Best superminis for Motability 2024
Use your Motability allowance wisely, and you can get a supermini that's practical as well as fun to drive
Moving up to a supermini from a city car will give you more practicality, with extra boot space and room for three in the back. As superminis have grown in size, the range of their abilities has increased, too, and many of the latest models are just as user-friendly as larger cars.
Motability customers can also benefit from a zero advance payment on several superminis, meaning it's even easier to get behind the wheel.
Best superminis for Motability
Dacia Sandero
- Model: Sandero 1.0 TCe Journey 5dr
- PIP weekly cost: £75.75
- Advance payment: nil
- Fuel type: petrol
- Gearbox: manual
If you’re something of a bargain hunter, the Dacia Sandero is one of the UK’s cheapest cars to buy brand-new, and it’s very affordable via Motability, too. Regardless of its value-focused ethos, though, the Sandero is still a genuinely appealing supermini. The latest model shares the same underpinnings as the Renault Clio, so it’s pleasant to drive both in town and on the motorway. The 1.0-litre TCe petrol engine here is fairly quiet, too, and it’ll return over 50mpg without too much fuss.
Citroen e-C3
- Model: e-C3 83kW Plus 44kWh 5dr
- PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
- Advance payment: nil
- Fuel type: electric
- Gearbox: automatic
Not only is our 2024 Car of the Year available on Motability, but it also doesn’t require any advance payment. The Citroen e-C3 is a fully electric supermini but, apart from its powertrain, it’s actually very similar to the combustion-powered C3. This is a good thing, though, because it means this car is a terrific choice for those making their first steps towards an EV. Rather than focusing on showy bells and whistles and aggressive performance, the e-C3 is adorned with the features you’ll actually need, while its single motor develops an adequate 111bhp and 120Nm of torque. In a way, this is a great example of less actually being more.
Renault Clio
- Model: Clio 1.0 TCe 90 Evolution 5dr
- PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
- Advance payment: nil
- Fuel type: petrol
- Gearbox: manual
The Renault Clio was already a firm Auto Express favourite when Renault performed its latest series of updates. Now, a striking new look, lashings of technology and an enjoyable driving experience all work in the stylish supermini’s favour. Long-gone are the days of jibes about reliability of French cars, too, because the build quality is excellent. The petrol-powered Clio here has an impressive 391-litre boot — 90 litres more than the hybrid — so it’s rather practical, too.
Skoda Fabia
- Model: Fabia 1.0 TSI 116 SE Comfort 5dr
- PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
- Advance payment: nil
- Fuel type: petrol
- Gearbox: manual
As part of Skoda’s ‘simply clever’ ethos, the Fabia is a supermini that gets the essentials right and accompanies these with some genuinely useful add-ons. LED headlights, an 8.25-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, rear parking sensors, alloy wheels, air-conditioning and several advanced safety systems are included as standard, and there’s an overall feeling of quality about the cabin, too. The 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine here also remains refined at higher speeds while delivering more than 50mpg.
Vauxhall Corsa
- Model: Corsa 1.2 Turbo Ultimate 5dr
- PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
- Advance payment: £299
- Fuel type: petrol
- Gearbox: manual or automatic
The Vauxhall Corsa has been a staple of the British supermini market for decades, and the latest model continues the ongoing theme of approachability. It’s not the most spacious car in the class, but the Corsa should still prove stress-free to live with because it’s very easy to drive as well as economical. Vauxhall’s supermini has long been the choice of new drivers looking for their first car, too, given that the cost of insuring it isn’t usually too horrifying.
Toyota Yaris
- Model: Yaris 1.5 Hybrid Icon 5dr
- PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
- Advance payment: £245
- Fuel type: petrol hybrid
- Gearbox: automatic
Toyota is renowned for its hybrid cars, and the compact Yaris is one of many models to benefit from this tech. Its 1.5-litre engine is quite small, but when combined with electric motors, it can deliver a significant 68.9mpg on the WLTP combined cycle. This figure is possible in the real world, too, because we saw around 65mpg during our own testing. The latest Yaris is also a very safe car, which boasts a full five-star Euro NCAP rating, and it’s even quite funky to look at.
Peugeot 208
- Model: 208 1.2 PureTech 100 Allure 5dr
- PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
- Advance payment: £399
- Fuel type: petrol
- Gearbox: manual
It would seem that the French car brands are on a stylish supermini roll at the moment. It’s not only the Renault Clio that scores big points for looks, because the Peugeot 208 is also very easy on the eye. Of course, there’s more to a car than just its appearance, so we’re pleased to say that the 208 is also very good to drive. We recommend trying this car out before signing any paperwork, though, because Peugeot’s unusual i-Cockpit layout isn’t to everyone’s tastes.
They're small but mighty, these are the best superminis to buy...
