Top 10 Used Cars For People with Bad Credit
The great thing about buying a used car, even if you have bad credit, is there’s so much choice. Big, small, fast, comfortable, stylish, efficient: it’s easy to find what appeals to you most. Here are 10 of the best, and most popular, used cars bought on ChooseMyCar every year.
Nissan Juke 2017
Key Information:
- 58.9–70.6 mpg (1.5 dCi) / 37.2 – 43.5 (4.6 Dig-T))
- Boot 354 ltr
- 5 Star EuroNCAP (Child occupant: 81%)
- Insurance Group 8-21
- Road Tax £20-150
Stand out stuff:
Let’s face it, you’re probably buying this for its looks which are still distinctive 4 years down the line. There’s a tonne of choice and it’s great value, due to the number sold in its lifetime.
Things that make you go Hmmmmmmm:
Its raked roof and smaller-than-you-might-expect dimensions make this more cramped inside than you might expect. If you’re looking for a people mover for 3 kids and a dog you might want to look elsewhere.
Vauxhall Astra 2016
Key Information:
- 83.1–85.6 mpg (1.6 CDTi 110 ecoFLEX) / 42.8–46.3 mpg (1.6 Turbo 200)
- Boot 370 ltr
- 5 Star EuroNCAP (Child occupant: 84%)
- Insurance Group 8-21
- Road Tax £0-165
Stand out stuff:
It’s an Astra. It’s the car that just,… works. It may have no standout features – it doesn’t drive the best, it doesn’t have the most space, it’s not the fastest – but it does pretty much everything well. And there are so many on the market that there are great deals available.
Things that make you go Hmmmmmmm:
Astras haven’t always been the top-specced cars and the mid-Tweens cars are a bit light on modern necessities. Carplay? Android Auto, LED headlights? You’re likely to be out of luck.
Nissan Qashqai 2015
Key Information:
- 70.6–74.3 mpg (1.5 dCi 110) / 47.1–48.7 mpg (1.6 DIG-T)
- Boot 430 ltr
- 5 Star EuroNCAP (Child occupant: 83%)
- Insurance Group 13-21
- Road Tax £30-150
Stand out stuff:
It’s the spacious Nissan. Great space in the back and the boot, making it a dependable family-mover. The interior might not wow you but it’s solid, durable and reliable. Good engines too. 70mpg in an SUV? Yes please.
Things that make you go Hmmmmmmm:
While the ride is comfortable, it’s not the most dynamic car on the road. Comfortable but not responsive on the bends. A sports car this isn’t.
Ford Focus 2017
Key Information:
- 83.1 mpg (1.5 TDCi 105 ECOnetic) / 44.8 mpg (1.6 PowerShift)
- Boot 316 ltr
- 5 Star EuroNCAP (Child occupant: 87%)
- Insurance Group 6-26
- Road Tax £0-150
Stand out stuff:
As a car for a small family, you’ll not find many that drive better. The Focus was built for British roads and you can tell. Much like the Vauxhalls on this list, Focuses are everywhere so there are great deals and a tonne of choice.
Things that make you go Hmmmmmmm:
A smaller boot than an Astra? That’s not a good look Ford. Back seat space is fine but overall practicality could be better. Sooo many buttons on that dashboard, too.
Ford Fiesta 2017
Key Information:
- 74.3 mpg (1.5 TDCi 85) / 49.6–50.4 mpg (1.0T EcoBoost 100 Automatic)
- Boot 290ltr
- 5 Star EuroNCAP (Child occupant: 84%)
- Insurance Group 5-17
- Road Tax £0-150
Stand out stuff:
The small car driving star, the Fiesta has the agility and punch to make the daily commute genuinely fun. There’s a lot of tech that comes as standard too, even in older cars.
Things that make you go Hmmmmmmm:
Fiestas used to be the cheap-as-chips Fords. Then the Ka came along. Slowly, the Fiesta started to creep up in price until it’s now one of the more expensive second-hand cars in its class. You get a lot for that cash, however.
