Top 10: Cheapest mobility cars
Picking the ideal mobility car can come down to some hard-headed decisions about costs. We’ve picked out the cheapest deals through the Motability Scheme and they demonstrate you don’t need to compromise on quality or driving pleasure even when minding the pennies.
Dacia Sandero 1.0 SCe Access
The Dacia Sandero is the cheapest car available through the Motability Scheme by some margin with its weekly rental of £45.80. It's economical and provides plenty of space for passengers and luggage. What it doesn’t provide, however, is much in the way of equipment. Plain black plastic for much of the cabin and exterior marks this out as the hair shirt model and it doesn’t even come with a radio as standard...
MG3 1.5 VTI-Tech Excite
There’s no doubting the emotional appeal of the MG badge for many drivers and the MG3 adds in hard-headed financial sense with its low-cost weekly rental of £47.20. For that, you get a small hatch with more cabin space than most in its class, while the boot is also bigger than average. Interior fit and finish is also good, making the MG a sound choice for those on a tighter budget.
Hyundai i10 1.0 S
The Hyundai i10 is a real gem to find at such an affordable weekly rental. For just £48 per week from your full allowance, you can have a superb city car that’s very happy trotting through town or heading up the motorway with impressive refinement. It’s a highly able all-rounder and the interior offers lots of room. It also comes with a fine driving position and just enough standard equipment to sidestep feeling like a basic choice.
Dacia Duster 1.6 SCe Access
If you need an SUV in your driving life, there are few better choices than the Dacia Duster for defeating tough terrain. It also comes with a higher driver’s seat for hassle-free entry, plenty of rear seat space and a generous boot. The 1.6-litre petrol motor isn’t the smoothest and this Duster model is pared of most luxury kit, but for £48.50 per week it’s good value.
Kia Picanto 1.0 1
A cheeky character sums up the Kia Picanto and makes it a car that’s enjoyable to use. This is certainly reflected in its fun, agile handling and light controls to make it a superb car for city driving. The 1.0-litre engine is willing and frugal, while the ride is more than cushy enough to deal with lumpy roads. In this 1 trim, you get the basics but not much else, yet it also means the weekly rental comes in at just £48.75.
Dacia Logan MCV 1.0 SCe Access
This is the third Dacia to make an appearance here. It underlines the value for money proposition from Dacia, but also comes at the expense of a lot of equipment that most rivals include as standard, such as a stereo. However, the Logan is a very capable estate car, so there’s no problem carrying a wheelchair. It's also easy on fuel which, coupled to a £49.80 weekly rental, makes it very light on the wallet.
SEAT Ibiza 1.0 MPI SE Technology
The SEAT Ibiza is one of the sharpest looking hatchbacks on the market and it’s also one of the better cars in its class to drive. Throw in eager performance from the 1.0-litre petrol engine and strong fuel economy and you have the makings of a very fine car. It gets even better when you can have this with five door hatch with plenty of equipment for a £50.95 weekly rental.
SEAT Mii 1.0 FR-Line 5dr
It might seem strange that SEAT’s smaller Mii trails the larger Ibiza on cost with a weekly rental of £51.75. That’s all down to lease costs based on retained value at the end of the lease deal, but it doesn’t undermine the essential strengths of the Mii. It’s good to drive, easy to pilot around town and, in FR-Line trim, well equipped. The 1.0-litre petrol engine is keen and refined, adding to the grown-up feel of this small car.
Skoda Citigo 1.0 SE L GreenTech 3dr
Skoda’s take on the small car class is the Citigo and it’s one we like very much. As with the Volkswagen Up and Seat Mii, the Citigo has a more rounded feel than most city cars and it just as happy on the open road as zipping around town. It’s simple to park, well made and comes with enough equipment to make you feel the £52.50 weekly rental is good value. We’d prefer the five-door model over this three-door for easy of access though.
Volkswagen Up 1.0 Take Up 5dr
The Volkswagen Up in this Take Up trim costs the same £52.50 per week in five-door form as it does as a three-door. So, we’ll take the model with the extra pair of doors for its added versatility and practicality. The boot is very small, but there’s more space devoted to passengers and the Up comes with a reasonable spread of standard kit. There’s also an excellent driving position, fine comfort and good all-round driving manners.
