Best cars under £5,000

What are the best used cars under £5,000? It’s a common question as this kind of budget is a reasonable amount to spend on a car where you can expect to find something of good quality that will genuinely suit your needs. There are plenty of really good cars under £5k but if your budget is a lot less than that, it starts to become more of a minefield full of bangers and unloved models with chequered histories.

In this article we’ll look at the best cars under £5k chosen by our experts. We’ve included family cars and superminis as well as SUVs and even thrown in a sports car for good measure. 

A thorough inspection is essential when buying any used car, but cars significantly under £5k will need a close look as they tend to be rather tired compared to cars costing more. Bring your budget up to £5,000 or slightly over and you’ll find that there’s a much wider selection available and the quality of examples is higher, too.

As long as you’re not in urgent need of a car, it’s better to wait for an example to appear that has a solid service history and a fresh MOT than to buy the first car you can find. Cosmetic issues like scratches and dents are the easiest to spot during an inspection, but we’d choose a tatty car with good history over an immaculate-looking one with none as you could face a huge bill if the engine hasn’t been cared for.

There are plenty of good cars under £5k out there and we’ve put together a short list of some of our favourites, so read on to find out the best used car bargains for a £5,000 budget.

Best hybrid car for under £5,000 - Toyota Prius

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• Best hybrid for under £5,000
• We found: 1.8 hybrid T-Spirit, 2010, 70k miles
• Years produced: 2009-2015
• Engines available: 1.8 hybrid, 1.8 PHEV

The Toyota Prius was one of the first hybrid cars to go on sale and it was so popular that there are hundreds on the market for less than £5,000. You’ll want one of the post-2009 1.8-litre models, as they’re more modern-feeling than the older 1.5-litre cars. The number one thing to be aware of with buying a Prius is that plenty of them were used as taxis and have very high mileage, up to 200,000 is quite common.

If anything that shows just how reliable they are, so if you buy a privately-owned example like the one we found with just 70,000 miles, it will last you for another 100,000 miles easily. 

If you can stretch to £6k a plug-in hybrid could be yours too, which offers even lower running costs for certain buyers. The normal Prius should still be capable of 60mpg without much effort and it’s roomy inside, so it makes a great family car.

Best supermini car for under £5,000 - Skoda Fabia

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• Best supermini for under £5,000
• We found: 1.0 SE, 2016, 75k miles
• Years produced: 2014-2022
• Engines available: 1.0, 1.2 petrol, 1.4 diesel

If you want a practical but cheap-to-run supermini the Skoda Fabia is a top choice, and examples with the cheap-to-run 1.0-litre engine are just now dropping into the £5k price bracket. We found a nice-looking example with only 75k miles just under our £5k budget here with the three-cylinder motor. It’s economical and while it might feel a little gutless on the motorway, it’s cheap to insure as well.

The Fabia is one of the most practical cars of its size, too; it has loads of room for passengers and luggage considering its small size. It looks great value at under £5,000, and you can even find examples with the better 1.2-litre TSI engine under budget if you buy from a private seller rather than a dealer.

Best family car for under £5,000 - Volkswagen Passat

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• We found: 2.0 TDI Tech S, 2013, 84k miles
• Years produced: 2010-2014
• Engines available: 1.4T, 1.8T, 2.0T petrol, 1.6, 2.0 diesel

The Volkswagen Passat is a large family car that’s similar to the Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Insignia. Where the VW beats those rivals is when it comes to build quality, refinement and ergonomics, as it’s a fantastic place to spend time. It’s a great option for those with a long commute but who need a lot of space for family trips on weekends. 

It was a popular option with company car buyers back in 2013, so there are a lot of used diesel examples for sale under budget. The 2.0-litre TDI engine turns the VW into a great tow car that will dispatch the longest journeys without murmur. It’s also not short of safety equipment and the motor should be good for hundreds of thousands of miles.

Best convertible car for under £5,000 - Mazda MX-5

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• Best convertible for under £5,000
• We found: 1.8i SE, 2010, 50k miles
• Years produced:  2005-2015
• Engines available: 1.8, 2.0 petrol

There’s no question about it, the best used convertible sports car is pretty much always the Mazda MX-5. There are examples to suit just about any budget, but for five grand the third generation NC model is your best bet. There are plenty of nice-looking examples with low mileage for this kind of money, especially if you go for the less powerful - but no less fun - 1.8-litre engine over the more expensive 2.0-litre one. 

The main thing to be aware of with the MX-5 is rust, so check the lower parts of the body for paint bubbles and especially around the wheelarches. If you’re not sure, get an independent inspection done for total peace of mind. The rest of the car should be good, as the Mazda is known for its reliability as well as its fun handling and low running costs.

Best SUV for under £5,000 - Honda CR-V

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• We found: 2.0 i-VTEC SE 4WD, 2011, 88k miles
• Years produced: 2006-2012
• Engines available: 2.0 petrol, 2.2 diesel

The Honda CR-V is highly sought after and while many of those available within this budget are Mk2 editions built between 2002 and 2007, it’s worth seeking out a Mk3. The later car has a roomier cabin, more safety kit and it’s better to drive and quieter inside as well. Both the 2.0-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesel should be very reliable and four-wheel drive means it’s great for rural buyers, though it’s hardly an off-roader.

Expect typical Honda reliability, although steering racks can fail and so can air-con compressors. Go for a 2010-on example if you’re buying a diesel; these had more power than earlier CR-Vs.

Best cars for under £5,000

• Toyota Prius
• Skoda Fabia
• Volkswagen Passat
• Mazda MX-5
• Honda CR-V

Now take a look at the rest of our used car superstars

• The best cars for under £1,000
• The best cars for under £3,000
• The best cars for under £5,000 
• The best cars for under £10,000
• The best cars for under £15,000
• The best cars for under £20,000
• The best cars for under £30,000