Every Friday we bring you our used car deal of the week, our delve into the best-value used cars on the market. Armed with this information, we can help you get a better nearly-new car for less cash than you’d have thought possible.
The used market is literally packed with lightly used bargains. But we’re able to bring you the absolute best cars for your money using trade-only intelligence along with our unrivalled access into car valuations data. In addition, blend in decades of carbuying experience in our team, and you’ll see why we’ve been able to uncover some potentially incredible deals especially for you.
Almost every new car will depreciate heavily over the first year of its life. Estimates vary from 15% to 35% depreciation in the first 12 months, but we know cases of cars halving their value or even more. And you can take advantage of this, even if the trade would prefer you didn’t!
So, if you’re looking to replace your existing car, it’s always worth looking at the used options below. If your heart is set on new however, look at Deal Watch for the best PCH and PCP deals, updated weekly. And remember, keep checking in here to see the very best nearly-new bargains!
What’s hot in the trade this week
The cars you’ll see are tracking more cheaply than average here are based on one-year-old examples with 10,000 miles on the clock. As such, there is no need to worry about MoT tests or age-related gremlins – these cars are almost factory-fresh and, unless stated, offer a warranty. You may even still get the whiff of new car smell.
So, instead of leasing or financing a new car, why not go secondhand – these lightly-used examples will potentially be even more pocket-friendly, especially if you’re a cash buyer, and want to keep your car for longer than usual.
Honda e
From £18,000
The battery pales in comparison to the price tag, though. Towards the end of the e’s life, you’d be edging towards £40,000 to get one. No matter how refined Honda made the interior, how many screens and fancy eco-conscious materials it threw its way, it would never be able to justify that price tag. Problems beyond Honda’s control exasperated these issues; namely a pandemic, Yen fluctuations, and Brexit. But to put the Honda e into perspective, a Fiat 500 Electric was similarly cute and went further on a charge while costing a good chunk less new.
These two factors mean the Honda e is now an absolute bargain now, and it would make for a stylish secondary car for light use around town. The interior punches well above its weight, so you’ll zoom around in serenity. It’s also continuing Honda's reputation for reliability. The pop-out door handles can have a habit of sticking in the cold, and there was a recall for the seatbelt reminder warning, but that's about it.
To find out more, read our full Honda e review
Warranties left on a one-year-old Honda e:
General: Two years
Surface corrosion: Two years
Structural corrosion: 11 years
Chassis corrosion: 9 years
Battery tech: Four years
From £30,000
It's got some solid performance stats too, it makes a respectable 355hp and has all-wheel drive for better traction. It also features bigger brakes and lowered suspension. If this was German it would have sold like hot cakes. But Peugeot doesn't have the same kudos with fast executive cars, so it sold like caramelised escargot.
Unsurprisingly, because this halo car sold poorly, used stock isn't plentiful. It's a shame because the PSE an interesting take on a performance car, and the 508 in general is a solid used buy with no major issues. With such low supply and demand it's a bargain, and quite the steal if you like your cars in a quirkier flavour. We'll take ours in load-lugging SW spec when we find one...
To find out more, read our full Peugeot 508 PSE review
Warranties left on a one-year-old Peugeot 508 PSE:
General: Two years
Paintwork: One year
Rust: 11 years
Battery tech: Seven years/100,000 miles warranty
Pros
- Looks sensational
- Solid economy figures
- Quick
Cons
- Driving position is odd
- Battery range is tiny
From £55,000
The Mercedes-Benz EQS is disappointing, primarily as it's meant to be the all-electric S-Class. The EV tech cannot be faulted; 400 miles of range is possible in a big battery example. It's the luxury aspect that lets it down. The ride isn't as buttery-smooth as you'd want at this price point, and the interior slips into tacky territory. We'd much rather have a BMW i7, but those hold value surprisingly well, so an EQS makes more sense as a used buy.
Here, you end up with an eye-catching status symbol that's lost more than half its value in the first year of registration. It's also proven to be reliable so far. The interior has more squeaks and rattles than you'd expect from such an expensive car and the increased sound-deadening only amplifies these noises, but the electronics work well. The slab of screens Mercedes-Benz calls a dashboard can lag too, but that's a small gripe.
To find out more, read our full Mercedes-Benz EQS review
Warranties left on a one-year-old Mercedes-Benz EQS:
General: Two years
Rust: 29 years
EV battery: Nine years/155,000 miles
Pros
- Excellent real-world EV range
- Eye-catching design
- High-tech safety showcase
Cons
- Ride and refinement needs work
- Gaudy interior
From £70,000
It's not the perfect grand tourer, our review notes that it doesn't waft as well as rivals like the Bentley Continental GT. What it does offer however is offer better overall handling. It's a nicer car to drive. Questionable interior patterns aside, the interior is a nice place to be, albeit not as special as the price tag would suggest.
For a car brimming with so much tech and expensive machinery, thankfully the M8 has proven to be reliable. The only mechanical gremlin cited with any repetition is the air conditioning unit which can fluctuate hot and cold depending on the engine temperature. On any test drive make sure to fiddle with the climate controls to see it's playing ball. The tyres also wear quicker than average; 10,000 miles seems to be consensus for a new set.
