The best car leasing deals for young people have one thing in common. The cars are affordable. As a new driver, you probably won’t have the money for a BMW M or a Mercedes-AMG car – and, even if you did, the insurance premiums would bankrupt you. More economical, small cars have lower running costs, cheaper insurance premiums and, crucially, reasonable monthly payments.
A lease deal is a serious financial obligation so, before you enter an agreement, it’s worth swotting up on what leasing is. We’ll provide an abridged version here for those new to the scene. Leasing, sometimes referred to as Personal Car Leasing or Personal Contract Hire (PCH) is basically a form of long-term renting, similar to the rental agreement you might enter for your home.
You stump up an initial payment, pay a series of monthly instalments and, once you reach the end of your contract, you hand the car back and look for another one. If you’re a newly qualified driver fresh out of secondary school, just bear in mind that leasing deals are often unavailable to drivers under 18 years old – and even then, lots of leasing companies have a minimum age limit of 25.
The best cars to lease for young people:
Editor’s lease choice: Skoda Fabia
One of the most well-rounded hatchbacks on sale
Read our Skoda Fabia review
Pros:
✅ Spacious interior
✅ Competitively priced
✅ Plenty of choice
Cons:
❌ No hybrid technology
❌ Not as engaging as the Clio
The Skoda Fabia claims the top spot for its sheer breadth of ability. It’s good to drive, there’s room inside for four adults and the boot is enormous considering the size of the car. It also feels a little bit posher than the Ford Fiesta or Vauxhall Corsa.
There are also plenty of engines and trim levels to choose from, but those starting out should go for the 1.0-litre non-turbo MPI engine. It’s not fast, but it puts the Fabia in insurance group 4, which is handy for younger drivers who haven’t built up a no-claims bonus.**
Skoda Fabia lease deals | VIEW OFFER
Renault Clio
Recent updates make this great supermini even better
Read our Renault Clio review
Pros:
✅ Very stylish
✅ Low running costs
✅ Fun to drive
Cons:
❌ Cramped in the rear
❌ Not that refined
Renault facelifted the Clio supermini in spring 2023 – and the updates made it even better. To drive, it’s still a halfway house between the sportiness of the SEAT Ibiza and the comfort of the Volkswagen Polo (which isn’t a bad thing at all), but it looks better and is now available with a swanky new Esprit Alpine trim level. It’s a more desirable package overall.
The update has also bumped performance. Now, the cheapest engine available is a 90hp 1.0-litre petrol unit, replacing the 75hp unit fitted to the pre-facelift car. It offers a reasonable amount of performance and official fuel economy figures of 54mpg on the WLTP combined cycle.**
Renault Clio lease deals | VIEW OFFER
Ford Puma
Fiesta underpinnings make the Puma great to drive
Read our Ford Puma review
Pros:
✅ Pin-sharp handling
✅ Economical petrol engines
✅ Enormous boot
Cons:
❌ Dull dashboard
❌ Unintuitive infotainment
We like the Ford Puma. It’s based on the same architecture as the now deceased Ford Fiesta, which means it’s excellent on a twisty back road. It’s quick in a straight line, too, as even the entry-level model has a meaty 125hp. However, because the engine serving up that power is a tiny 1.0-litre unit, the car falls into insurance group 11.
It’s also one of the most practical cars on this list. There’s (just) enough room in the back for adults and its boot can compete with cars from the class above thanks to Ford’s innovative Megabox storage system. It’s basically a massive, hose-down bin underneath the boot board that increases the car’s maximum carrying capacity to 456 litres.**
Ford Puma lease deals | VIEW OFFER
Volkswagen Up
VW’s long-lived city car is still a good buy
Read our Volkswagen Up review
Pros:
✅ Class-leading build quality
✅ Surprisingly pokey engines
✅ Rock-solid build quality
Cons:
❌ Pricier than rivals
❌ Only available as a four-door
The Volkswagen Up has been around for more than a decade now, but it’s still one of the best options in the city car class. It’s every bit the junior Volkswagen – it isn’t flash, but it’s well-made, it handles neatly and it has plenty of grown-up features such as phone connectivity and air-con.
It isn’t even desperately impractical, either. It might only measure 3.6 metres long, but there’s enough space inside for four adults – and its boot can hold 251 litres of clobber. Fuel economy is stellar for the 1.0-litre models at 68.9mpg and insurance group ratings are favourable, ranging between 1 and 4 depending on specification.**
Volkswagen Up lease deals | VIEW OFFER
Fiat 500
It’s a charming little city car – but it’s showing its age
Read our Fiat 500 review
Pros:
✅ Retro styling
✅ Dinky dimensions
✅ Efficient mild hybrid model
Cons:
❌ Uncomfortable driving position
❌ Noisy at motorway speeds
The Fiat 500 is another veteran of the UK’s aging city car market. It’s been on sale since 2008 – and in the past 15 years, it hasn’t really changed. Sure, Fiat has tried to keep the car fresh with a series of styling and mechanical tweaks, but it’s still the same basic car underneath as it was when Gordon Brown was in Number 10.
