Best purple cars
Can't stand bland colours? If you have to have a distinctive shade for your next set of wheels, check out the most appealing purple cars
Purple is the colour of royalty and Ribena - and the best purple cars combine all the class and refinement of the former with the fun-loving flavour of the latter. The richness that purple colours muster can be one of their biggest draws, especially compared to paler options like white or silver, which can fade into the background.
Despite the warmth of the colour, purple cars are relatively rare. Fear not, this doesn’t mean that motorists who would like a purple car need to drive an automotive oddity, as there are practical hatchbacks, sporty coupes and affordable small cars all available in purple.
All of the purple cars below come in metallic purple. This means the purple paint has little flecks of metal mixed in, so when light hits the bodywork you get subtle sparkles. This kind of paint is very popular and is often a costly extra on new cars. Fortunately, metallic paint doesn’t require any special cleaning ritual to look after, although it can be slightly more expensive to repair should you dent or scratch a panel.
Below we have selected six of the most appealing affordable purple cars available now. Prices range from around £6,000 to £30,000 depending on how old and how well specified a car you're looking at. Meanwhile, if you're looking to pay for your next car with PCP finance, you can expect monthly payments of around £120* to £435* per month.
1. Citroen C4 Cactus
Best purple car for comfy family transport
Used deals Limited stock
If being available in a bold shade of purple didn’t make the Citroen C4 Cactus enough of a left-field choice, its funky design certainly cements it as one of the quirkier family cars. It isn’t only suited to families, though, as anyone looking for a comfortable and good value medium car would be well served by the C4 Cactus. Citroen stopped making the C4 Cactus in 2020 when the new C4 was launched, but it's the older car that looks more distinctive.
An important year in the life of the C4 Cactus is 2018, as Citroen gave its funky crossover an update, though older models look more dramatic, with large rubber patches on their flanks to prevent parking dings. Pre-2018 cars are still a great option if your budget can’t stretch to a newer version - especially in well-equipped Flair trim with a 110hp petrol engine, as this version offers plenty of feel-good factor and the engine is punchy enough to work well around town and on faster roads.
There are less powerful engines, which are well worth considering if you do mainly town driving, as the extra power shouldn’t be missed at slower speeds, and the lesser engines offer the prospect of better fuel economy. If you do go for a newer model, one thing to look out for on post-2018 models is a feature Citroen calls ‘suspension with progressive hydraulic cushions'. This feature helps to make the C4 Cactus even more comfortable on the road, so it's worth hunting down a car with these if comfort is a top priority.
2. Peugeot 108
Best purple car for city driving
Used deals Limited stock
It's often small cars that can pull off the zaniest colours and this bright purply shade very much suits the little 108. All models come with a small petrol engine which should be very economical, unless you drive like a racing driver. Also, as carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) are much lower than larger cars like the Ford Fiesta, there is zero road tax to pay for most models registered before 1st April 2017. Just be aware that 108 models registered after that date will cost £165 per year to tax, due to a change in the road tax system.
Another low-cost benefit is car insurance. The 108 falls into low insurance groups, which is one of the metrics insurance companies use to calculate premiums. Don’t go thinking that the diminutive Peugeot is all about penny-pinching, though, as it is a surprisingly fun car to drive. This is partly because it is very light, so even at slow town speeds nipping around roundabouts can be enjoyable.
For even more entertainment, Peugeot made a 'Top' version of the 108 with a folding canvas roof, so it turns into a baby convertible. Interestingly, this makes transporting trees quite easy, as you can fold the roof back and have trees poking out of the top of the car. Handy for Christmas, that. Most models come with a manual gearbox and this is our recommended option, unless you have no choice but to get an automatic. This is because the manual gearbox makes the 108 easier to drive smoothly and manual versions are also faster.
3. Seat Leon
Best purple car for classy styling
Used deals Limited stock
The ‘Boheme Purple’ may be an unconventional colour choice, but the Seat Leon it is available on, is very conventional in what it offers drivers - and all the better for it. There is a spacious cabin with seating for five, an easy-to-understand selection of controls and a relatively large boot - especially in the case of the ST estate, which is impressively practical for a car of this size.
The media system - and sat-nav where fitted - are straightforward to use. The graphics are sharp and the screen responds well to touch, which is more than can be said for some systems in alternative hatchbacks. As for steering and changing gear, the controls are nicely weighted so that no journey feels like a workout. This is partly why the Leon is such a great town car and motorway cruiser; it's engaging enough to drive for those who enjoy being behind the wheel, but no trouble for those who simply want to get from A to B.
