10 great ULEZ compliant cars for under ?10,000 | carwow
The expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone[1] into all of greater London this summer will leave many motorists scratching their heads, with research from carwow indicting 64% of Londoners (rising to 74% of drivers UK wide) don’t know whether their cars meet ULEZ standards, or will attract the £12.50 daily charge for entering the zone.
But while the majority of cars in London and the Home Counties meet the requisite emission standards to escape the ULEZ fee, a little under a million cars in the capital are thought to be non-compliant.
With that in mind, carwow has compiled a list of 10 fantastic ULEZ compliant cars available via its used-car platform*, all from trusted and vetted dealers, and all costing £10,000 or less.
So whether you’re after a sporty convertible, a sensible SUV or a do-it-all hatchback, carwow has it covered.
*Cars available and prices accurate as of 9/6/23; images for illustration purposes only
1. Mini Cooper Convertible
2015£8,29545,000 miles1.6-litre petrol engine
ULEZ-proof cars don’t have to be things you buy just with your head, as attested to by the fun, stylish MINI Cooper Convertible.
Great to drive, jam-packed full of character and with a distinctive, high-quality interior, the Cooper Cabriolet is certainly a car to consider ahead of summer’s ULEZ expansion, not least as you can drop the fabric roof and enjoy the capital’s cleaner air.
2. Volkswagen Up
2016£7,69173,000 miles1.0-litre petrol engine
City cars like the Volkswagen Up[2] are something of a dying breed these days as car makers struggle to make small cars[3] profitably, which is all the more reason to consider VW’s agile runabout.
Despite its diminutive stature the Up is actually pretty spacious inside, while the driving experience is nothing short of entertaining, and build quality is up there with the best. Cute looks and low running costs seal the deal.
3. Dacia Duster
2017£7,99565,000 miles1.6-litre petrol engine
SUVs[4] are enduringly popular and if you’re in the market for a practical, high-riding car, the Dacia Duster[5] makes a great case for itself.
Easy to drive, cheap to run and impressively spacious, the Duster may not be the last word in interior refinement and quality, but its roster of other talents is such that this is easy to overlook.
4. Ford Fiesta
2017£8,29150,000 miles1.0-litre petrol engine
A long-standing best-seller in the UK, Ford has said it won’t be replacing the Fiesta when production of the current car ends in summer 2023, so snap up one of these fantastic small hatchbacks[6] today.
A key Fiesta selling point is the way it drives, with direct steering, a peppy, responsive engine and a snappy gearchange helping make it seriously engaging and sharp to drive. The Fiesta is also about as affordable as a car gets to run, while ULEZ compliance is almost guaranteed as the vast majority of cars are petrol-powered.
5. Citroen C4 Cactus
2015£8,47042,000 miles1.2-litre petrol engine
It’s something of a cliche to say that Citroen is known for building quirky cars, but the car-park-ding absorbing ‘Airbumps’ that adorn the Cactus’ sides make it impossible to say that this car isn’t a little bit different.
It’s also been said many times that Citroen produces comfortable cars and, again, this is true for the C4 Cactus, with soft suspension that makes London’s pockmarked streets almost an irrelevance. Handsome styling, light steering and supportive seats add to a compelling picture.
6. Alfa Romeo Mito Quadrifoglio Verde
2015£8,79951,000 miles1.4-litre petrol engine
If you’re in the market for a small, ULEZ-compliant hatchback there are certainly more sensible choices than the Alfa Romeo Mito[7]; other cars in this class and at this price point have far nicer interiors, are more comfortable over bumps and feature better build quality.
What many rivals lack, however, is the styling, character and sheer joie de vivre of the little Mito, all of which become irrepressible with the sporty Quadrifoglio Verde (green four-leaf clover) version, which features a 170hp turbocharged petrol engine, together with a snazzy bodykit and tuned suspension for a sporty drive.
7. Jeep Renegade
2015£9,90032,000 miles1.6-litre engine
The chunky styling and high driving position of a Jeep hold a lot of appeal in the capital, and while you might associate such characteristics with punchy running costs, the Renegade is actually based on Fiat mechanical underpinnings, so should be pretty friendly on the wallet.
Opting for the Longitude model will also get you a Renegade that’s loaded with a decent amount of equipment, while the 1.6-litre petrol engine offers reasonable performance and economy, and the SUV shape makes for a practical set of family wheels.
8. Mazda 3
2015£9,55854,000 miles2.0-litre petrol engine
Mazda may not be the first firm to feature on car buyers’ shopping lists, but it arguably should, as the Japanese firm tends to offer great-handling, well-built, dependable cars with handsome, distinctive styling and well thought-through, high quality interiors.
The Ford Focus[8]-rivalling 3 embodies those characteristics, with a great example of Mazda’s thoughtfulness being the car’s infotainment control system: where most manufacturers opt for a touchscreen setup, the 3’s stereo and other settings are controlled by rotary knob, with additional physical controls for the heating and air-con.
9. Volvo V40
2014£9,99547,000 miles1.6-litre petrol engine
The Volvo V40[9] is mechanically related to the Ford Focus hatchback – another great car that can be had in ULEZ-compliant guise for under £10,000 – and offers a more premium, Swedish take on the family hatch formula.
The ‘floating’ centre console, behind which sits a useful cubbyhole, gives the V40’s cabin a distinctive air, while comfortable seats, excellent motorway refinement and strong levels of standard equipment make the V40 a fantastic companion for life.
10. Nissan Leaf
2015£6,91234,000 milesSingle electric motor
Electric cars[10] are both exempt from London’s ULEZ charge and, until 2025, are also excused from the central Congestion Charge, making an EV a great pick if you’re hoping to minimise your travel bills in the capital.
Just under £7,000 is enough to get you the keys to a first-generation Leaf, which is about as relaxing and easy to drive as a car can be. An official range of between 124 and 155 miles should be plenty for urban trips.
carwow commentary
Hugo Griffiths, carwow’s consumer editor, says:
“It’s worth running the numbers on whether it makes financial sense to upgrade your car: if you’re only likely to travel into the expanded ULEZ zone once a month or so, spending thousands on a compliant vehicle is unlikely to make much sense to escape the £12.50 charge.
“People who head into the zone on a regular basis are more likely to want to switch, though. If you’re on a tight budget but still want a car with all the mod-cons, leasing can also be a good option. The costs are typically lower than other car finance methods, which means you could afford a higher spec car. Deals include road tax for the contract length and a full manufacturer’s warranty. If you prefer to take the car ownership route, then petrol cars made since 2006 should be LEZ compliant and the starting price point for emission-zone-friendly cars is pretty low – for now at least.
References
- ^ London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (www.carwow.co.uk)
- ^ Volkswagen Up (www.carwow.co.uk)
- ^ small cars (www.carwow.co.uk)
- ^ SUVs (www.carwow.co.uk)
- ^ Dacia Duster (www.carwow.co.uk)
- ^ hatchbacks (www.carwow.co.uk)
- ^ Alfa Romeo Mito (www.carwow.co.uk)
- ^ Ford Focus (www.carwow.co.uk)
- ^ Volvo V40 (www.carwow.co.uk)
- ^ Electric cars (www.carwow.co.uk)