Economical car for £10,000 budget?

I need an extremely economical and reliable car to last three years whilst I go to university. I have £10,000 to spend. I’ve got about 100 miles a day of motorway mileage most days to commute to uni. I’ve looked at the Honda Civic, Ford Mondeo, Kai Optima, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, I just don’t know what to go for that is the most economical. I will probably spend the extra and get a warranty for three years to give me extra peace of mind but I am so lost as to what to go for.

Asked on 13 September 2022 by Bobby Demosthenis

Answered by Andrew Brady
A diesel Volkswagen Golf would be a good option. It'll be very frugal and you'll get a newer car for your money compared to a 5 Series/E-Class etc. You could also look at the Skoda Octavia - not quite as classy as the Golf but bigger and mechanically very similar. Check out our Real MPG for an idea of real-world running costs: www.honestjohn.co.uk/real-mpg/
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