Best Motability cars with nil deposit

Best for: zero-deposit practicality

Just because you’re budget-conscious doesn’t mean you’re forced to purchase a small car with little in the way of versatility. The Dacia Jogger is one of the best value for money propositions on sale today, and while the entry-level model does look and feel rather spartan, it’s a bona fide seven seater with room for the whole family.

It’s a quirky looking thing, combining styling traits from hatchbacks, estate cars and chunky SUVs into one big, unique package - with a surprisingly large amount of road presence. Base models come equipped with steel wheels and plastic wheel covers which might not appeal to some, but what they lack in posh design touches they make up for in standard kit.

Essential spec cars - the only ones available with no deposit - come with cruise control, rear parking sensors, bluetooth and digital radio. is In lieu of a touchscreen, you have to install an app onto your smartphone and use the built-in smartphone cradle.

It may feel somewhat basic and utilitarian, but the Jogger’s interior is very roomy, with miles of headroom and leg space in every row. The third row is comfortable and can take two full-sized adults in comfort on long journeys, flip forwards for more bootspace, or can be removed entirely for enormous carrying capacity.

You’d be forgiven for thinking a budget-friendly seven seater makes concessions on the driving front, but you’d be wrong in this case. The Jogger is very comfortable to potter around town in, thanks to its soft suspension.

The 1.0-litre petrol engine available on the Essential trim level is equipped with a manual gearbox, and while it’s adequate for one or two passengers, you’ll feel the motor strain a little with seven adults and a boot full of luggage.

It struggles getting the Jogger up to motorway speeds - don’t even think about going for a fast overtake - but at a steady cruise the Jogger is perfectly adept at soaking up motorway lumps and bumps. Hustling it along a country road isn’t fun, but it feels grippy and secure, so you’re best off at a moderate speed.

Best for: compact poshness

The Clio is the best of the breed when it comes to posh, small hatchbacks at the minute - and it’s a stellar example of a budget car that’s punching above its weight. It’s a smart looking thing, and even the entry-level Evolution model is rather well equipped, but you’re limited to the hybrid model on the Motability scheme.

It’s one of the sleekest-looking small cars on sale, with striking arrow-shaped LED running lights flanking the front end, and a big front grille with an equally bold Renault badge. The rear isn't quite as pointy, but it’s a handsome little car nonetheless.

The entry-level car doesn’t come with the large portrait infotainment system that the higher-spec models do, but you still get a 7.0-inch touchscreen display with built-in sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Rear parking sensors are standard too, as is cruise control.

Front seat space is good, though the back seats aren’t all that roomy. Taller adults will struggle with their knees rubbing up against the front seats, and there isn’t that much headroom either.

There’s a decent amount of door-bin storage and front cubby space, but it’s the Clio’s boot space which is impressive at 301-litres. It’s just a shame the hybrid version loses out on 90 litres compared to the petrol-powered car.

It’s a great little engine though, highly fuel efficient and with plenty of pep for the Clio’s diminutive size. 145hp may not sound like much, but it’s plenty of power to dart around town in and it makes it easy to get up to motorway speeds - even if it is a bit noisy when doing so.

Once you’re at a cruise the engine settles down, and while some alternatives are more comfortable at high speeds, the Clio handles long journeys with ease. It doesn’t soak up bumpy stretches of motorways as well as some alternatives though.

The Clio but it’s still more fun to drive than other small hatchbacks thanks to its stiffer suspension. It’s a shame the steering is so light though, because while it helps manoeuvring in town, the lack of steering feel means the Clio feels less agile than it could on a good road.

Best for: zero-deposit sensibility

The Fabia is a staple Skoda product, and it distills the Czech brand’s ‘Simply Clever’ mantra into a practical, easy to live with city car. It’s far from exciting, it’s not fast and it’s not posh either, but the Fabia is quite simply a good car.

That being said, the latest model is the sharpest the Fabia has ever looked, even in the lowest-rung SE spec you can choose with no Motability deposit. LED headlights and taillights, crisp body lines and the typical Skoda ‘moustache’ grille bestow the Fabia a modern look, if a little bland.

The interior is a similar story, crisp and well laid out, but circular air vents aside it’s all quite uninspired. SE cars do come equipped with a touchscreen infotainment setup though, with DAB, Bluetooth, a pair of USB-C charging ports and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity.

It’s a shame that there’s a fair amount of hard plastics scattered around, but the seats are very comfortable and highly adjustable, and there’s lots of headroom and legroom throughout the cabin. The rear ISOFIX points are easy to access, so making the most of the rear bench space with a child seat is easy. The boot is spacious too - at 380 litres it’s a good chunk bigger than the Renault Clio hybrid.

