Here are 19 brilliant cars that are cheaper than you think

What is it? 

The modern Puma is the bestselling car in the UK – from £26,580 for the 1.0 EcoBoost Hybrid. But there’s also a Ford Puma from 1997–02. It doesn’t cost £26k. 

Why are we interested? 

Because you get to be that person that says “not that Puma – the original” at parties. The 3dr coupe based on Ford’s B platform. 

So… it’s the same but not? 

Not at all. The old one is a front-wheel drive three-door with four seats. The new one a FWD, five, five. 

What should I buy? 

The newbie is much safer, better at doing real life and likely not rusted through. The old ones cost £2,000–6,000. But they’re perky and fun. 

What is it? 

A front-engined, rear-wheel drive coupe. Much like an Aston Martin Vantage. Both are immense fun to drive. But one doesn’t cost an arm and leg to buy and insure. 

Why are we interested? 

Essentially you’ve got a similar recipe, but the GT86 has half the cylinders of the Aston, nearly a third the power and two thirds the weight. 

So… it’s the same but not? 

It is. But a new V8 Vantage is £165k+. A really nice GT86 can be had for sub-£15k. And you’ll get more driving thrills. 

What should I buy? 

The GT86s were all 2.0-litre boxers, so there’s just trim choices and condition. We’d look for a 2013 version with under 60k miles on the clock. 

What is it? 

A four-cylinder, mid-rear engined roadster with pin sharp handling and a slightly undesirable/humdrum engine that will put a smile on your face. 

Why are we interested? 

If you want mid-engined smile per mile RWD fun then a Porsche Boxster is great. But the MR2 MkIII is the value hero here. 

So… what’s the MR2 like? 

The Toyota MR2 1.8 VVT-i has only just under 140bhp, but the car weighs under a tonne. It’s got lightweight thrills. 

What should I buy? 

You can pick up an MR2 from the early 2000s in really good nick for £3k–£4k, and £6k brings some very well cared for cars. 

What is it?

A 5.0-litre, V8, manual, rear-wheel drive Ford with 435bhp. It’s a wonderful anachronism in this day and age, a proper muscle car.

Why are we interested? 

If you want a modern muscle car, a manual BMW M2 is loads of fun. But we would be tempted by a used Mustang – it’s a beautiful thing.

So... the BMW is like a Mustang?

The M2 is more precise, runs 4.2 to 62mph and 155mph top end. The 5.0 V8 Stang is 4.4 to 62mph and 145mph.

What should I buy?

A full fat Mustang (5.0 V8 manual, not the 4cyl 2.3 Ecoboost auto) weighs in about £40k for the current gen with a few thousand miles on the clock. A new M2 is over £70k. Keep the change for petrol.

What is it?

A V8 coupe/convertible from a ‘British’ manufacturer. Much like an Aston Martin Vantage. They’re both good-looking, fast and sound brilliant.

Why are we interested?

Both do the same job, and do it well. But once again, a new Aston starts at £165k+ and you can get a very clean F-Type for around £35k.

So... they’re the same but not?

The numbers run at 656bhp, 202mph for the Aston, 475–575bhp for the Jag, depending on model.

Should I buy one?

For the full-fat experience, V8 S or F-Type R. All are supercharged, all offer the Aston’s experience, but with more bang for your buck.

What is it? 

The Octavia is a practical performance Skoda estate with just over half the power for less than half the price of an Audi S6 Avant e-Tron. 

Why are we interested? 

You can have the sporty Skoda with a choice of FWD or AWD, petrol, diesel or hybrid, auto or manual. And loads of fun driving it. 

So… it’s the same as the S6 e-Tron? 

No – the Audi has a much smaller boot, 502 litres plays 640 for the petrol Octavia, which is kinda the point of an estate. 

Should I buy one? 

For max punch (and space) per pound you'll want a used vRS. They’re around from five grand. Bargain.

What is it? 

A 2.5-litre five-pot that you can pick up in great condition for £30k. Not quite a Bugatti Chiron – 355bhp vs 1,578bhp – but still a great choice. 

