The best cars on sale for less than £20,000

If you’re wondering why a couple of these cars sneak past the £20,000 limit, that’s because Carwow’s fantastic discounts will pull these models down into the budget.

Our top pick of cars for under £20,000 are:

1. Renault Clio
2. Dacia Jogger
3. Skoda Fabia
4. Hyundai i10
5. Peugeot 208
6. Toyota Aygo X
7. Suzuki Ignis
8. Citroen C4
9. Suzuki Swift
10. Fiat 500C

1) Renault Clio

The Renault Clio may be a small hatchback, but it has a much more premium feel to it inside than something like a Seat Ibiza thanks to an abundance of soft touch plastics and posh-looking metallic trim. It also has a massive boot, and it’s a good looking little car as well.

Your £20,000 budget doesn’t limit you to the entry-level version either. Go for the 1.0-litre petrol engine and you get behind the wheel of a Techno model with 17-inch alloy wheels, a reversing camera and interior ambient lighting. Thanks to Carwow savings, you can also grab a range-topping Esprit Alpine version for under £20,000.

2) MG3

Whereas our £20,000 budget limits you to a non-hybrid Renault Clio, the MG 3 comes as a full hybrid as standard. Powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine paired to an electric motor, it puts out a combined 194hp so it’s a pretty nippy car. It’s also great fun to drive on a twisty road.

It may not be quite as fuel-efficient as some alternatives, but you do get a raft of standard equipment to make up for this. All cars get adaptive cruise control, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a reversing camera.

3) Dacia Jogger

If you need a seven-seater within a £20,000 budget, the Dacia Jogger is your only option on the new car market. Very few cars offer this level of space for the money, and it’s not like you get short-changed on equipment either.

The Jogger starts from £18,695 for the Essential version, however you can step up to the Expression within the £20,000 budget. Go for this model and you get an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, keyless entry and a reversing camera.

4) Skoda Fabia

The Skoda Fabia is a fabulous all-rounder, offering buyers all the same tech, engines and practicality as the Volkswagen Polo but with a lower price tag. It may not have such a prestigious badge on the nose, but the Skoda is a comfortable and competent small car.

This £20,000 budget gets you an entry-level SE Comfort model with the lower-powered 1.0-litre petrol engine. It has an adequate amount of equipment, but if you step up to the Colour edition you get some tasty upgrades such as 16-inch alloy wheels, a contrasting black roof and a digital driver’s display. This version sneaks in below the £20,000 mark when you take Carwow discounts into account – as does the higher-powered turbo petrol engine.

5) Hyundai i10

You get a lot of Hyundai i10 for your £20,000, with the range-topping N Line version coming in at just £18,250. This gets you a sporty body kit, 16-inch alloy wheels, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, cruise control and rear parking sensors. This model also has the excellent 90hp 1.0-litre petrol engine, offering decent performance and good economy.

The i10 is a stylish little city car which is very easy to drive in town, and it has a good-sized boot as well. Avoid the entry-level engine and it’ll hold its own on the motorway as well.

6) Toyota Aygo X

SUVs are all the rage these days, but what if you want jacked-up styling in a smaller, city-friendly package? Enter, the Toyota Aygo X. This cute little hatchback not only looks great, it comes fully loaded with driver assistance tech you have to pay extra for in most premium cars worth three times the price.

All cars get adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, a reversing camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and 17-inch alloy wheels. The Aygo X starts from £16,140, but the mid-spec Edge version gets some desirable upgrades and still starts from just £17,180. It has a larger touchscreen, 18-inch alloy wheels and two-tone paint.

7) Suzuki Ignis

The Suzuki Ignis offers a lot of interior space for its diminutive exterior dimensions. There’s plenty of room in the back seats, and the boot is a decent size as well. Add in the funky styling and you have a pretty appealing package.

The range-topping SZ5 can be yours for £18,949, and for this you get 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic air conditioning, cruise control, a reversing camera and smartphone mirroring. Just don’t expect much in the way of refinement, because the Ignis is quite noisy at higher speeds.

8) Citroen C4

There aren’t many cars which offer comfort like the Citroen C4 for less than £20,000. The suspension is nice and soft and the seats are like armchairs, so the C4 is a relaxing cruiser whether you’re in town or on the motorway.

Only the entry-level You model falls beneath our £20,000 budget, but it still has enough equipment for most people. All cars get a touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 18-inch alloy wheels and lane-keeping assist. With Carwow savings you can step up to the Plus model for just under £20,000, and this adds a head-up display and a larger touchscreen.

9) Suzuki Swift

The Suzuki Swift is evidence that you don’t have to spend loads to have fun, because it can certainly put a smile on your face on a twisty road. Not only this, the Swift is also cheap to run, well-equipped and reasonably practical for a small car.

We’d recommend sticking with the entry-level Motion for under £20,000 because it comes with all the kit you really need. For £18,700 you get a touchscreen with smartphone mirroring, 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and automatic emergency braking.

10) Fiat 500C

Rounding up this list we have the perfect city car for those who want the wind in their hair. The Fiat 500C is a great-looking small car, and that roll-back roof is great for making the most of those sunny spring afternoons.

The £20,000 budget will get you into a Standard model, and this comes with a 7.0-inch touch screen, smartphone mirroring, 15-inch alloy wheels, cruise control and air conditioning. You may have to live with the tiny boot, but the 500 makes up for it with bags of personality.

Buy your next car (and sell your current one) with Carwow

Nobody wants to spend more than they have, and with Carwow you can save your hard-earned cash when you buy your next car. Simply configure your ideal model and our network of trusted dealers will come back to you with their best offers, meaning you get a great discount without any of that stressful forecourt haggling.

Selling your car through Carwow is an equally stress-free experience thanks to that same network of trusted dealers. Just upload a few photos of your car, answer a few questions and dealers will bid on your car so you can be confident you’re getting the right price for it. Once you’ve accepted an offer, the dealer will come and collect the car from you and drop the money straight into your account, it really is that easy.