For zero deposit you can only have the Fabia with a 1.0-litre engine and manual gearbox, though if you’re after an auto that can be had for a modest £199 up front payment, and while it won’t win any races it’s perfectly adequate for such a small car.

Town driving is easy thanks to the Fabia’s tight turning circle and soft suspension soaking up bumps, and while it can take a while to get up to motorway speeds the Fabia settles comfortably into a cruise with little in the way of wind and road noise. Twisty roads aren’t fun, but as a relaxed car to potter about in the Fabia does very well.

Best for: zero-deposit quirkiness

As far as little cars go, the Citroen e-C3 might just be the most attention-grabbing one on sale. Chunky baby-SUV proportions, fun interior design and funky exterior touches make for a small car that stands out from the crowd.

Unlike a lot of the cars available through Motability, you also get a choice of engine options while still staying at the zero-deposit threshold. You can have the e-C3, which is Citroen’s most affordable electric car, or the petrol-powered C3 should you often drive long distances or not have access to EV charging.

Aggressive C-shaped LED headlights and taillights on all four corners, chunky body cladding and a slightly raised ride height give the small Citroen a tougher stance than you’d expect from such a small car, without looking kitschy or contrived.

The interior is basic without feeling nasty. The multi-tiered dashboard masks its harder plastic surfaces with a swathe of funky fabric, a great touch, and the standard-fit 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible. While it’s a rather narrow cabin, there’s plenty of headroom and the boot is a useful 310-litre size.

The e-C3’s piece de resistance is in its comfort, thanks not only to its highly adjustable seats but also its pillowy suspension. It doesn’t try to be overtly sporty - ignoring the ‘S’ in SUV - ironing out lumpy, bumpy and cracked roads.

Motorways aren’t quite as comfortable as town driving, with the e-C3 feeling slightly unsettled in a crosswind and on badly paved stretches of road. Country lanes aren’t as nerve-wracking as you may expect from an upright car with such soft suspension, but are best taken at a moderate pace.

It’s a shame that the claimed range is a lowly 199 miles, and in our experience you’ll see between 155-160 miles to a charge. The e-C3 is best enjoyed in town then, unless you’re a fan of motorway services.

Best for: zero-deposit chic

The Peugeot 208 is one of the most desirable small cars on sale, with enough poshness and style about it to consider against bigger, more expensive alternatives. It might just be the most luxurious-feeling zero-deposit car you can get through Motability.

The styling is modern and crisp, with a sharp front end featuring the enormous signature three claw LED running lights and a big, intricate front grille. The side-profile has a hint of retro Peugeot 205 about it while the colour contrasting wheel arches and joined-up taillights add a hint of sportiness to the 208.

It gets even better inside, with an oh-so stylish cabin featuring an intricate dashboard design, luxurious-feeling controls and a small, chunky steering wheel perched underneath the digital driver’s display. The standard-fit touchscreen is Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatible too.

Unfortunately it’s a very tight interior, both front and rear, feeling particularly narrow and with not much headroom. Rear legroom is particularly tight, though the 311-litre boot is on par with its alternatives.

The small steering wheel is part of the reason the 208 is fun to drive around town, making direction changes feel particularly darty, and the entry-level Allure model (the only zero-deposit option) is by far the most comfortable of the lot.

Even the basic 1.2-litre engine feels peppy, and getting up to motorway speeds is no bother for the little Peugeot. The Renault Clio is more fun on a twisty road though.

Best for: zero-deposit electric range

Only the second electric car on this list, the Skoda Elroq is a different kettle of fish to the much smaller Citroen e-C3. It’s much larger and more practical as a result, but it’s also not as characterful.

The Elroq is a sleek-looking thing, with Skoda’s latest design cues such as the slender headlight/front ‘grille’ panel combo, crisp lines and point taillights. It’s not the most interesting car to look at, but it’s handsome in an understated way.

The interior is just as slick, with a simple dashboard that curves underneath the standard-fit 13-inch display and lots of open storage space underneath the ‘floating’ centre console. Again, it’s not particularly interesting, but aside from some scratchy plastics it’s a solid-feeling and well-designed cabin.

The seats are comfortable and there are lots of clever cubbies both front and back. The boot is not only a useful 470-litre capacity but it also has some nifty features such as shelves above the rear wheels and charging cable storage under the parcel shelf.

The zero-deposit SE model has a 232-mile electric range, and while its soft suspension soaks up small bumps and holes in the road in town, big speedbumps and motorway dips do unsettle the Elroq just a touch. Twisty roads are fine if uneventful, but again, larger dips on a bend do shake the Elroq around a little.

