7 of the best used all-rounders for less than £7,000

While in some countries, getting your first car as a sweet sixteenth birthday present is a rite of passage, things are a bit different in the UK. A lack of space and skyrocketing costs mean that one in every three drivers shares their car with a grown-up child, parent, or sibling.

Car-sharing this way has lots of advantages – and not just that you can trick your family member into filling up the fuel tank for you. The most common advantage is cost-cutting – even if you do the same amount of driving between you, running just one car means you lose a whole set of insurance, road tax and maintenance costs, all of which you have to shell out for whether you drive your second car 10 miles in a year, or 10,000.

Fewer cars is also simpler. There’s less hassle with paperwork, maintenance schedules, repairs, or even just parking them both outside your house. And for almost a third of car-sharers, there’s an environmental aspect too.

But if you’re buying a car that doesn’t just have to suit your needs, but someone else’s too, it’s twice as difficult a decision. It’s all very well having a slinky sports car, but if you’re car-sharing with your extra-tall sibling or an aged parent with dicky hips then they’re not going to have much fun. The ideal car for multiple drivers then really has to be an all-rounder – a jack of all trades, capable of being a chameleon to any situation.

And if the goal of sharing is to save money, then it had better not cost a fortune either. Luckily, you don’t have to spend a ton to get a fantastic all-round car if you’re willing to buy used. Below you’ll find seven of the best, all available for less than £7,000.

Whatever your budget and your requirements, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.

Ford Fiesta (2008 – 2017)

If you’re looking for a car that will suit the most situations, why not go for the car that most people buy? The Ford Fiesta was the best-selling car in the UK for decades, and as a result you’ll find great examples for sale all over the country.

The Fiesta isn’t a big car but if you’re two single people sharing, you probably won’t need any more space – it can carry four six-foot adults at a pinch, and the boot’s easily big enough for a weekly shop. It’s also tremendous fun to drive.

Models with the 1.0-litre Ecoboost engine can be fragile, so insist upon a spotless service history. Avoid the automatic gearboxes, too. But buy right and you’ll have a fantastic little runaround, and one that’s so ubiquitous it blends in and looks at home absolutely everywhere.

Dacia Duster (2018 – 2024)

The Dacia Duster was always a byword for great value even when it was brand-new, and on the used market it’s an even bigger bargain. You can get an awful lot of car for your money when it comes to the Dacia Duster – picking up this rugged and roomy SUV for the price of a small hatchback of a similar age.

At our £7,000 budget you’re picking up very early cars of this 2018-on generation, or late models of the (less refined) Mk1 model. You’ll also need to spend a little more if you’d like a 4×4 variant, which is well worth opting for if you like to get off the beaten track every now and then. If you or your car-share partner enjoys camping, festivals, car boot sales – anything of that nature – the Duster is a great choice.

Check carefully for rust, but the Duster’s engines tend to be robust – particularly the long-lived and hugely economical 1.5-litre Blue dCi diesel.

BMW 320d Touring (2012 – 2019)

The BMW 3 Series Touring eclipsed its Audi A4 Avant and Mercedes C-Class Estate alternatives when they were all sold new – and it still does so on the used market. There’s plentiful choice, but the truth is that the 320d diesel is the best for most situations – it’s punchy, quiet, efficient and perfectly suited to the car.

What sets the 3 Series apart – other than its roomy boot, high-quality interior and desirable image – is the way it drives. It’s comfortable on the motorway yet rewarding in the corners, with steering that feels so natural and communicative you wonder why people need sports cars at all.

Diesel models suffer if they don’t undergo regular long runs – ensure the emissions systems haven’t been clogged up by repeated cross-town slogs before you buy by checking warning lights or looking out for excessive smoking. Infotainment systems can also be subject to glitches, though many kits exist to add a modern touchscreen with smartphone connectivity to an older 3 Series.

Skoda Octavia (2014 – 2020)

Available either as a hatchback or an estate, the Skoda Octavia is set apart by its cavernous interior. Ample legroom and a huge boot means that sharing an Octavia with another person is a bit like sharing a gigantic mansion – you can go for weeks without realising the other one’s inside at all.

Certainly there’ll be no reason to moan if there are a few boxes left in the boot, because there’ll still be room for a weekly shop, the dog’s bed and all the raffle prizes for the village fete. Diesel models are also very efficient, though don’t discount the smooth and quiet petrol engines.

Octavias make perfect minicabs or private hire vehicles, so you might need to filter past a few with stratospheric mileage – and likely worn-out automatic gearboxes or dodgy remaps. There’s plenty of choice, though – our budget even covers some examples of the sporty vRS model…

Honda CR-V (2012 – 2018)

If your goal of car-sharing is to cut costs and complications, then the Honda CR-V could be ideal. Is it exciting? No – it’s more likely to lower your blood pressure than get your heart pounding – but it’s one of the most reliable SUVs out there, and is superbly practical to boot.

Built in Swindon, the CR-V is available with a smooth petrol engine or a super-efficient diesel, and though it’s neither fun to drive nor particularly appealing on the inside you can be certain that it’ll stand up to the most gruelling duties.

Many CR-Vs will have been used for towing duties, so make sure the clutch and dual-mass flywheel don’t judder from a standstill. And know that even brand-new, the CR-V’s interior wasn’t exactly the paragon of style or usability – don’t seek out one with factory sat-nav, as these days it’ll be pretty much useless.

VW Golf (2013 – 2019)

The Mk7 Golf is really the definition of an all-rounder. It does everything you need, quite a lot of what you want, and does so quietly, classily, and discreetly. The Mk7 model is the pick of the modern Golf range – it’s less complex than the Mk8 that came after it, with its fully touchscreen interior and software issues.

Engine choices range all the way from a lowly 1.0-litre petrol all the way up to the madcap Golf GTI Clubsport and R performance models, but for most people the exact middle of the range is where the best value is to be found – go for a 1.4-litre petrol or a 2.0-litre diesel, either with manual or the smooth seven-speed automatic gearbox.

A huge number of these Golfs were sold so you should have no shortage of choice – watch out for diesels with interstellar mileage, and if you’re going for a DSG automatic test-drive it carefully as they could be fragile – watch for jerky changes.

SEAT Alhambra (2011 – 2020)

If you’re trying to drop down to one car for all duties, the clue is in the name – you need an MPV, or multi-purpose vehicle. The SEAT Alhambra is one of the best of the breed, and it’s well-equipped, good to drive and hugely practical.

With seven seats, you can share the Alhambra with a whole posse, or just be confident that no matter how big the tip run, trip to the flat-pack furniture store or stag do, there’ll be enough room for everyone you or your car-sharing buddy wants to accommodate.

The Alhambra is at its best with diesel engines but check for clogged particulate filters that indicate a lifetime of short hops across town. As a people-carrier, the interior may have taken a hard life – but reliability records are good for all versions.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

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