Best used cars under £300 per month 2024

Updated: 3 January 2024

If you’re planning to buy your next car on finance and have a budget of £300 per month, there are lots of great cars to choose from. Whether you want a compact runabout or a family-friendly SUV there’s something out there for you.

Here are our 10 top choices, all regularly available at Cazoo (depending on stock levels). Our £300 per month price is based on Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) finance, with a £2,000 deposit and a representative APR of 11.9%*. You can use our finance checker to check your eligibility for car finance at Cazoo with no impact to your credit score.

You’re looking at one of the most affordable electric cars available in the UK. But while some low-cost EVs have a relatively short range, the latest version (sold new since 2022) can go as far as 273 miles on a full charge, according to official figures. 

You won’t get one of the latest long-range models for this budget but even older models manage a still-decent 163 miles.What every MG ZS EV gives you is almost unbeatable value for money, because you simply can’t get any other family-friendly, pure-electric SUV for so little. Most versions have lots of features as standard, while the ZS EV also comes with a longer-than-average warranty, with cover for either seven years or 80,000 miles, whichever comes first.

If you want a real feelgood factor every time you get into your car, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class may be a great option for you. Your £300 per month will get you one of the latest-generation models, which have been on sale since 2018. 

With its circular air vents, large display screens and plush materials, the A-Class’s interior is an appealing blend of sleek design and high-tech features. Overall it feels very similar to what you’ll find in Mercedes Benz's luxury saloons and SUVs that cost far more to buy. The A-Class is a very popular car, so you’ll find a huge array of trims and engines available, with everything from cost-effective runarounds to high-performance models. Each one is quiet and comfortable to drive and comes with lots of safety features as standard.

At this price, few cars look as premium, or as modern, as the Kia XCeed. Introduced in 2019, the XCeed shares many parts (including its front doors and most of its interior) with the excellent XCeed hatchback. It’s a much more distinctive-looking car, however, with the raised ground clearance and tough stance of an SUV but with a sportier, more sloping shape overall. 

The XCeed gives you more boot space than the XCeed, too, while the interior is easy to use and has a high-quality feel throughout. It’s exceptionally well-equipped for the money and even the most inexpensive versions come with a reversing camera, LED headlights and a touchscreen infotainment system as standard. It’s comfortable and smooth to drive and, as with every Kia, you get the reassurance of a seven-year warranty from new.

If you’re looking for a small SUV that’s fun to drive yet practical, the Ford Puma could be just what you’re after. Its boot has a 456-litre capacity that’s among the biggest you’ll find in this type of car and is a match for some much more expensive SUVs. Lift up the boot floor and you’ll find another huge storage space that Ford calls a Megabox. It’s made from hard-wearing plastic and it’s the perfect place to put sports gear or muddy shoes to stop them getting the rest of the stuff in the boot dirty. Better still, once you’ve emptied the Megabox, you can get it sparkling clean by simply pulling the plug out of the bottom and hosing it down.

• Best used cars under £10k 

• Best used cars under £200 per month

• Best used cars under £15k

While our £300 monthly budget won’t quite stretch to the latest BMW 3 Series model, it gives you plenty of scope for the previous version, which was sold new between 2012 and 2019. 

It’s a cracking choice, not least because it feels so good to drive. It feels really responsive and agile in corners, while also providing a smooth ride. And it’s the kind of car that makes long journeys seem to melt away because the seats, driving position and overall sense of wellbeing that you get behind the wheel are second to none. You also get a lot of features for your money, all the interior space you’re ever likely to need and a huge choice of models, including the even roomier Touring estate version (pictured).

Certain cars are often described as ‘all-rounders’ but it may not be clear what that actually means. The Arona is a particularly good all-rounder, so let’s pick apart why. It has plenty of room for a family of four and the boot is big enough for two folded-up pushchairs, a big shopping trip or even a Labrador. 

It feels responsive yet solid on the road and gives you a comfortable ride, while the engines give you good performance while also being very fuel-efficient. The entry-point model has all the features you really need, while the top-of-the-range ones are packed with high-tech gadgets. And every version is great value. In other words, the Arona does everything a small SUV needs to do, and does it all really well.

There was a time when a mid-size hatchback like the Ford Focus was the typical family car but, in recent years, compact SUVs have assumed that role and few have proved as popular as the Nissan Qashqai. 

The second-generation Qashqai, which was sold new between 2014 and 2021, is a great choice if you want a family SUV for a reasonable monthly price. First, the Qashqai gives you more passenger and boot space than most mid-size hatchbacks, despite being a similar length and width. Second, the elevated seating gives you a great view out – which helps when parking – and you can simply step in and out of the car. You also don’t have to bend down awkwardly to put little ones in the back. On top of that, the Qashqai is stylish, comfy and very keenly priced.

Yep, for £300 per month or less you can get yourself one of the latest-generation Audi A3 models. On sale new since 2020, the A3 is a very classy-looking car that feels bang up to date.

As with many Audi models, the A3’s interior is a real highlight, with a premium feel and sharp-edged design. It’s packed with high-tech features, too, many of them accessed via the impressive 10-inch infotainment system display. There’s lots of space inside and the A3 feels pleasingly smooth and stable on the road, while the engines combine strong acceleration with good fuel economy.

It might not be the first car that springs to mind if you’re looking for a mid-size SUV, but the Mazda CX-5 is definitely worth your attention. Why? Well, just look at it for a start. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, of course, but the CX-5 is arguably the best-looking car of this type. 

The interior is just as stylish and its combination of minimalist design, good-quality materials and high-tech features gives it a definite ‘wow’ factor. It’s roomy in there, too, and the boot is big, making the CX-5 a great choice for families. Running costs are lower than you might think, thanks to fuel-efficient engines, and the CX-5 is great to drive, combining a responsive feel with comfort in a way that few other mid-size SUVs do.

The previous-generation Kia Niro (on sale new between 2016 and 2022) still feels very current, despite the fact that there’s an all-new version on sale now. Some of that comes down to the Niro’s clean design and high-tech features but largely it’s because it was a car that was, in many ways, ahead of its time. 

It’s available as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or with pure-electric power, although only the hybrid versions are likely to fall within our £300 monthly budget. That’s no bad thing, because the Niro is one of the best used hybrid cars you can buy. It’s very practical and well-equipped, while the infotainment system looks great and is easy to use. It’s good to drive, too, and running costs should be low thanks to an official average of nearly 60mpg.

You’ll find lots of great-value used cars to choose from at Cazoo – check out our deals page for big savings on a wide selection of cars. Simply find the one you love then buy or finance it online. You can choose to have it delivered to your door, or you can collect it from your nearest Cazoo Customer Centre.

Cazoo makes selling a car just as easy – we'll give you an instant online valuation that's guaranteed for seven days, which you can also use if you want to part-exchange your current car for your Cazoo car.

* Finance representative example (Personal Contract Purchase): Total cash price £16,500. Borrowing £14,500 with a £2,000 deposit at a representative APR of 11.9%, fixed interest rate per annum of 6.18%, 48 monthly payments of £242.35 followed by 1 optional payment of £8,184 including a £10 option to purchase fee, total cost of credit is £5,316.80, total amount payable is £21,816.80, annual mileage limit of 10,000 miles and an excess mileage charge of 4p/mile.

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