Why are we interested? 

It’s a coupe, it’s all-wheel drive and has some driving characteristics that are very similar to the Chiron. Honest. 

So… it’s a driver’s car ? 

The TT RS delivers on rapid cross-country pace like you wouldn’t believe – on back roads, it’s a machine. 

Should I buy one? 

The TT RS does 0–62mph in 4.5 seconds and has a top speed of 174mph. For £16k–£50k, it’s a lot of fun for the money. 

What is it? 

OK, so Volkswagen's ID.Every1 previews a small, efficient German EV, but the A2 was ahead of the game in all ways when it came to German efficiency 25 years ago. 

Why are we so interested? 

Because the 1.4 petrol A2 was an aluminium genius that's ULEZ compliant (not the diesel), and it was well packaged and efficient. 

So... it's the same but not? 

We’ve lost sight of the basics; A2s came in at under a tonne, could hit 98mpg, and looked cool. And that’s in 2000. 

Which one should I buy? 

Late 1.4s hit ULEZ compliance, and are available between £800–£4k. Not fast, but more interesting than most. 

What is it? 

If you’re liking the look of the square-bodied Land Cruiser 250, then how about the 1983–2001 Jeep Cherokee? Same look, different price. 

Why are we interested? 

Because it’s the same look and capability, but where the box-fresh Toyota starts at over £80k, you can pick up a decent XJ for about five grand. 

So… it’s the same but not? 

Same idea, except the Jeep has a unibody with a boxed-in frame. So it’s more advanced. Technically. 

Which one should I buy? 

It came with either a 4.0-litre straight six, or a 2.5-litre four-pot turbodiesel. Use the saved cash on petrol goodness. 

What is it? 

A tidy last gen V8. The new all-singing PHEV Conti costs £236,000 basic, whereas you can get a nice one of these for roughly £100k. That’s mega value. 

Why are we interested? 

Because that's more than half price. And it looks very similar, with V8 bellow. Champagne class for (craft) lager money. 

So… 80 per cent of the experience for less than half of the cash? 

Yup. And it’s only 0.8 seconds off the new one from zero to 62mph. 

How many are there? 

Loads. They dip as low as £30k for a Mk2 Conti with a V8, but £100k will bag you a nice third-gen. You’ll need cash to run it at teens mpg, but the class is eternal. 

What is it? 

A blue collar hero, but one that looks like it wants to eat a racetrack.

Why are we interested? 

Because for around £20,000 you can get yourself an AWD, 350bhp tarmac-munching Focus RS. Seems like a no-brainer to us. 

Kind of a cheap, modern restomod? 

Yup. A well sorted and revived RS has to be more attractive than the latest warm hatch. 

How many are there? 

RS? MkI, 4,500-ish with 2,150 in the UK. MkII was 11,500 with 4k in the UK, 500 fewer built of the MkIII with the same sold here. 

What is it? 

The new, electrified BMW M5 costs a smidge over £114k, which is... a lot. But peak M5 is the E39. Subtle, manual, 400bhp V8. So why not have that? 

Why are we interested? 

Because a 727bhp plug-in hybrid M5 that weighs 2.5 tonnes misses the point. Why not get something that does the job for much less? 

How many were made? 

Some 20,482 E39 M5s were made. They are known as a connoisseur’s car, rather than just the most expensive version of a 5 Series. 

Costs? 

Under £10k for a worn high miler, more like £45k–50k for a minter. But £25k would buy you a really decent one. Leaving £90k for maintenance. 

What is it? 

One for the head not the heart, but when a new Audi S5 Avant costs over £68k, why not consider a used diesel pretender for less than half the price? Hello S4 TDI. 

Why are we interested? 

Well, the 3.0-litre turbo V6 petrol in the new S5 makes 362bhp, but the most recent TDI still managed 342bhp. And its 516lb ft of torque blows the newly named car away.

Surely not? 

With Audi’s Sport differential and 8spd Tiptronic, the S4 TDI can hit 62mph in 4.8secs. And it’s precise and decent sounding. And not rare. 