Vauxhall Corsa 2017
Key Information:
- 83.1 mpg (1.3 CDTi 95 ecoFLEX Automatic) / 37.7 mpg (VXR)
- Boot 285ltr
- 4 Star EuroNCAP (Child occupant: 77%)
- Insurance Group 2-20
- Road Tax £0-150
Stand out stuff:
You know where you sit with a Corsa – it goes both ways. The definition of middle-of-the-road: nothing in a Corsa will really stun you. Not great space in the back or boot, either. Only 4 star Ncap safety.
Things that make you go Hmmmmmmm:
Fiestas used to be the cheap-as-chips Fords. Then the Ka came along. Slowly, the Fiesta started to creep up in price until it’s now one of the more expensive second-hand cars in its class. You get a lot for that cash, however.
Vauxhall Mokka 2015
Key Information:
- 68.9–72.4 mpg (1.6 CDTi 110 ecoFLEX) / 38.7–44.1 mpg (1.4 Turbo 140 4×4)
- Boot 360ltr
- 5 Star EuroNCAP (Child occupant: 90%)
- Insurance Group 5-15
- Road Tax £20-205
Stand out stuff:
More efficient and more spacious than the Nissan Juke, the Mokka has become Britain’s Crossover of choice in recent years. It’s practical and very reliable, with a good set of engines.
Things that make you go Hmmmmmmm:
While the 2021 Mokka looks amazing, the earlier cars of this vintage,… don’t. The beige of the small-SUV/crossover world. Expect precisely zero people to notice you driving this thing along – which might be an advantage: we are British after all. Emissions on the more powerful engines push the road tax way up.
BMW 1-Series 2016
Key Information:
- 83.1 mpg (116d 1.5 EfficientDynamics) / 35.3 mpg (M135i)
- Boot 360 ltr
- 5 Star EuroNCAP (Child occupant: 83%)
- Insurance Group 12-19
- Road Tax £0 – 205
Stand out stuff:
It’s a BMW so you’d expect it to be great fun to drive. You’d be right. This is the best driving car on this list by quite some distance and the cheapest way of getting into a Beemer. The 1-Series is all about hatchback entertainment and it delivers in spades. It even has indicators. Remember them?
Things that make you go Hmmmmmmm:
Like all BMWs, options abound and very little came as standard so if there’s something particular you need in your car, make sure the car you’re looking at has that box ticked. Boot is on the small side too.
Vauxhall Insignia 2016
Key Information:
- 76.3 mpg (2.0 CDTi 140 ecoFLEX ) / 25.7 mpg (2.8i V6 Turbo 4×4)
- Boot 530 ltr
- 5 Star EuroNCAP (Child occupant: 83%)
- Insurance Group 16-26
- Road Tax £30 – 265
Stand out stuff:
This was the model year where the Insignia got properly comfortable to drive in, making it an effortless motorway mile-muncher. Plenty of space for passengers and stuff.
Things that make you go Hmmmmmmm:
Put this next to a Mondeo or an Octavia and your eye will definitely wander away to its competition. Exterior styling is forgettable and steering dynamics aren’t always,… dynamic. Steer clear of the least efficient engines unless you want a £265 road tax bill every year.
Fiat 500 2016
Key Information:
- 72.4–83.1 mpg (1.3 MultiJet 95) / 48.7 mpg – 40.8 mpg (1.4)
- Boot 185 ltr
- 3 Star EuroNCAP (Child occupant: 49%)
- Insurance Group 7-12
- Road Tax £0 – 150
Stand out stuff:
We dare you to look at this car and not do a cutesy toddler voice. Go on: we’ve tried it. As stylish as it was when Fiat re-launched it on the world, this really should be top of your list if you want to smile when you look at your car. It’s just so damn lovable.
Things that make you go Hmmmmmmm:
These used to be special but now they’re common enough to be, well, common. There is virtually no space for people or things and they’re not great to drive. Or Safe. Or reliable.