the smaller the car, the more you’ll get out of a petrol powerplant.
Take, for example, the 2016 Skoda Citigo I found. It’s one of the best city cars out there, with enough space for four adults, yet its little 1.0-litre engine will sip fuel at 69mpg.
This one’s a Colour Edition, so it’s finished in a natty shade of bright yellow, and it’s done 91,000 miles: a little on the high side, but then again, it is a 10-year-old car. It’s yours for £3,000 on the nose – £1,145 below its IMV – and comes with a full year’s MOT. In fact, it’s such a great little car, at such a great little price, that I’m sorely tempted myself.
Mind you, if you can squeeze a little more out of your budget, you might make some of your extra outlay back in running costs by bagging a cheap hybrid. £7,650, for example, is enough to get you into a Hyundai Ioniq, a smart, reliable hybrid family car that’s often forgotten about, and a bit of a bargain.
This one’s a 2018 example with 91,000 miles, and it’s on for £1,026 less than its IMV. But that’s not the best part; the Ioniq Hybrid’s party piece is a whopping 77mpg combined fuel economy. Given petrol is so much cheaper than diesel at the moment, that’ll make it the cheapest car here in terms of running costs.
Granted, it isn’t the most exciting car in the world to look at, but at least it’s a little more interesting than a Toyota Prius. And with Hyundai’s solid reputation for dependability, it should be just as reliable. See? Even in these straitened times, it’s possible to have your cake and eat it.
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