If you are planning on lots of long journeys, then a diesel model is worth considering as it should mean lower fuel bills for you. That said, the decision of choosing between a diesel car or a petrol one is not as straightforward as it once was, with older models potentially facing emissions charges in an increasing number of town and city centres. Fortunately, we've made a handy guide to help you decide whether you should choose a diesel car.
4. Toyota Aygo
Best purple car for…a dash of pink
Used deals Limited stock
Just in case you think the Peugeot 108 is fundamentally a great small car for you but it lacks a little pink to its purpleness, what are the alternatives? The Toyota Aygo. Fun fact, the Aygo and 108 are actually the same car underneath their bodywork - they are even built in the same factory - but there's definitely a notable difference between their shades of purple. This means that the Toyota should be economical, fun to drive - even at slow speeds - and cheap to insure and tax.
There is a convertible version of the Aygo, although this was an option - normally referred to as either a ‘funroof’ or ‘x-wave’ - rather than a standalone trim. Moving back to paint colour, purple isn’t the only eye-catching colour the small Japanese car is available in, with a bright yellow, vibrant orange and rosy red all on offer, too.
You might be wondering just how practical the Aygo is, as it is so small. Turns out, quite practical. Models with rear doors definitely rate better here, as they remove the need for rear passengers to fold one of the front seats forward and then squeeze in. Extra doors also mean those with kids have better access for strapping-in purposes. The boot is able to carry up to 168 litres of luggage and as the space is relatively deep and narrow, it is well-shaped for carrying small suitcases, though don't expect to fit anything bulky in.
5. Volkswagen Scirocco
Best purple car for style
Used deals Limited stock
One of the biggest problems with fast cars is that they can be expensive to run, which puts off many potential buyers. The VW Scirocco gets around this, however, by combining stylish and sporty looks with the running costs of a typical Volkswagen Golf, thanks to it being available with relatively frugal petrol and diesel engines.
If you are happy to fund a car that is more expensive to run there is a rapid ‘R’ model, too. This uses a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and the most powerful version produces 280hp - a substantial amount of muscle for a car of this size and weight. We’d recommend the less powerful 180hp 2.0-litre petrol engine, though, as it still makes for a quick Scirocco but should cost less to run.
While the cabin of the Scirocco isn’t the most modern, all the controls are very easy to use and understand. This is partly thanks to having buttons and dials within reach of the driver. If you aren’t a fan of the numerous, large digital screens that are appearing in many new cars, then the Scirocco will be a welcome alternative.
6. Renault Zoe
Best purple car for electric driving
Used deals Limited stock
Renault has been making the electric Zoe for quite some time now. Much longer, in fact, than most other brands have been making electric cars. As a result, the Zoe is one of the best small electric cars available. A big part of this is the maximum range of newer models, which is well over 200 miles - more than enough for most of the journeys you might find yourself doing over the year.
Official electric range figures tend to be higher than most people will achieve in the real world (as is the case with fuel economy figures for petrol and diesel cars). The range of many electric cars will be shortened by driving at high motorway speeds, from cold weather and using lots of the on-board electrics, such as the air-conditioning. However, having a claimed range of more than 200 miles should make 150-mile trips relatively easily achievable with relaxed driving, which should still be sufficient for most motorists' typical journeys.
Meanwhile, if you do lots of driving around town, you may find that the official range figures are more achievable - and sometimes surpassable - when you do lots of stop/start driving, as the battery can recoup energy that would otherwise be lost when braking. Clever stuff.
There have been a number of updates to the Renault Zoe since its launch in 2013, with a significant improvement in range over that time. If you are considering a Zoe and would like to know more, we recommend reading our battery guide and making sure you know which battery capacity and range figures apply to any used models you're considering buying. Regardless of age, all Zoe models are fantastically easy to drive - as with all modern electric cars, the Zoe has an automatic gearbox, along with light and easy controls.
*Representative PCP finance - Ford Fiesta:
48 monthly payments of £192
Deposit: £0
Mileage limit: 8,000 per year
Optional final payment to buy car: £2,923
Total amount payable to buy car: £11,926
Total cost of credit: £2,426
Amount borrowed: £9,500
APR: 9.9%
BuyaCar is a credit broker, not a lender. Our rates start from 6.9% APR. The rate you are offered will depend on your individual circumstances.