10 best ULEZ-exempt cars for under £10,000 in 2024
October 03, 2024 by Jamie Edkins
If you regularly commute into London, you may want to consider finding a car which is ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) compliant to save yourself that £12.50 daily fee. There are also similar LEZ (Low Emission Zone) schemes popping up all over the country including in Bristol, Birmingham, Bath, Oxford and Glasgow.
Luckily, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get something which is ULEZ-friendly. More information on what makes a car compliant can be found here, but in short it has to meet Euro 5 emissions regulations if it’s got a petrol engine, or Euro 6 if it’s diesel.
We’ve compiled a list of 10 great used buys for £10,000 or less, all of which are ULEZ exempt. There’s something here for everyone, from zippy hot hatchbacks to practical SUVs.
The 10 best ULEZ-exempt cars for under £10,000 are:
- Skoda Fabia
- BMW i3
- Mini Convertible
- Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer
- Toyota Yaris Hybrid
- Ford Fiesta ST (Mk7)
- Suzuki Vitara
- Kia Sportage
- Renault Zoe
- Volkswagen Up
1. Skoda Fabia
Let’s kick off with something super sensible. The Skoda Fabia is a great small car which offers loads of interior space, a big boot, and a range of frugal engines. There’s also an estate version if you need even more practicality.
Nothing about the Fabia will set your pulse racing, but everything about it is well thought-out and easy to use. It’s also a refined cruiser, with comfort levels which could rival bigger cars from the class above.
Your £10,000 will get you behind the wheel of a 2020 model with reasonable mileage, and you can get a Colour Edition version which gets some tasty styling upgrades. Go for the 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and you’ll have a fuel-efficient runaround.
2. BMW i3
The BMW i3 is arguably one of the coolest-looking cars the brand has made in years, and this electric hatchback has a lot going for it. The interior still looks fresh and futuristic, and it’s pretty rapid as well.
The boot isn’t the biggest, and some other electric cars are more comfortable as well. But you may be swayed by the i3’s looks alone, and the range-extending hybrid version can cover up to 276 miles courtesy of a small three-cylinder engine topping up the battery.
These cars have recently started to dip below the £10,000 mark, with 2016 hybrid examples becoming available at this price. That’s a bargain for such a high-tech hatchback, and it’ll cost you peanuts to run.
3. Mini Convertible
There’s no feeling like the wind in your hair, and the Mini Convertible is a great way to get it for not much cash. The styling is iconic and instantly recognisable, and it’s great fun to chuck around on a country road.
Practicality is the Mini’s weak point, because the boot is tiny and the back seats are laughably cramped. Still, those in the front can enjoy this car’s funky cabin design and it’s easy to manoeuvre around town.
Our £10,000 budget will just about get you a 2016 Mini Convertible with the 1.5-litre petrol engine, a unit which is peppy enough and not too bad on fuel. There’s also a very economical 1.5-litre diesel engine, and this is ULEZ-compliant as long as the car was built after 2015.
4. Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer
Looking for a practical estate car? The Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer represents great value for money. You get a big boot and generous rear legroom, as well as loads of standard equipment. Heated seats, a heated steering wheel and Apple CarPlay are all easy to find.
It’s not the most fun car to drive, a Ford Focus will put a bigger smile on your face, but the Astra is a comfortable cruiser and the interior is nicely made as well. Throw in the wide range of efficient engines and it’s hard to go wrong.
The 1.4-litre turbo petrol is the best all-rounder, offering plenty of power and decent fuel economy. For around £9,000 you can get a 2019 SRi model which has some sporty styling upgrades such as larger alloy wheels and deeper bumper.
5. Toyota Yaris
The Toyota Yaris offers bulletproof reliability and low running costs for a bargain price. You can get a 1.5-litre petrol model, but the self-charging hybrid version will do over 60mpg, and it’s great for wafting around town.
The cabin may be a bit drab, and it’s made with a lot of hard, scratchy plastics, but it’s built to last and there’s plenty of tech on board. It’s reasonably practical as well thanks to a decent-sized boot, although the rear seats are a bit tight.
Finding a hybrid model for under £10,000 is a bit tricky, but it is possible. There are loads of petrol models around for this price though, with low-mileage 2019 cars in plentiful supply.
6. Ford Fiesta ST
Getting a ULEZ-compliant car doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice driving pleasure. You can get a tidy Ford Fiesta ST for less than £10,000, and it’s one of the most fun hot hatchbacks ever made thanks to the razor sharp steering and low weight.
It’s not the most comfortable daily driver for bumpy city streets, but the pay-off for the stiff suspension is fantastic handling out on a twisty road. You also get wonderful Recaro bucket seats to hold you in place.
For £10,000 you’ll be looking at the Mk7 version, which was the penultimate version of the ST. A low-mileage 2016 example won’t be hard to find for this money, just watch out for cars which have been thrashed by previous owners.
7. Suzuki Vitara
The Suzuki Vitara is a no-nonsense family SUV which offers loads of kit and decent practicality for a bargain price. It’s a funky-looking thing as well thanks to the chunky styling, and you can even get an all-wheel drive version for added off-road capability.
Being such a cheap car, don’t expect an especially premium-feeling interior. Everything feels built down to a price, but at the same time there’s a pleasing simplicity to everything which gives the impression that it’ll last a long time.
You’ll be able to set your sights on a low-milage 2019 model for £10,000 in mid-range SZ4 spec, meaning you get cruise control, a touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and 16-inch alloy wheels.
8. Kia Sportage
If you’re after a budget-friendly SUV, the Kia Sportage is hard to fault. It has loads of interior space, a big boot and a generous amount of standard equipment for a great price, and it’s a comfortable car for family road trips.
The interior feels well-made, but the design is a little bit bland – and the exterior styling is fairly Marmite as well. This might not bother you though if all you want is sensible family transport for a good price.
Entry-level 1 models are best avoided because they feel a bit basic inside, however find yourself a mid-spec 2 version and you get a touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, as well as dual-zone climate control. A handful of 3 models can also be found within budget which get heated front and rear seats.
9. Renault Zoe
Switching to an electric car is one way of guaranteeing that you won’t fall foul of any emission zone charges, and the Renault Zoe is a great-value option. You can get up to 240 miles of range out of these cars, which is impressive for a small budget hatchback.
It’s not the most practical EV thanks to a small boot and cramped rear seats, and the interior does feel a bit cheap in places. Look past this though and you can enjoy generous standard equipment and cheap running costs.
There’s no shortage of Zoes for £10,000 and under, with plenty of 2020 examples in stylish GT Line trim available at this price. You get Apple CarPlay, cruise control and leather seats on this model, as well as keyless entry.
10. Volkswagen Up
Sometimes you just need a dinky hatchback for nipping around tight city streets, and the Volkswagen Up is a fantastic choice for this. The compact dimensions make it ideal for urban life, but there’s still a decent amount of interior space on offer.
The Up only has four seats, so its versatility is limited slightly, but it has a really well-made interior and it’s comfortable to drive. It can even hold its own when you venture out onto the motorway.
Your £10,000 can get you into a well-specced High-Up model with the slightly more powerful 75hp engine. There was a 60hp model which is fine around town, but feels a bit breathless on the motorway. There are also a few 90hp turbocharged models kicking about which are great fun, but hard to come by.
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