Best budget car of 2025 that costs less than £15k to buy it new – Daily Express
The judges picked vehicles that balanced comfort, accessories, safety and most of all affordability. You can get your hands on the cheapest car on the list for just under £15,000. This comes as diesel drivers are hit by rising prices at petrol stations. On top of this, the cost of buying a used car is set to shoot up by 2030.
READ MORE: The 11 best cars in the UK right now – including 1 that only costs £5k
READ MORE: Woman finds tracker in car and is gobsmacked when she discovers culprit
Set Daily Express as a ‘Preferred Source’ to get quicker access to the news you value.
The Dacia Sandero was the judges’ number one cheapest new car for UK drivers. First produced in 2020, the third generation Sandero is a 1.0-litre supermini with a surprising amount of room, and this year became Europe’s best-selling car. RAC experts praised its 328-litre boot space, and said there was “plenty of room for even large adults in the rear seats.” With 90 horsepower and an asking price of £14,715, it performs well for a decent price, and also comes with the accessories of many pricier vehicles, including cruise control and rear parking sensors.
Dacia dominated this year’s list – at second cheapest is the Dacia Spring. This is one of many highly affordable electric cars flooding the market right now, and offers hefty savings due to its reduced running costs. This EV does come with several drawbacks, though. Its back seats are cramped, and it can only manage 0-62mph time in 19.1 seconds.
The Leapmotor T03 and Kia’s Picanto model are the next cheapest options, reccomended by The RAC as great options for a budget car that is well-suited to city life. Both were praised for their excellent handling and compact size, making them great for navigating winding streets, but less well-suited to long trips with the whole family packed in.
The Toyota Aygo X came in at number five, offering a spacious SUV with affordable insurance and good fuel economy for £16,845. You also get great safety for the higher price – the Aygo X was awarded a four-star Euro NCAP safety rating, compared to the Dacia Sandero’s two.
The RAC say that cost is a huge concern for British drivers right now, with almost a third of drivers in 2024 complaining that the cost of living crisis was preventing them from switching to a new motor.
Electric vehicles are also not being spared in the rising cost of driving in the UK, with the AA recently warning that rising EV costs are spooking British buyers.
SEARCH
CONNECT WITH US
TODAY’S PAPER
See today’s front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive.
EXPRESS.CO.UK
Daily Express uses notifications to keep you updated
