Best Used Cars Under £300 Per Month
25th Nov 2020
By Nathan Dale
What cars can I buy for £300 per month on finance?
Using car finance to purchase a used car is now very much a common way to fund the process. With Personal Contract Purchase and Hire Purchase making the process of buying a used car easier and more affordable, you can set yourself a monthly budget, meaning you can pay for a car with a more manageable monthly outgoing.
A £300 monthly budget unlocks a wide variety of used cars, some with remaining manufacturer warranty. Whether you are in the market for a hot hatchback, award-winning SUV or state-of-the-art hybrid, our list below features them all, as well as some other excellent cars for under £300 a month.
Volkswagen Golf
The textbook hatchback
Many cars have a reputation and the Volkswagen Golf is one of them. Offering a practical, good looking, well made, comfortable, great to drive hatchback. If you are after a car that ticks all the right boxes, you simply cannot go wrong with a Golf.
Each Golf makes for a superb daily driver, but if you want a bit more practicality, or more MPG, or more fun, there is a Golf to suit you. Want more economy? Golf GTD. Want a car that won't look out of place at the supermarket, or outside a 5 star hotel? Golf GTI. Want sports car pace, but with somewhat understated looks? Golf R. Want an electric car, but still fancy a petrol engine too? Golf GTE.
With 3 and 5 door availability, a big boot, ergonomic controls, fine material choice, it's no wonder the textbook answer to the hatchback is the Volkswagen Golf.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Premium state-of-the-art saloon
Nothing says class and status like that of a Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The chosen car for company directors and the elite, the E-Class is somewhat of a status symbol, so to be able to get one at under £300 per month is somewhat of a steal.
Renown for its sublime comfort and ability to silence exterior noise, the E-Class is a superb place to spend time. At this price point it is even possible to get into an AMG-Line trim specification car, with a state-of-the-art interior, which is nothing short of stunning.
A class-leading array of diesel engines are available, ensuring you can have all the luxury without visiting a fuel station every 5 minutes.
Skoda Octavia Estate
A handsome and appealing estate car
Shown here in VRS specification, the performance-oriented version of the Octavia which is still available for the sub £300 a month criteria, even with manufacturer warranty left too.
But what's so good about this handsome estate? Skoda is owned by VW and therefore a lot of parts and technology is shared with VW group cars. This ensures the Octavia is well made, full of tech, practical and is available in a number of varying trim levels. Skoda models are also a little more affordable than their VW siblings too.
We think the VRS is the one to go for if you want exciting performance teamed with attractive practicality. You can even choose between petrol or diesel and enjoy up to 58mpg, as well as hitting 60mph in just 6.6 seconds for the petrol and 7.6 seconds for the diesel. What's not to like?
MINI Cooper S
An icon remastered
Who doesn't love a MINI? With retro styling, go-kart like handling and a range of peppy engine choices, it's no wonder that they are popular.
For less than £300 a month you can get behind one of the hot ones too, in the form of the Cooper S. Therefore you'll enjoy exciting performance, with the 0-62mph sprint happening in under 7 seconds thanks to an engine producing a touch under 200bhp.
If you want a slightly less performance oriented version, the Cooper is another solid choice and offers better economy, albeit with less performance than its Cooper S sibling. It still features the epic go-kart like handling though, which is a textbook trait of the MINI hatchback range.
Audi A6
Executive, German solidness
Four rings on a grille is an attractive proposition for many car buyers. Audi are right up there with desirable German cars that are a common sight on our UK roads - and quite rightly so, due to their style, tech and desirability.
Just like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class mentioned above, the Audi A6 is a executive chariot popular with company directors and those wanting to spend time behind the wheels in comfort and style.
Audi interiors are some of the best in the business, and the A6 Saloon is no exception. The Avant (Estate) is also popular and obviously more practical but the saloon pictured here has all refinement, poise and style you'll need from an executive car.
Toyota C-HR
A super-sharp SUV
As SUVs continue their popularity, it's nice to see companies like Toyota not just following the pack, instead creating an SUV that looks like nothing else on the road.
Toyota are also the trailblazers when it comes to hybrid tech, and you can find plenty of used hybrid C-HRs, along with more familiar petrol engines. The latter happen to be easier on the monthly payments and fall under the £300 a month target.
Being Japanese, reliability is also a strong factor and will appeal to many buyers that want hassle free motoring. If you are also keen on making your next car an SUV, but want something that stands out from the crowd for the right reasons, the Toyota C-HR is a sure-fire solution.
Hyundai i30
A smart and surprising hatchback
Hyundai have really surprised the car market in recent years, and the i30 hatchback has been at the forefront of the Korean manufacturer's success.
A hatchback needs to be good in a number of areas. It needs to look good, offer decent practicality, be good to drive, good on fuel and feature technology that makes day to day driving that little bit easier. The i30 does all this and does it well, whilst offering an incredible 7-year manufacturer warranty.
The N Line specification falls into our sub £300 a month criteria and features handsome sports styling, along with a more economical engine (N Line being a trim that takes inspiration from the range-topping N model - which is a high-performance hot hatch) and of course the superb 7-year manufacturer warranty.
Audi Q3
Premium Germanic SUV quality
It's no revelation that UK drivers like a German car, and for under £300 a month it is possible to get behind the wheel of a desirable Audi SUV, albeit the entry-level Q3.
However, there is nothing entry-level about the Q3. Sure, it is the most compact SUV Audi make, but this is still an Audi, meaning quality, style, refinement are on offer in droves.
Attractive looks ensure the Q3 will stand out amongst the high selection of SUVs on sale, and its compact dimensions ensure the Q3 is quite the looker too, with the iconic 4 rings of the Audi badge taking pride of place on the front grille. This is a premium SUV available at a not too premium price.
Ford Kuga
Sharply-styled practicality
The Ford Kuga is now a staple on British roads, and with good reason. Its blend of practicality, style and an excellent driving experience have made it extremely popular with customers in the UK.
Because it's great value as a new car, you can easily pick up a used example for a £300 budget that's only a couple of years old. It'll be well-specified too, with air conditioning, alloy wheels, cruise control and many other features standard across the range.
At this price point, you'll have the pick of the litter in terms of specification and engine choice. There are both petrol and diesel models available, plus manual and automatic versions, too.
Nissan X-Trail
Another award-winning Nissan SUV
As we have said already, the SUV continues to be highly popular with UK car buyers. The elevated driving position, all-wheel drive, chunky looks and enhanced practicality is certainly an attractive list of factors, and a list that Nissan SUVs do rather well.
The Qashqai has won numerous awards for Nissan, and quite simply, if you like the Qashqai but want something bigger, the X-Trail is the Nissan SUV you need.
It's easy to drive, features generous equipment levels, has a great choice of economical diesel engines, has loads of space for families and also nails the looks department too. For under £300 a month, the Nissan X-Trail cannot be ignored if you are in the market for an SUV that ticks all the right boxes.
Find your perfect used car for under £300 per month
This concludes our comprehensive and extensive list of cars you can get behind the wheel of, for less than £300. As you can see, there is quite the selection.
Don't see the car you'd like? At Evans Halshaw, we offer a lot more of great cars from top manufacturers such as BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Vauxhall and many more. Get started by searching all used cars under £300 per month.
