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The best cars for £200 per month

  • Deals on everything from SUVs to hatchbacks
  • Great value personal leasing finance options
  • Manageable deposits and monthly payments

Written by Keith Adams Published: 16 April 2024 Updated: 16 April 2024

You’re not the only person looking at cars in the best cars for £200 per month range – this article is among the most popular in our suite of new car deal pages. Despite rising prices and increasing interest rates, there are still lots of great cars available for around £200 per month.

That’s good news because £200 is roughly 10% of the average salary in the UK, and that’s what many finance experts consider a sensible amount to spend on a car. The other good news is that there are some really great cars available for around £200 (and up to £250 for those who can stretch a little) and we’ve found the ones we think represent the best value at this price point.

This list just highlights personal contract hire (PCH) – or lease – deals, as this is a very competitive price point, with lots of special offers available. So do keep checking in for the latest prices.

Best new cars for around £200 a month 2024

It's such a big seller for a very good reason

If you’re in the market for a medium-sized SUV, the Qashqai should be at, or very near the top, of your shopping list. It’s one of the most technically advanced SUVs available, is excellent to drive, and if you want to splash out more, is also available as an excellent hybrid.

It’s practical, with some very clever interior touches, as you’d expect for a product that’s now entered its third generation. While the quality and interior are also up there with the very best-in-class.

To find out more, read our full Nissan Qashqai review

Pros

  • High quality interior
  • Lots of tech that works well
  • Good to drive

Cons

  • Weak 1.3-litre mild-hybrid
  • Limited model range

An excellent all-rounder available with some tempting deals

Put simply, if you need something that can carry five and their luggage with the minimum amount of fuss, the Skoda Octavia Estate is all the car you could ever need. Still need convincing? In essence, the Octavia is a VW Golf, but one that’s substantially more practical and better value for money.

At this price point, you're looking at a 1.0- or 1.5-litre version, and of the two, it;s the latter that is our pick of the petrols, and is more than up to the task of hauling a family and their luggage.

Read our full Skoda Octavia review

Pros

  • Hugely practical
  • Lots of engine and trim options
  • Cheap to run

Cons

  • Lack of badge kudos
  • Motorway refinement isn't the best

A full-on hot hatch for peanuts?

Not quite, because the Cupra Leon you'll get at this price point is the 1.5-litre 150hp entry-level model. But it's still blessed with the same excellent steering and handling as its fire-breathing cousins, but with the additional benefit of lower insurance and fuel consumption.

It's a kissing cousin to the excellent Volkswagen Golf (and Skoda Octavia, above) and as such it shares many of those cars' qualities, such as excellent practicality and low running costs. Cheap on the monthlies, maybe, but far from bargain basement in terms of feel.

Read our full Cupra Leon review

Pros

  • Sharp handling
  • Well appointed interior
  • Great value for money

Cons

  • Some interior quality issues
  • Glitchy infotainment

Stylish estate with cast-iron warranty support

As a relatively and stylish cheap load-lugger, the Kia Proceed Shooting Brake makes a great deal of sense. It’s huge inside, very practical and excels at carrying both people and their luggage, while also moonlighting as a van when needed.

It’s not the most exciting choice to look at or drive, so there are more appealing options including the SEAT Leon and Skoda Octavia Estates. However, if you’re after a reliable long-term ownership proposition, it makes a great deal of sense, and neither of those come close in dealer support or reliability.

Read our full Kia Proeed Shooting Brake review

Pros

  • Well-equipped
  • Seven-year warranty
  • Enormous boot

Cons

  • Not exciting to drive
  • Limited engine range

Yes, a family-sized hatchback can be truly comfortable

If you’re after comfort and striking looks, the C4 is well worth considering. There are plenty of family hatchbacks to choose from, so you have to admire Citroen for trying something different by creating this interesting hatchback/SUV crossover that genuinely stands out from the crowd.

The state of the art is probably the Skoda Octavia or SEAT Leon but neither of those will turn heads – and that is not the case here. The C4 is a striking-looking car that combines SUV attitude with a convenience of a more traditional five-door package.