Best for: zero-deposit SUV looks

Though the Skoda Elroq is bigger and the e-C3 is quirkier, the SEAT Arona is the only one of the three that looks properly off-roady. It’s far from an action-ready 4x4, but the SEAT certainly looks the part, doesn’t it?

Rufty-tufty body cladding, a jacked-up ride height and chunky detailing on the roof gives the Arona a properly butch appearance, and it’s one of the most convincingly-styled baby-SUVs you can buy. There are some rather funky two-tone colour options available which help the Arona to stand out even more.

Funky details such as light-up vent surrounds and silver trims brighten up an otherwise straightforward interior, and the SE Technology trim which can be had with zero deposit comes with a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system as standard as well as a quite of driver assistance systems such as lane assist, collision warning and rear parking sensors.

Comfortable, highly adjustable front seats are a plus but tight legroom in the back of the Arona are a bit of an annoyance for long journeys. The 400-litre boot is also smaller than a lot of the Arona’s alternatives at this size, though it is a usefully square shape.

It’s a little bit firm over bumps and potholes, but the Arona’s steering is light enough to make it a breeze to manoeuvre around town. It feels sportier on a twisty road than you might expect from a small SUV, partly down to its stiff suspension but also because the light steering still does a good job of communicating how much grip the front wheels have.

Best for: zero-deposit high-riding style

Much like its smaller 208 stablemate, the Peugeot 2008 brings a hefty dose of style and poshness to the range of zero-deposit Motability cars. It’s pretty much the 208 on stilts, with a taller ride height and a bit more space inside.

It has many of the same design cues on the outside too, from the LED running lights and small taillights to black cladding all around - though in rugged plastic here as opposed to gloss black paint.

The interior is almost identical to the 208 too, with a 10.0-inch infotainment display perched on the dashboard and the funky, tiny steering wheel beneath the instrument display. There’s a lot more space inside than in the hatchback though, especially in terms of headroom - but rear legroom is still a little tight for tall passengers - and the 434-litre boot is a good size.

The 2008 can be had in both petrol and electric forms via Motability with no deposit, so you can choose which model best suits your needs without sacrificing on the 2008’s funky looks.

We prefer the petrol-powered version, but both models are easy to drive in town, and they’re supremely comfortable both in the city and on the motorway. Twisty roads aren’t great in the 2008 though, as it feels a little bit too soft and floaty on rough roads with noticeable body lean.

Best for: zero deposit sensibility

The Skoda Kamiq is one of the most incognito cars you can buy these days, making it the perfect choice if you want to blend in to traffic and get about your day in a fuss-free manner. It looks big and body, though unlike the mechanically similar SEAT Arona it does without any chunky body cladding.

The Kamiq gives off a totally different vibe to the Arona on the inside too, with less quirky details and a slightly more old-fashioned design. Not in a bad sense - the dashboard is rather handsome - it’s just very strait-laced and sensible. The standard-fit touchscreen, digital driver display and reversing camera are all nice features to have.

Plenty of storage space and a highly adjustable seat and steering wheel combo go a long way to following Skoda’s ‘Simply Clever’ mantra, and there’s plenty of room for tall occupants both front and rear. The 400-litre boot is on par with its alternatives, if nothing special.

You can only get the 1.0-litre engine SE version of the Kamiq with no deposit, but it’s a solid little engine which doesn’t kick up much of a fuss when getting to up speed - though it feels more at home in town. The suspension is soft, making light work of speedbumps and potholes, but there are more fun alternatives to hustle down a winding road.

Best for: zero deposit fuel efficiency

Where some small cars are posh, extra stylish or super sporty, the Suzuki Swift sits happily in the middle of the lot as a solid, dependable small hatchback. It’s not very exciting, far from striking to look at and there are more exciting cars to drive, but the Swift does a good job of being a good car, plain and simple.

The exterior is a bit of a let down compared to earlier Swifts, but it’s still distinct on the road thanks to its big LED headlamps and big front grille. The interior is rather simple too, with a fuss-free dashboard and well laid-out controls.

It’s a shame that the material quality isn’t all that; hard plastics are in plentiful supply, and alternatives such as the Renault Clio and 208 have the Swift licked when it comes to poshness. It feels solid though, regardless of quality, as though the cabin will last a lifetime.

It’s rather roomy inside too, both front and back, but the boot is a tiny 265 litres. Enough for the weekly shop, but not much else.

Where the Swift stands out is in fuel efficiency, with the mild hybrid 1.2 litre engine able to easily reach 60mpg when being driven gently. It’s slow, there’s no denying that, but it’s actually a good laugh to drive on a twisty road. It’s just a shame that the Swift is a bit stiff around town and that there’s a bit too much wind and tyre noise on the motorway.