Best used small cars for less than £10,000

It doesn’t seem to matter that there are many rivals that beat the recently replaced generation Corsa in key areas; its appeal is that it manages to provide a practical, well-built car at an affordable price. Indeed, for this budget, you’ll be able to find numerous 2019 Corsas with plenty of kit, which makes it a tempting proposition. 

We found: 2019 Vauxhall Corsa 1.4T 100 SRI 5dr, 9000 miles, £8995

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The previous-generation Renault Clio has always been a popular choice for all of those seeking a good-looking, refined and grown-up small car. It's well equipped, too, especially in Dynamique Nav trim. The 1.5 dCi 90 offers great fuel economy but, unless you’re planning to do lots of motorway miles, you’ll be better off with the lively 0.9 TCE petrol.

We found: 2019 Renault Clio 0.9 TCe Dynamique Nav 5dr, 37,000 miles, £8900

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Small cars don’t come much more desirable than the Mini. It handles well, comes with a large range of engines and has a funky, high-quality interior. True, you lose out on boot space and the rear seats are cramped, but if practicality isn’t so much of an issue, there’s no doubt the Mini is a car that appeals to the heart.

We found: 2018 Mini Hatch 1.5 Cooper 5dr, 37,000 miles, £9995

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Maximising useful interior space was Honda’s aim with this generation before Jazz, and it succeeded. Boot space is on a par with hatchbacks from the class above and its rear seats can fold completely flat. In addition, the base of the rear bench can also fold up against the seatback to allow tall or wide items to be loaded widthways. It's also top of the tree when it comes to reliability. 

We found: 2019 Honda Jazz 1.3 SE, 22,000 miles, £9495

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Despite its bargain new and used car prices, the Dacia Sandero impresses in many areas, including comfort, economy and practicality, meaning it often matches, if not beats, more expensive competitors. It’s based on the underpinnings of the latest Renault Clio so it’s thoroughly modern under the skin and good to drive. 

We found: 2021 Dacia Sandero 1.0 sCe Essential, 12,000 miles, £9995

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Fun to drive, very fuel efficient and generously equipped, the Suzuki Swift is a fine choice for those in the market for a well-priced small car. It offers the choice of a 1.2-litre petrol engine with 89bhp or a 109bhp, turbocharged, three-cylinder 1.0-litre – with or without hybrid assistance. Behind the wheel, you’ll instantly notice that the Swift feels light on its feet. It's decently practical, too, and wonderfully cheap to buy used. Top-notch reliability too. 

We found: 2020 Suzuki Swift 1.2 Dualjet SHVS SZ3, 17,000 miles, £9695

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The Volkswagen Polo costs more to buy than many of its rivals, which is why it only finishes in fourth place, but you do feel as though you're getting more. It's comfortable, has a supple ride and a nicely finished interior that mimics the larger Volkswagen Golf. The small, turbocharged petrol engines are the best picks as they tend to be smoother and quieter than the diesels.

We found: 2018 Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI SE 5dr, 27,000 miles, £9995

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The Fabia was replaced a year or two back by an all-new 2021-onwards Skoda Fabia but this older version is still a great car. If you think of it as a less expensive Volkswagen Polo you can understand why we made it our Car of the Year in 2015, and our Used Small Car of the Year in our 2020 awards. It's well equipped, has lots of interior space and a comfortable ride, which makes it an excellent choice. 

We found: 2020 Skoda Fabia 1.0 TSI SE, 21,000 miles, £9995

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The Fiesta is a bestseller for good reason. Ford knows how to do small cars well and the attractive Fiesta has a great ride and neat handling. It's comfortable and practical. Its infotainment system isn't quite on a par with the best in the class, but the rest of the package is so good that it’s hardly a deal-breaker. Our budget buys a good 2019 car.

We found: 2019 Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium 5dr, 14,000 miles, £9000

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Previous generations of the Seat Ibiza were popular, but they never competed right at the top of the small car class. All this changed when Seat launched this excellent fifth-generation car in 2017. It's distinctively styled and there's loads of interior room. It rides and handles really well, even edging out the Fiesta, and it's comfortable and practical. Our favourite 1.0-litre version in well-equipped SE trim looks like a bit of a bargain. 

We found: 2019 Seat Ibiza 1.0 TSI SE, 34,000 miles, £9495

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