Best used cars - pictures

The Kia Cee’d is our top best used buy as it’s a thoroughly competent car & comes with a fully-transferable 7 year warranty

While it’s not the most exciting car to drive, the Cee’d is comfortable and relaxing on the road

Interior quality is generally decent, even if the dashboard design is fairly conservative

The Vauxhall Insignia may be due for replacement soon, but heavy depreciation makes this model an excellent used buy

It may not have the handling finesse of the Ford Mondeo, but the Insignia is a genuinely relaxing car to drive

The interior design plays it safe, but equipment levels are reasonable – though we suggest avoiding entry-level models

The Skoda Yeti is a fun, functional car, with masses of interior space

Despite its practical credentials, the Yeti is also pretty enjoyable to drive

Interior quality and ergonomics are strong, even if everything is a little grey 

The Dacia Duster may be cheap, but it’s also an excellent and bona fide SUV

While its three star safety rating from Euro NCAP is below par, that score is partly due to suboptimal pedestrian protection

Inside, the Duster’s rock-bottom price point is evident, but we advise against top-spec models

The Ford Focus is something of a default choice for many buyers, and for good reason

It’s great to drive, pretty well equipped, comfortable and comes with a wide range of engines

The new Vauxhall Astra has a nicer dashboard than the Focus, but everything is well put together & the seats are comfortable

The SEAT Leon is a VW Golf for people who don’t want a Golf. To our eyes it’s a sleeker, more stylish car

The Leon’s driving experience is involving, and choosing one over a Golf will save you a fair amount of money

It may be a bit of a sea of grey inside, but you can’t fault the Leon for fit & finish

The Lexus GS is effortlessly relaxing to drive, though it’s not as involving as the BMW 5 Series

The automatic CVT gearbox takes some getting used to, but the Lexus GS has an excellent reliability record  

Interior quality is beyond reproach, and many will find the GS’ dashboard has a certain character its rivals lack

If you’re after a second hand electric car, the comfortable and easy to drive Nissan Leaf takes some beating

Electric cars tend to suffer from quite heavy depreciation, but that’s great news for used buyers

The Leaf has enough hi-tech touches to remind you you’re driving something different, but the controls work intuitively

Most used buyers will be looking at the previous generation Jaguar XF, but it hasn’t lost any of its charm over the years

The XF is genuinely enjoyable driver’s car with powerful engines, great handling and a smooth-shifting automatic gearbox

The XF’s interior is distinctive & has some neat design touches, while its heated seats are some of the most powerful around

The BMW Z4 may be due for replacement soon, but that means now is a great time to pick up a second hand one

The lack of a diesel may put some off, though some may argue convertibles like the Z4 should really have a petrol engine

Interior quality is strong, though the Z4’s dashboard design is starting to show its age a little now