Best cars for £99 a month: full list of latest December 2023 deals
In the market for a cheap new car? Here's our round-up of the best new car bargains that keep monthly payments to a minimum
Wondering whether you'd be able to get yourself a brand new car for less than £100 per month? It might not seem likely, but we're pleased to say that there are a couple of options available to you. Stretch that figure for £200 and you might be surprised by which cars you could add to your shortlist.
Due to the gradual rise in car prices each year, there are very few new cars left on sale that can be considered 'cheap' - the Kia Picanto starts at £13,665, while the latest Dacia Sandero is available from £13,795, and these two cars trade places as the cheapest new cars for sale in the UK.
Fortunately, you don't need to fork out over 13 grand to get behind the wheel of a new car. Buying a car on finance is now by far the most popular way drivers in the UK pay for their cars. Instead of having to save up the full cost of a new car, splitting this into a deposit and a series of monthly payments makes purchasing a car much more affordable in the short term. Our in-depth guides will help you make the right choice when it comes to sealing the deal.
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If cost is your number one criteria in your car search, buying a used car is something well worth considering as you might be surprised by how much further your £100 per month will stretch. It's no secret that used cars are cheaper than new cars, meaning you could find yourself driving something much more exciting than if you were to spend the same money on a new car.
You only need to take a look at what's on offer for less than £10,000 with BuyaCar to see what an opportunity used car buying can be. With new cars, you get what you pay for, particularly at the cheapest end of the market, which makes a good used buy more enticing. We've highlighted some used options below to show you what else could be on offer from under £100 per month.
But, if it's a brand new car you're after, then you still have options. However, in order to get the monthly payments down, sometimes large deposits are required, so ensure you have both the savings and the required cash on hand each month when signing up.
Renault Clio Evolution hybrid - £32 per month
Our pick Renault Clio Evolution E-Tech hybrid
List price £21,295
Annual mileage limit 6,000
| Monthly payments | Deposit | Deposit contribution discount | Optional final payment | Total amount payable if buying car when contract ends | APR |
| £32 x 24 | £7,453 | £0 | £13,085 | £21,295 | 0% |
The Renault Clio is a solid small family hatchback that's just been treated to a mid-life update. LED headlights add fresher exterior looks, while even on the entry level Evolution we've highlighted here, you get sat-nav and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatible infotainment.
Renault is currently offering its very competitive deals on the hybrid versions of the Clio, so that means you get a 1.6 petrol engine and two electric motors, giving 145hp in total. All Clio hybrids are automatic for maximum ease of driving, too.
Renault differs from just about every other carmaker in offering most of its range at almost unbelievably low monthly payments when financing using PCP. Most are available on a 25-month agreement, so you pay a deposit to cover month one, followed by 24 very low monthly payments, and 0% APR on the finance, too. What's the catch? The deposit amount is a significant 35% of the new car price - almost £7500 in the case of the Clio here.
If you can't afford the larger deposit, there's another option. Renault also offers a 49-month PCP alternative, which means you pay half the amount of deposit (£3579), but the monthly payments do climb to £229, and you pay 7.9% APR on your finance.
MG 3 Excite - £159 per month
Our pick MG 3 Excite 1.5
List price £13,820
Annual mileage limit 8000
| Monthly payments | Deposit | Deposit contribution discount | Optional final payment | Total amount payable if buying car when contract ends | APR |
| £159 x 48 | £3320.88 | £250 | £5760 | £16,962.88 | 9.9% |
The MG 3 has been around for years and as a result isn't blessed with the most modern of engines. However, it has a number of tricks up its sleeve for making it a small, bargain hatchback that's worth considering if you're after great value motoring.
For a start, the MG 3 still looks fresh, particularly if you opt for some of the brighter paint options, and it remains decent to drive, even when compared with far newer competition. To ensure peace of mind, MG also includes a seven-year warranty that's bested only by Kia because of its 100,000-mile limit to the MG's 80,000.
Interior tech hasn't been overlooked either, even on the entry level Excite we recommend here. A four-speaker stereo, 8-inch colour touchscreen and Apple CarPlay compatibility are all included.