Costs? 

Very low mileage 2024 cars with all the options can be had sub £50k, but earlier S4 TDIs are now well under £30k. Buy one before diesel becomes illegal. 

What is it? 

It’s the Phantom’s great-grandad, the Silver Shadow. Officially 1965–1980, but you want the 6.75 V8 from 1970 onwards. 

Why are we interested? 

Because there’s something about a modern Rolls-Royce that feels a bit new money. A ‘Shad’ marks you out as not playing by the same rules. 

How many were made? 

Over 30,000. Plus various special editions, convertibles and limousine versions, and the two-door Camargue. 

Costs? 

A Phantom now lists at just over £400k, but if you’re looking for class, you can’t beat the R-R back catalogue, and a good Shad would be well under £30k. 

What is it? 

A basic 911 Carrera lists at £103,700 incl VAT, with 390-ish bhp and a 183mph top speed. Same silhouette as other 911s, similar cachet. 

Why are we interested? 

Because the best thing about a basic 911 is that it’s engineered for the GT3 RS. So you get 75 per cent of the vibes, for £90k less. 

How many were made? 

Unlimited. No price war flipping and investment wars with a basic 911. Even new it’s £35k less than the GTS. Good residuals, too. 

Costs? 

Is a GT3 RS on a normal road really 90 per cent better per pound than the Carrera? We’d argue no. In fact, the base spec car is easier to play with more of the time. 

What is it? 

The FWD City Cross gets the looks of the 4x4 for less hardware. It’s supposed to be a speed bump-friendly urbanaut, but it’s much more than that. 

Why are we interested? 

It has underbody protection, lifted height, plastic cladding and extra fogs. Plus, it gets traction control/hill descent gubbins. 

How many were made? 

Interestingly, the City Cross was quite popular – there are probably twice as many as the various 4x4 derivatives.   

Costs? 

Depends on the model, but £8k+ will get you a low-mileage 2020 car with FSH and low miles. You’d pay £2k more for the 4x4 – do you really need it? 

What is it? 

The RSi had a 1.8-litre 4cyl and only weighed 955kg, so it was decidedly nippy, with handling to match. It’s basically a junior Williams. Ish. 

Why are we interested? 

If a ’93 Williams is peak vintage Clio, the RSi is the undiscovered country pre the Clio 16v. Think what a Pug 205 XSi was to a GTi. 

Are there... versions? 

The Williams was a not-so-limited edition, but the RSi was overshadowed by the Clio 16v, so there’s more choice here. 

Costs? 

The RSi wasn’t as collectible as a Williams, so there are actually far fewer of them on the road. You can get one that works for a couple of grand. 

What is it? 

The sub-genre of fast-ish VW Golf that burns diesel. Less outright power than a GTI, more torque, more mpg. Practical, stealth speed. 

Why are we interested? 

Because it’s a hot hatch that gets 60+mpg driven carefully, but provides 80 per cent of the thrills of a full fat petrol GTI. 

Are there... versions? 

From MkIV 1.9 PD150 and 180 – some badged ‘GTI’ – right up to GTD-badged MkVIII cars with 200bhp 2.0-litre motors. Not slow. 

Costs? 

They’re cheaper than a GTI (£41,810 new), and you can pick up a MkIV PD180 for a grand. 

What is it? 

Essentially a 16V head on the dull but worthy E36 318 four-pot, and a variable length intake manifold. Has 138bhp rather than the 318’s 113, and fizzy revs! 

Why are we interested? 

Because peak power isn’t until 6k it’s super revvy, it’s also RWD. Basically the thinking person’s E36 M3-lite, but still handsome. 

How many were made? 

Some 191,053 E36 318iS were made, compared to the 71,241 M3s at the same time. So they’re more plentiful, cheaper and retro cool. 

Cost? 

Anything from a couple of grand for a rough one, right up to £20k for low miles minters. Coupe the one to go for, plus manual. Get an LSD and enjoy.