WHAT'S IN THE SPRING BUDGET?

Only eight new cars on sale in the UK today cost less than £15,000, and here we have five of them. So let's find out which is the best bargain to snap up while you still can

How much does a new car cost in 2023? Any car will do: transport, freedom, four wheels, an engine, and some seats. After the couple of years we've just had, I wouldn't blame anyone who needed to look it up.

At the end of 2019, the answer was less than £8000. There was a Vauxhall Corsa on the price list for less than £12,000, a Ford Focus for less than £20,000, and a BMW 3 Series for little more than £30,000. Now look at us. In another four years, who knows what a value supermini might cost- or if you will still be able to buy one at all.

If you like cheap, simple, versatile, and efficient motoring, then, now is time to secure some. And if you are wondering what's within reach - assuming that you want to spend less than £15,000 in cash or £200 per month on a typical personal finance scheme (10% down, a three-year term, and a conspicuously high-interest rate: you know the drill) you might be surprised how few the options already are.

There are only eight cars left on the UK market at that price or under it - and we've got five of them right here.

Unfortunately, Fiat's UK distributor doesn't have any Panda demonstrators right now, Volkswagen's doesn't keep any Ups and we didn't think it worth including two slightly different Dacias in the same test just for the sake of completeness.

So it's the Citroën C3, Dacia Sandero, Hyundai i10, Kia Picanto and MG 3 we have here to settle the question of who makes the best cheap car on sale today.

The truth is, neither the manufacturers nor the dealers are much interested in selling or promoting cars this cheap anymore, and they're growing less so, while buyers' interest, as they see it, has migrated elsewhere.