Read our full Citroen C4 review

Pros

  • Excellent long-distance cruiser
  • Eager and efficient engines
  • Spacious, minimalist interior

Cons

  • It's not sporty
  • Steering lacks feel

Competent SUV that's great for families

Vauxhalls might not be as cheap as they were in the pile 'em high repmobile era, but they're still great value if you're prepared to shop around. The sharp-looking Grandland is a great example of offering just what families need for just the right amount of money.

Being based on the Peugeot 3008, it’s fine to drive, has an acceptable interior and reasonable space, and the alternatives are pretty much all more expensive on monthly finance. Add to this, a large boot and roomy interior and the Grandland is definitely worth a closer look.

Read our full Vauxhall Grandland review

Pros

  • Good build quality
  • Punchy petrol engines
  • Roomy interior

Cons

  • Lack of badge kudos
  • Not a sporty drive

A little bit of premium for a modest monthly payment

The Audi A1 delivers a decent amount of technology and style for your money. The interior looks good, is easy to use, and feels just about special enough to be in. It should tick all those premium car boxes for someone trading down from a larger model.

It’s not that much of a compromise next to an A3 or A4. The Audi A1 Sportback has a mature feel and some highly impressive tech. In many ways it's an appealing small car that's a bit of a guilty secret.

Read our full Audi A1 review

Pros

  • Nicely equipped cabin
  • Good fuel economy
  • Lots of personalisation

Cons

  • Lots of kit on options list
  • Firm ride on larger wheels

Excellent value, tough and long lasting family SUV

It might be about to be replaced, but if you're after a modern and spacious compact SUV, the Dacia Duster should be near the top of your list. It quite frankly makes every other car here look expensive, whether you’re looking at the outright purchase price or monthly payments.

You don’t have to sacrifice much, either. The Duster may not get the very latest driver assistance tech, but most models have everything you need like air-conditioning, remote locking and an infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Read our full Dacia Duster review

Pros

  • Amazingly good value
  • Available with 4WD
  • Practical interior

Cons

  • More road noise than rivals
  • It's about to be replaced

Reliable supermini with impressive reliability

The Toyota Yaris is only available as a self-charging hybrid and the efficiency it achieves is a huge selling point at this price point. The hybrid battery is sufficient to cover a large portion of urban journeys, it can even stay in EV mode up to motorway speeds. The electric motor can assist the engine when needed, providing usefully nippy acceleration. It’s a doddle to drive, too.

The Yaris still has stand-out looks, despite its growing familiarity. The interior isn’t up to the same mark but it’s user-friendly, built solidly and comes with plenty of tech. Back seat and boot space aren’t especially generous, but when you're getting 65mpg, do you care?

Read our full Toyota Yaris review

Pros

  • Hugely economical
  • Loads of driver assistance tech
  • Cheap finance

Cons

  • Small boot
  • Less than up-to-date interior

A family car icon that still stacks up

The Golf is still an impressively complete car with a broad range – from lowly petrols to efficient diesels, plug-in hybrids to hot hatchbacks there is something for everybody here. Add in that badge kudos and it’s an appealing package – not to mention the scores of people for whom the default response to the hatchback question is simply ‘buy a Golf’.

It’s a sound choice if you’d rather not think too hard about your new car purchase – or, if one of the Golf’s many derivatives suits you better than more specialised rivals. The main question is whether you should choose one over a Skoda Octavia.

Read our full Volkswagen Golf review

Pros

  • Economical and refined
  • High-tech interior
  • Solid image and reputation

Cons

  • Digital cockpit off-putting
  • Some interior plastics feel cheap

* These deals are indicative examples of some packages available as of 16 April 2024, but are subject to change without prior notice. Everyone’s financial circumstances are different and the availability of credit is subject to status. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. Parkers cannot recommend a deal for you specifically.


Keith Adams is the Editor of Parkers. During his career he has been the editor of Classic Car Weekly, Modern Classics and Honest John Classics, as well as writing for CAR magazine, Practical Classics, Octane, Autocar and The Independent among others. Keith lives in rural Lancashire and enjoys buying and selling cars and reading and writing about them.