The Best Premium Cars Available For Under £10,000

The A1 has only been out on the roads since 2010 and, in all honesty, it’s ageing really well. It’s hard to believe the 10-plate examples are 9 years old already, but that’s a compliment to the design work of Audi. While the A1 was expensive for a small-hatch, it was cheap for an Audi. If you’re in the market for an inexpensive, reliable and somewhat luxurious small hatch then you will struggle to find much better than an A1. Prices start from under £8,000.

The E-Class from Mercedes just seems to ooze class and sophistication. The E-Class is a favourite amongst business executives and high-earning company car drivers, and it’s easy to see why. The interior is incredibly quiet, luxurious and refined, while the rear seats are spacious and perfect for ferrying associates between business meetings. The E-Class does balance it’s professional duties with domestic roles quite well. The massive boot, economical diesel engines and practical dimensions make it a solid choice for family buyers.

Since 1976, BMW have been producing solid, imposing and intimidating grand tourers under the ‘6 Series’ guise. The First generation, produced from ‘76 to ‘89 has already started to soar in price as a classic car, so they’re tough to recommend, but the second generation, produced from 2003 to 2010 is looking like a lovely proposition. They never came with weak engines, a 3.0litre straight 6 was the smallest available, and there’s a range of incredible V8’s to choose from.

The Volvo range has been given a huge overhaul in the last 5 years, from the axing of the quirky C30 hatchback, to the introduction of the T8 hybrid engines in the XC90 and XC60, there’s been a lot going on. It’s interesting to see just how much these V40s have depreciated because they’re marvellous cars. Arguably one of the most comfortable and serene hatchbacks (or is it an estate?) on the market and some models as young as 3 years old are dipping below the £10,000 mark. 

Right, one for the family buyers. The B-class has existed in two variants, first generation from 2005 to 2011, and the second generation from 2011 to present. Both are now available for under £10,000 and both will serve as luxurious, economical and comfortable cars for those who need 5 seats and a raised driving position. Let’s be honest, MPVs aren’t often the best looking cars on the roads, but Mercedes seems to have transferred their styling cues over the B-Class quite respectably.

These seem to have taken a big hit in depreciation because they start around the £25,000 mark brand new, but you can get 4-year-old models now for comfortably under the £10,000 mark.

The Lexus CT boasts a really impressive reliability record which makes it a relatively safe bet on the used car market. There’s quite a lot to choose from as they were a popular choice for company car drivers due to the low CO2 emissions from the hybrid engine, this means a lot of used models that have been well maintained are surfacing on the used market. Buyers will appreciate the high-quality interior and solid build quality that comes with the CT, although some may not be too fond of the firm ride quality and often-confused CVT gearbox. Still, it’s a good looking, economical Lexus, and around £9,000 should afford you a fine example.

Sometimes Summer comes to a close before it ever really gets started. The sensible, logical and rational half of your brain will tell you: “don’t bother with a convertible now, you’ll only get the roof down once or twice over the next 6 months.” While the more reckless and irresponsible half says “get a car you’ll enjoy, they go cheaper this time of the year so it’s cost-effective...ish.” We’ll let you decide which half of your brain you wish to obey, but why don’t you mull over some of these bargain SLKs while you’re here? There are low mileage models from as low as £4,000 all the way up to £10,000…

The XF has been replaced by a newer, more contemporary and sleeker model which carries the styling cues of the new Jaguar era, but the old XF is still to be admired as a somewhat regal British car. Reliability wasn’t always the strong point, but luxury was, and you can get an awful lot for your money on the used car market. Models and trim levels that would have cost in excess of £35,000 when new are now settling below the £10,000 mark.

There’s quite a lot of choice if you’re looking for an Audi TT under £10,000. You can spend as little as £3,000 on an older model (with the more bubbly shape) or you could get a 2010 model (the more muscular, sharper body shape) for the top-end of the price bracket. The TT has always been desirable and the later models haven’t really aged much at all, so you could slap a private plate on the front and your TT would look as good as new.

It’s hard to go wrong with a 1 Series. They’re undoubtedly the most engaging and rewarding hatchback to drive, even when fitted with the smaller engines. The 1 Series is also considered to be pretty reliable too and although it is best served with an M-Sport trim, even the entry level models are nice to live with and sit in. At the moment, you can get a 3.0 litre, 260bhp version of the older shape for under £8,000, or if you’d rather something fresher and economical, the most efficient models of the newer shape are now under £10,000 too. Some of which are just under 3 years old and still have the manufacturer’s warranty.