The five best value new cars on sale: Which? reveals its magic formula – and

If you’re looking to buy a new car and value for money is top of your priorities, then sit tight as we can tell you which showrooms you really need to visit.

New model prices have been rocketing in recent years. So much so, in fact, that the cheapest Mini on sale in 2025 will set you back a scarcely believable £25,265. That’s no mini price for what is a mini vehicle.

Luckily, there are deals to be had – if you’re looking in the right dealerships. 

And these five motors have been named the best value new options around based on a number of variables, most importantly the size of the discount you can typically haggle with a salesman or woman.

The list has been created by Which? – the consumer group that tests over 100 cars a year using a repeated process but also collects data on the safety level of each model and how reliable existing owners have found them to be.

All of this data has been churned through its in-house algorithm to identify which motors present the best combination of performance, dependence and affordability.

It does this every six months to track where the best value can be found across the market. These are the five cars it has highlighted as the standout options right now…

Which has shared exclusively with This is Money its five new cars currently holding the ‘Great Value’ badge. This is based on a number of variables, most importantly the size of the discount you can typically haggle with a salesman or woman…

The cars earning ‘Great Value’ status from the consumer watchdog have to meet a set of specific criteria.

Firstly, they have to be cheaper on average than rivals.

How does it work out this important factor? It claims to use a combination of ‘list price analysis’ and a team of secret shoppers, who doorstep showrooms to find out how much can be haggled off the price of new models.

It then calculates an average lowest price over the past six months for each car tested – a price based on the lowest trim level available, taking into account dealer discounts and manufacturer contributions that buyers are likely to encounter while purchasing.

If a car’s lowest price is significantly lower than the average for its class, it can only then be considered for the Great Value moniker.

However, to earn the moniker, a car also needs to score at least 65 per cent in Which?’s robust laboratory-based test – which incorporates real-world measurements for emissions, boot capacity, all-round visibility and much more.

If tested by Euro NCAP, it must have at least a three-star rating, and it can only gain the Great Value stamp if it has a minimum of a three-star score for reliability in the latest Which? car survey.

It reserves the Great Value rosette for just five models on a six-month rotation – and these are the cars that have it currently.

Seat Ibiza (2017-present)

Average lowest price: £17,758 

If you’re on the hunt for a new supermini, Which? says the Seat Ibiza is the best value option in showrooms currently

In an ever-increasingly shrinking supermini market, Seat’s Ibiza continues to standout as one of the top performers in the class.

While mechanically very similar to sister models underpinned by the same platform, it’s quite a lot cheaper than a VW Polo but sportier than a Skoda Fabia. The interior isn’t as plush as others, but it’s a car that drives well and has plenty of cabin and boot space for this segment. 

Currently, you can negotiate the price of a new 1.0-litre TSI petrol in SE trim – which comes with 15-inch alloy wheels, an 8.25-inch touchscreen display and 8-inch digital instrument cluster, along with metallic paint – for £17,758. 

That’s not just £2,250 off retail price but significantly less than rivals.

It also comes with full marks in crash tests, rated five stars by Euro NCAP.

Mazda3 (2019-present)

Average lowest price: £23,405

The Mazda3 outperforms the likes of the Vauxhall Astra, Ford Focus and VW Golf in terms of best value family hatchbacks 

Despite being on the market for more than five years, we think the Mazda3 is one of the most handsome family hatchbacks on sale today. And Which? reckons it offers very strong value, too.

Instead of hiding essential tech inside high-end upgrade packages, the most useful ones are available as standard on the entry trim level. 

This includes features such as parking sensors, a reversing camera, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic collision alerts. That’s a lot of tech for £23,405 – which isn’t a huge discount on the £24,730 RRP, it has to be said.

The 3 is extremely safe, though. Not only did it get a full quota of five starts from Euro NCAP, it’s 98 per cent occupant protection score is one of the highest on record. 

Kia Ceed Sportswagon (2018-present)

Average lowest price: £22,497 

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