Best cars for under £15,000 ~ station of gear

A budget of £15,000 will get you a good new car, but it could land you an brilliant used one. Here are the best used cars in that bracket

2017-04-23 09:00

If you have £15,000 to spend on a car, you have two choices: enter the respectable new car market, or opt for the slightly less predictable but potentially very rewarding used car market. Here we explore the best used cars you can buy for £15k.

While a new car should give you refined performance, great economy and unbeatable reliability, a used one can also do much the same while making your money go that little bit further as well. Thanks to the wonder that is depreciation, you might find that out-of-reach new models become attainable if you’re willing to consider an older, second-hand alternative.

To give you an idea of what’s possible with £15,000 to spend on a used car, we’ve scoured the car listings to ascertain exactly what you can expect to find for that kind of price. And it just so happens that with fifteen grand at your disposal, you can get hold of all kinds of previously expensive vehicles, ranging from luxury saloons to practical SUVs.

Case in point: we found a 2011 Jaguar XF with 94,000 miles on the clock that had very nearly quartered in value, down from £37,950 to just £10,995.

• Buying a used car: all you need to know

We also came across a 2.5-litre, 194bhp Lexus IS with 63 plates that had done 65,000 miles for £13,850. The original price of that particular mode? £30,995. Quite a drop since 2013…

A test drive and full inspection is a necessity with any kind of car, but especially so when you’re forking out up to £15,000 for a car that has been in the care of another motorist. A clean service history and visible efforts to maintain a car are always good signs, but always exercise caution if a deal seems too good to be true.

Using a bit of nous and patience, there’s no reason why you won’t be able to pick up your own half price hero, whatever your tastes and requirements might be. The cars below are just some of the options you may come across in this price bracket...

Scroll down to read more about our half-price heroes, which can all be bought for less than £15,000…

Best cars for under £15,000

Jaguar XF

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Jaguar XF 2.2d Premium Luxury (2011/11 reg, 94k miles)

If you want to know about the Jaguar XF ownership experience, look no further than our very own Driver Power survey. XF buyers are a pretty happy bunch, so a used example of the executive car should be on your list.

At this price, you can pick up a facelifted XF Mk1 featuring Jaguar’s powerful 187bhp 2.2-litre diesel engine. You can get this in Premium Luxury trim, which adds sat-nav, voice control, Bluetooth, heated leather seats, climate control and a 10-speaker stereo.

Price new: £37,950
Now: £10,995
Engine: 2.2-litre 4cyl, 187bhp
Economy: 52.3mpg
Euro NCAP: 4 stars (2011)

Lexus GS

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Lexus GS 450h SE (2009/09 reg, 37k miles)

Think hybrid, and the car that springs to mind is the Toyota Prius. But the Lexus GS 450h established itself as one of the first hybrid luxury cars to go on sale.

While the Prius is all about efficiency, the GS 450h is more about performance. It combines a 3.5-litre V6 and an electric motor to offer 292bhp, and has a 0-62mph time of 5.9 seconds. Even better is that the GS 450h combines this speed with plenty of luxury. There’s lots of standard kit, with SE models getting climate control, electric leather seats, sat-nav and a reversing camera.

Price new: £42,285
Now: £10,500
Engine: 3.5-litre V6 hybrid, 292bhp
Economy: 35.8mpg
Euro NCAP: N/A

Peugeot RCZ

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Peugeot RCZ 1.6 THP GT (2013/13 reg, 45k miles)

Not many sports cars are as stylish as the Peugeot RCZ. With its low-slung bodywork and ‘double-bubble’ roof, it arguably has the measure of the similar Audi TT for style.

The lower-powered petrol RCZ looks the part, but has better economy than the faster 197bhp model, while at this price a post-facelift 2013 version is available.

This mid-life revamp introduced an updated nose and smaller grille, and makes the car better looking than the original. Go for GT spec, and you get equipment such as sat-nav, climate control and parking sensors.

