Best new cars for under £300 per month
Got £300 per month to spend on a new car? We've found some excellent deals for you to sink you teeth into
If you're in the market for a brand new car, £300 per month can get you something pretty exciting. It's at this kind of price range that you'll begin to see the more upmarket brands beginning to appear, as well as cars with increasingly impressive levels of tech and performance.
Car finance deals, particularly PCP (Personal Contract Purchase), have made the idea of paying for a brand new car much less daunting than it would've been 10 years ago thanks to more affordable payments being spread out over an extended period - typically four years.
The cars still cost the same, but finance options allow you to stretch the cost much thinner to make the monetary impact far less noticeable. We've got all the details on car finance set out in our handy explainers.
If you like your creature comforts, this price range is going to do you just fine. There's plenty here for those after a touch of exhilaration, too. If you have £300 per month to spend, you're in for a treat.
That treat gets even sweeter if you instead opt to go for a used car. With hundreds of excellent value finance deals available right here on BuyaCar, you could find yourself holding the keys to an Alfa Romeo Giulia or a Range Rover Evoque.
If the idea of making your money go further sounds like a good one, check out all of the used car deals available on Buyacar and get your next car adventure off and running. Or, if a brand new car is still the way you want to go, read on for our list of nine excellent new cars for under £300 per month.
Best new cars for under £300 per month
- Audi A4
- Ford Focus
- Seat Tarraco
- Kia Ceed Sportswagon
- Jaguar XE
- Renault Megane R.S
- Volvo XC40
- Toyota Corolla Hybrid
- Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport
1. Audi A4
Our pick Audi A4 35 TFSI 150hp Black Edition
List price £35,290
Annual mileage limit 8,000
| Monthly payments | Deposit | Deposit contribution discount | Total amount payable if returning car when contract ends | Total amount payable if buying car when contract ends | APR |
| £296 x 47 | £7,000 | £4,250 | £20,933 | £34,647 | 4.8% |
The Audi A4 is thoughtfully designed and well-built, with the latest technology that makes it feel special. It’s getting on for four-years old now too, which means that it regularly has offers attached in order to keep sales up.
£296 will afford you a top-of-the-range Black Edition model. These come with 18-inch wheels, lower and stiffer suspension (it’s possible to specify the standard set-up with no additional charge) and a raft of different paint options.
This is with the entry level 35 TFSI petrol engine, which is a two-litre with 150hp. It certainly has enough grunt for most people, however, motorway munchers would be better off with a diesel.
2. Ford Focus
Our pick Ford Focus 1.5 EcoBoost 150hp ST Line
List price £23,145
Annual mileage limit 9,000
| Monthly payments | Deposit | Deposit contribution discount | Total amount payable if returning car when contract ends | Total amount payable if buying car when contract ends | APR |
| £293 x 36 | £3,000 | £500 | £13,553 | £22,645 | 0% |
The Ford Focus was the second best-selling car of April 2019, and there are good reasons for the Focus’ success. It’s taken the formula for the previous model - it's fun, comfortable and good value - and improves upon it, adding space and taking away those needless dashboard buttons.
There are a staggering nine trim levels to choose from, for less than £300 per month and only a £3,000 deposit you can easily afford an ST Line model with the more powerful petrol engine. This will also come packed with 17-inch alloy wheels, ST Line styling and sports suspension.
3. Seat Tarraco
Our pick Seat Tarraco 1.5 TSI Xcellence
List price £30,410
Annual mileage limit 10,000
| Monthly payments | Number of payments | Deposit | Representative APR | Optional final payment | Total cost of finance |
| £299 | 47 | £4,629 | 0% | £11,728 | £30,410 |
Seat’s poshest car ever only went on sale last year, but it’s been busy winning legions of fans since. Seating for seven ensures that it’s vast enough to cope with the needs of a large family, while it’s also a lot more handsome than Seat’s other seven-seater, the Alhambra MPV.
£299 gets you two options; Xcellence spec with a petrol engine, or SE Technology with a diesel one. The diesel engine is better suited to hauling around the weight of the Tarraco, but Xcellence spec does come with more goodies.
4. Kia Ceed Sportswagon
Our pick Kia Ceed SportsWagon '3' 1.4
List price £28,340
Annual mileage limit 10,000
| Monthly payments | Number of payments | Deposit | Representative APR | Optional final payment | Total cost of finance |
| £298.46 | 37 | £2,250.50 | 2.9% | £9,250.65 | £23,745.71 |
Kia’s latest Ceed is closer than ever in terms of quality to the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. The Sportswagon however has one more thing going for it - its huge 625-litre boot. The more expensive Ford Focus estate can only hold 608-litres, while the Kia also gets a class-leading seven year warranty.