To find out more, read our full BMW 8-Series review
Warranties left on a one-year-old BMW M8 Competition:
General: Two years
Paintwork: Two years
Rust: 11 years
Pros
- Lots of power on tap
- High-tech chassis with great handling
- Lots of modern technology available
Cons
- It feels big on the road
- Low roof means less headroom, poorer visibility
From £25,000
The XF was a decidedly old-school take on an executive car. It never came with a plug-in hybrid models so it lagged behind rivals from Mercedes and BMW. However, the XF offered class-leading handling and the interior was a highlight too - well-equipped, spacious and luxurious to boot.
Jaguar traditionally has been the punchline in a reliability joke, and unfortunately the XF isn't immune to its share of problems. The XF was subject to a fair number of recalls in its life, so check the Government recall list for any car you test-drive isn't affected. The diesels you'll be sifting through at this price can suffer from issues with the diesel particulate filter (DPF), which can be a fairly costly fix. Then there's multiple reports of software glitches and the door locks malfunctioning, both of which are irritating to deal with.
To find out more, read our full Jaguar XF review
Warranties left on a one-year-old Jaguar XF:
General: Two years
Paintwork: Two years
Corrosion: Two years
Pros
- Great ride and handling balance
- Well equipped
- Good looking
Cons
- Diesel powertrain isn't the best option
- Questionable long-term reliability
From £48,250
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It makes 430hp from that spicy V6, which means it's exceptionally quick in a straight line. The interior is best described as cosy, but with leather wrapping almost every surface, it's a nice place to be. It's almost reminiscent of a sports car, aided by the low slung styling that disguises the fact it counts cars like the Range Rover Sport as rivals.
The cheap price can be explained by the fact it's an expensive, luxurious Italian car. Add in the maintenance and repair costs of an SUV with an exotic engine and air suspension and you can see why most people run for the hills. Quality isn't as bad as you'd be led to believe however, overall fit-and-finish is much better than Maseratis of old. It's also worth checking if it's covered by Maserati's Extra10 Warranty Program, an optional 10-year, unlimited miles program. That should provide some peace of mind.
To find out more, read our full Maserati Levante review
Warranties left on a one-year-old Maserati Levante Modena S:
General: Three years
Powertrain: Three years
Rust: Three years
Pros
- Stylish looks and blistering performance
- It has a Ferrari-sourced V6
- The interior has lots of Italian flair
Cons
- Expect it to continue losing money
- When it goes wrong, expect big bills
From £14,000
Like the Fiat below, it'll work best as a secondary car. Real-world range is better than the Fiat (we managed 170 against a claimed range of 209 miles), and it has a bigger boot and rear doors. It doesn't have the same chic charisma as the Fiat though, and the ride is uncomfortably harsh around town.
Quality wise, the Corsa-E is a mixed bag. Smaller issues include software glitches and sensors acting up, but there are reports of long waits for battery and motor issues. It's also worth noting that the warranties offered by Vauxhall are stingy.
To find out more, read our full Vauxhall Corsa-E review
Warranties left on a one-year-old Vauxhall Corsa-E:
General: Two years
Paintwork: Zero years
Rust: Two years
EV battery: Seven years/100,000 miles warranty
Pros
- Solid electric hatchback
- Engaging handling and steering
- Impressive performance
Cons
- Warranty is poor
- Lacks the premium sparkle of rivals
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a warranty on a used or nearly-new car?
As all of the cars we’ll cover in this article are only a year old, a manufacturer’s warranty should cover them. Warranties are often transferable for the secondhand market, but it’s always worth double-checking.
Some brands break down a warranty into different areas and offer different cover lengths. Rust and paintwork are fairly common examples of warranties that exceed the usual mechanical warranties. Electric vehicles will have an extra warranty on top of this for their exotic batteries and motor components; the industry standard is eight years/100,000 miles, which means a used EV should be a safe buy.
For even more peace of mind, you can buy a used car warranty.
What to look for when buying a used car?
Every car is different, so make sure you do your research. For while most one-year-old cars should be in good health, it’s always worth finding out about common issues. Whether it be small electrical gremlins, catastrophic engine defects, or bits that rattle, it’s better to know of potential problems before you buy than to discover them afterwards. Your first port of call should be our expertly written used car reviews. We break down what a used car is like to live with, its specs, and those issue areas to look out for.
Can I finance a used car?
Of course. Financing is a popular way of paying for a used car, especially when they’re a couple of years old and haven’t depreciated to a fraction of the original price. The most popular route is Personal Contract Purchase (PCP), a form of financing that involves paying a deposit and monthly fees for a set period, with the option of a final balloon payment to buy the car outright.
Hire Purchase (HP) is the old-fashioned way of buying a car. You split the price of the car down into monthly instalments, pay them, and, by the end of the contract, you’ve paid for everything.
Can I lease a used car?
You can lease a used car just as you would a new one. For a lower monthly sum of cash than PCP or HP, you’ll be able to effectively rent a used car. This is the most cost-effective way of getting a car, but they’re not the most common of deals to find, and you won’t actually own the vehicle.
* Prices based on examples found on Parkers Cars for Sale, and limited to availability. Similar examples may be on offer. Data collected from CAP HPI.
Ryan Gilmore is the Car Buying Editor of Parkers. Having previously worked as Deputy Commercial Content Editor for Parkers, he’s a savvy shopper dedicated to helping you when car shopping. In his spare time, he enjoys going to the gym and walking.
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