Price new: £24,500
Now: £10,250
Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 156bhp
Economy: 44.1mpg
Euro NCAP: N/A

BMW i3

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BMW i3 (2014/14 reg, 19k miles)

Electric cars are a step into future technology for many buyers, so why not invest in one of the most radical-looking choices out there, and arguably the most convincing EV to date? The i3 is a showcase for BMW’s clean technology, and its quirky looks only help to cement its technological appeal.

There are two versions of the car: a pure EV or a range extender (REx) with a two-cylinder petrol motorcycle engine that acts as a generator. Trawl the classifieds, and you’ll that find nearly twice as many REx models are available, but the former is the cheaper option.

If you’ve got a charging point sorted, you can get behind the wheel for around £15k, and unlike some electric cars we’ve highlighted elsewhere, the price includes batteries, so there’s no lease contract to sort.

Price new: £30,680
Now: £14,500
Engine: 125kW electric motor, 168bhp
Economy: N/A
Euro NCAP: 4 stars (2013)

Volkswagen Amarok

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Volkswagen Amarok 2.0 BiTDI Highline (2013/13 reg, 65k miles)

The double-cab pick-up market is booming. These trucks are a hit for business users, but most still show their commercial vehicle roots. VW’s Amarok changed that, with a cabin inspired by the brand’s cars, and the road manners of an SUV.

Sure, the suspension bounces when there’s nothing in the load bed, but it’s not as bad as rivals, and the well specced cabin has room for a family of four. Hunt down an example with a tonneau cover, which turns that large load bed into an enormous boot.

Price new: £29,503
Now: £13,990
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 178bhp
Economy: 35.8mpg
Euro NCAP: 4 stars (2010)

Kia Sportage

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Kia Sportage 1.7 CRDi 3 (2012/12 reg, 42k miles)

With the launch of the third-generation Sportage in 2010, Kia kicked off its current trend for cutting-edge design. The Sportage Mk3 was a world away from the ugly Mk2, but the car didn’t sacrifice practicality.

It fitted the crossover template perfectly. KX-badged 4WD models are fine, yet we’d recommend the front-drive 1.7 CRDi, as it has lower running costs and is nearly as capable as the 2.0-litre diesel. Either way, the Kia will still have some of its seven-year warranty remaining.

Price new: £22,195
Now: £11,000
Engine: 1.7-litre 4cyl, 113bhp
Economy: 52.3mpg
Euro NCAP: 5 stars (2010)

Lexus IS

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Lexus IS 300h Luxury (2013/63 reg, 65k miles)

Lexus no longer sells diesels in the UK; its line-up comprises petrol and hybrid cars only. And the latest IS features petrol-electric power to tempt business users. The IS 300h combines a large-capacity four-cylinder engine with an electric motor and CVT gearbox, and while it’s not as sporty as some of its rivals, it’s relaxing, well equipped and you’ll soon be enjoying the electric drive.

Luxury models come generously equipped, with climate control, DAB radio, parking sensors and twin USB ports, while Lexus’s customer service is first class.

Price new: £30,995
Now: £13,850
Engine: 2.5-litre 4cyl, 194bhp
Economy: 61.4mpg
Euro NCAP: 5 stars (2013)

Porsche Cayman

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Porsche Cayman S 3.4 (2006/06 reg, 77k miles)

The Cayman coupe debuted in 2006, a year after the second-generation Boxster arrived. It uses all the same components as the Boxster Mk2, but adding a roof only made the car even sharper to drive.

As a result, the Cayman was crowned our Performance Car of the Year on its debut. It went on to retain its title against a raft of newcomers in 2007, and came second only to the mighty Nissan GT-R in 2008.

That performance holds strong today, with steering full of feedback, a nimble chassis and perfect mid-engined balance. Prices for the first Caymans are now as low as £10k, but a slightly larger budget can bag you the faster Cayman S powered by a 3.4-litre flat-six. We’d recommend looking for a Cayman with PASM adaptive dampers. Whichever car you’re considering, a full Porsche service history is a must.

Price new: £43,975
Now: £13,250
Engine: 3.4-litre flat-six, 295bhp
Economy: 26.6mpg
Euro NCAP: N/A

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