‘3’ trim rewards you with 17-inch wheels and an eight-inch touchscreen. This price also brings with it the most powerful petrol engine, a 1.4-litre turbo with 138bhp, which is the best petrol engine on offer. Especially if you regularly travel fully-laden.
5. Jaguar XE
Our pick Jaguar XE R-Sport 2.0 i4
List price £34,565
Annual mileage limit 10,000
| Monthly payments | Number of payments | Deposit | Representative APR | Optional final payment | Total cost of finance |
| £299 | 49 | £4,967 | 0% | £11,526 | £34,565 |
The freshly redesigned Jaguar XE brings with it a host of new features. On the outside everything is tauter, but inside is where the largest changes can be seen and felt. There are now two touchscreens, and wireless charging. And there’s a new gear selector too.
£299 will get you a 200bhp petrol engine capable of 0-62mph in 7.2 seconds. It also comes in R-Sport trim. These cars get 18-inch alloy wheels and a special R-Sport branded leather steering wheel. Sports suspension also comes as standard which firms up the ride and gives a more dynamic driving experience.
The term of 49 months is one of the longest here, but there’s no denying the 0% APR makes it very tempting.
6. Renault Megane R.S
Our pick Renault Megane R.S 280
List price £27,810
Annual mileage limit 15,000
| Monthly payments | Number of payments | Deposit | Representative APR | Optional final payment | Total cost of finance |
| £236.45 | 37 | £3,981 | 0.0% | £15,225 | £27,810 |
Fast. Sophisticated. Practical. The Renault Megane RS really can do it all. It’s virtually as practical as a diesel Megane, yet when the mood strikes you it becomes one of the fastest a to b cars on sale today.
It might not be quite as quick as the Honda Civic Type R in a straight line, but it’s a lot less jarring over potholes. Plus the Civic Type R costs £110 more per month. Your heart will love its 280bhp engine, rear-wheel steering, and alcantara-lined interior. And your head will simply adore the 0% APR finance and relatively low deposit.
7. Volvo XC40
Our pick Volvo XC40 T3 FWD Momentum
List price £28,965
Annual mileage limit 10,000
| Monthly payments | Number of payments | Initial rental |
| £299 | 36 | £4,995 |
The small crossover section has really taken off in recent years. While cars like the Nissan Juke were the forebears, you’ll be relieved to find out that there are much better cars in the segment now. Chief of them, is the XC40. Cool Swedish design (just look at that angular rear window) meets a practical and safe shape.
For £300, you’ll just squeeze in to an XC40 with the smallest petrol engine, and the cheapest trim level. Still, you’re hardly slumming it. Alloy wheels, 9in central touchscreen with sat-nav, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto come as standard. It should be noted that this is with a PCH (Personal Contract Hire) deal. This is essentially long term-rental for a fixed period, with no option of buying outright at the end.
8. Toyota Corolla Hybrid
Our pick Toyota Corolla Hybrid Design
List price £26,370
Annual mileage limit 8,000
| Monthly payments | Number of payments | Deposit | Representative APR | Optional final payment | Total cost of finance |
| £279 | 42 | £4,964 | 0% | £9,967.50 | £26,370 |
For many, the Toyota Prius has the right technology, but the wrong look. It’s hard be nonchalant when everyone (in London at least) thinks you’re an Uber driver. The same can’t be said for the new Corolla. It’s handsome in a subtle way, especially when teamed with a contrasting roof colour, like in the example above.
In the hybrid version an on-board battery powers an electric motor, which assists either a 1.8-litre, or 2.0-litre petrol engines. The electric mode only lasts a couple of miles, but overall mpg should be as high as 65. Design spec models come with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED front fog lights, and an eight-inch touchscreen.
9. Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport
Our pick Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport SRI
List price £23,370
Annual mileage limit 6,000
| Monthly payments | Number of payments | Deposit | Representative APR | Optional final payment | Total cost of finance |
| £289.17 | 47 | £4,000 | 6.9% | £7,238 | £26,728.99 |
If you think SUVs and crossovers are just a bit gauche, then a traditional, large family hatchback could be just the ticket. Vauxhall’s Insignia Grand Sport is one of the best around. Its swooping lines are elegant, while it has a broad range of engines, and an even broader range of trim selections - 8 in total.
£289.17 per month gifts you an Insignia Grand Sport with a 1.5-litre petrol engine, in SRI spec. This is just below mid table in the spec table championship - but it has a touchscreen entertainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, parking sensors, and dual-zone climate control.
VAUXHALL INSIGNIA GRAND SPORT BUYERS' GUIDE