Dacia Sandero Essential - £167 per month
Our pick Dacia Sandero Expression TCe 90
List price £13,975
Annual mileage limit 6,000
| Monthly payments | Deposit | Deposit contribution discount | Optional final payment | Total amount payable if buying car when contract ends | APR |
| £167 x 48 | £1923 | £500 | £6377 | £16,316 | 6.9% |
The Dacia Sandero is one of the UK's cheapest new car buys, so any round-up of the best new-car deals is likely to feature a Dacia or two. In this case, we've featured the cheapest Sandero of all, the Essential, which - as the name suggests - comes with just about all you need and nothing you don't for the cheapest price.
The Sandero Essential is powered by Renault's 90hp petrol engine and comes with the choice of a manual gearbox only. Equipment includes manual air conditioning, DAB and Bluetooth so you can connect your phone to the car for hands-free calls, and use Dacia's Smartphone App to use Waze navigation.
If you're in the market for a Sandero, we'd strongly recommend taking a look at the Expression model as it's our pick of the range. It features the same engine, and incurs the same £1923 deposit as above, but costs £169 per month. However, you get significantly more useful equipment included, including parking sensors, automatic lights and wipers, and a bigger infotainment screen with proper smartphone replication, so you can used Apple CarPlay and Android Auto - well worth the extra £2 per month in our book.
Kia Picanto GT-Line - £187 per month
Our pick Kia Picanto GT-Line
List price £15,570
Annual mileage limit 6,000
| Monthly payments | Deposit | Deposit contribution discount | Optional final payment | Total amount payable if buying car when contract ends | APR |
| £187 x 48 | £2500 | £1000 | £7686 | £17,906.84 | 7.9% |
The Kia Picanto may look small from the outside, but even a short drive will confirm this small hatchback's uncanny ability to feel like a much bigger car. Adding to this feeling, we've picked a high-spec Picanto GT-Line to feature here because it features a host of large-car equipment that's nice to have in your small hatchback.
The Picanto GT-Line includes 16-inch alloys and a sporty styling pack on the outside, while the interior get an 8-inch touchscreen sat-nav that's Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible. We quite like the fact that the Picanto comes by default in Honey Bee yellow at no extra cost, too.
Right now, Kia is offering £1000 deposit contributions for buyers opting to finance their Picanto purchase with PCP. That's for the top-spec GT-Line car mentioned here, and we've added a £2500 customer deposit to reduce the monthly payments to below £200. However, if you don't have cash available, but can afford a little more per month, you can pick up the very same Picanto GT-Line for £264.60 per month with zero deposit.
1. Fiat 500
Used deals from £4,995
Monthly finance from £117.52*
Where the Dacia Sandero might be considered a little 'beige', the Fiat 500 is a much more distinctive and characterful alternative. With retro styling that still holds up more than a decade after it first launched, this is a delightfully chic Italian city car.
While the cheapest versions within our £100 per month budget are the most basic Pop models, the Fiat 500 image and ownership experience remains untarnished. Equipment levels are similar to what's on offer from the most basic Sandero, the headlines are electric windows and a USB port, but it's the interior styling that helps the Fiat to outshine the Dacia.
The bold and colourful panels are fitted with proper rotary dials for the radio, and the whole thing feels like much more of an event than the decidedly grey Sandero. If you'd rather drive something with a bit of pizzazz, the Fiat 500 is more likely to suit your tastes.
In terms of engines, the cheapest Fiat 500s on offer are powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine producing 69hp. This is slightly more powerful than the cheapest Sandero, and the fact the Fiat is much lighter makes it feel like a more spritely and energetic car to drive.
2. Hyundai i10
Used deals from £5,899
Monthly finance from £138.76*
The Hyundai i10 is something of an underrated choice. As an all-round package, it's one of the very best small cars available at this kind of price. For less than £100 per month, there's plenty of space and comfort on offer, while it's also very enjoyable to drive.
SE models are the most common within budget, these feature air-conditioning, a USB port, cruise control and a height-adjustable driver's seat, but you may also come across Premium trim, which features a smattering of leather, an upgraded sound system and Bluetooth connectivity. All i10 models also feature plenty of safety kit and two Isofix points in the rear seats, making this very usable as a small family car.
The 66hp 1.0-litre petrol engine lacks punch, but it is smooth and offers excellent fuel economy, which is bound to appeal to drivers who enjoy travelling on the cheap.
When you're trying to find the very best cheap cars around, do not overlook the Hyundai i10, it's great quality, exceptionally practical considering its size, and brilliant value for money all things considered.
*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.