Despite this, the Fiat 500 is an endearing motor. It’s cheeky, it oozes style and it’s even quite fun to drive. Buy the mild hybrid one and you’ll save on fuel, too. Plus, they’re cheap as chips with a leasing deal. You could have one on your driveway for less than £300 per month.**
Fiat 500 lease deals | VIEW OFFER
Toyota Aygo X
City-sized SUV is best reserved for those without families
Read our Toyota Aygo X review
Pros:
✅ Rides better than old Aygo
✅ Stylish and functional cabin
✅ Handy around town
Cons:
❌ Puny engine struggles on fast roads
❌ Appalling rear legroom
The Aygo is an unusual blend of a city car and an SUV. Its styling is distinctive (like the Fiat 500), but it has a reasonable amount of boot space and good ride quality around town (like the Volkswagen Up). What’s more, because it’s built by Toyota, it comes with an industry-leading 10-year warranty and an enviable reputation for reliability.
It isn’t perfect, though. Legroom in the back is only suitable for children and its 1.0-litre engine is utterly breathless on the open road. It produces a measly 93Nm of torque, which means you need to beat the engine like it owes you money when merging on motorways or A-roads.**
Toyota Aygo X lease deals | VIEW OFFER
Fiat Panda
Quirky and fun – but it’s overshadowed by newer rivals
Read our Fiat Panda review
Pros:
✅ Practical for its size
✅ Economical
✅ Affordable
Cons:
❌ Zero-star Euro NCAP rating
❌ Uncomfortable over long distances
The Panda shares its mechanicals with the Fiat 500 – and, like its chassis sibling, it’s getting a little long in the tooth. Its rivals are more practical inside, fitted with sharper technology, better to drive and much safer in an accident.
But the Panda trades on its cheeky character – and that goes a long way to masking some of its flaws. Its 1.0-litre mild hybrid petrol engine is also quite fuel efficient and affordable to lease, with monthly payments starting from less than £270.**
Fiat Panda lease deals | VIEW OFFER
Dacia Sandero
Simple, honest and cheap transport
Read our Dacia Sandero review
Pros:
✅ Great value for money
✅ Well-judged interior quality
✅ Impressive road manners
Cons:
❌ Not especially refined
❌ Worryingly low Euro NCAP score
The Sandero is one of the best value new cars on sale today, offering an impressive blend of practicality, efficiency and performance for a cash price of around £14,000. It’s good value on a leasing deal, too, with monthly payments in the mid-£200 bracket.
In the past, Dacia thrust itself into this price range by building its cars on Renault’s outmoded technology. These days, though, the Sandero based on the same platform as the current Clio – and Dacia makes its cars affordable through careful section of trim, equipment and engines. If you’re sold on the idea, just ensure you get a model with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and rear parking sensors.**
Dacia Sandero lease deals | VIEW OFFER
Vauxhall Corsa
It’s Britain’s best-selling supermini for a reason
Read our Vauxhall Corsa review
Pros:
✅ Good fuel economy
✅ Excellent petrol engines
✅ Plenty of standard kit
Cons:
❌ Interior feels a little cheap
❌ Jerky automatic gearbox
The Corsa is one of the more expensive cars to lease on this list. However, it’s also one of the best – and quality is remembered long after price is forgotten. It’s a great all-rounder with tidy handling, enough equipment to keep you entertained and a choice of two excellent 1.2-litre petrol engines.
It neither excels nor falters in any area – but we reckon this consistent approach has contributed to its roaring success on the UK’s forecourts. If you’re concerned about your carbon footprint, you can even have one with a pure-electric powertrain. Just bear in mind that the EV will have much larger monthly payments than the petrol options.**
Vauxhall Corsa lease deals | VIEW OFFER
Volkswagen T-Cross
A great option in the small family SUV class
Read our Volkswagen T-Cross review
Pros:
✅ Nippy and frugal engines
✅ Lots of personalisation options
✅ Flexible interior
Cons:
❌ Cheap-feeling cabin
❌ Rough ride on large alloys
We understand that not all young people are carefree singletons that just want a car that’s small and cheap. Some young people have bigger commitments and need a larger, sensible, more practical car – and the Volkswagen T-Cross might be the ideal tool for the job.
It has enough space in the cabin to seat a small family, a maximum boot capacity of 455 litres, a five-star Euro NCAP safety score and a range of efficient petrol engines, including Volkswagen’s excellent 1.5-litre TSI unit. It won’t break the bank to lease, either. You can secure a deal for less than £300.**
Volkswagen T-Cross lease deals | VIEW OFFER
** These deals are indicative examples of some packages available as of 17 July 2023 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.
Bauer Consumer Media Limited is an appointed representative of ZenAuto Limited for the broking of regulated consumer hire agreements. ZenAuto Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. ZenAuto Limited’s registered office is Number One, Great Exhibition Way, Kirkstall Forge, Leeds LS5 3BF. ZenAuto Limited’s company registration number is 10967345. ZenAuto is the trading name of ZenAuto Limited.
