Whoever first coined the idiom ‘the best things in life are free’ clearly had clearly never owned a Range Rover.
Want membership to this luxurious and exclusive club? The first thing you’ll want to do is check out the scene. If you check out cars for sale in the UK you’ll notice they are notoriously cheap compared with elsewhere in the world.
Word of warning. Luxury cars come with luxury running costs. Some of these monsters will barely crack 20mpg. Others will be pretty expensive to insure. And all of them will cost a lot to service and even more to fix.
But it’s all relevant. If you don’t drive tens of thousands of miles in one of these luxury cars, fuel isn’t such an issue. And as long as you do your research of individual cars beforehand, the associated costs shouldn’t come as a shock.
Below, we’ve highlighted our 10 favourite luxury used cars that won’t break the bank.
Range Rover (2002-2012)
Siri, show me how to look like lord of the manor for less than £2,500.
The Range Rover is an icon. It sets the benchmark for rugged do-everything poshness and it’s one of the finest, waftiest motors around.
High running costs, obviously. Look for very worn suspension and cars with LOTS of untasteful aftermarket bits.
Used price: £2,250-£10,000
Jaguar XJ Saloon (2003-2009)
Another British luxury barge here. But one for people who prefer a saloon shape, rather than a big, tall SUV.
Inside there’s loads of room and plenty of wood. Expect heated AND ventilated seats in post-2007 cars. Decent engines on offer too. Diesel seems like the sensible choice as you might get MPG in the thirties.
Used price: £2,500-£16,000
Volvo S80 (2006-2016)
Very unobvious choice here. The S80 boasts a timeless design, an expensive cabin and loads of room.
It’s definitely a more restrained choice than a Range Rover. The benefit? Less ostentatious = more likely to be let out of a side road.
Quite a few trim options. Lower power diesels aren’t particularly fast but are pretty frugal.
Used price: £1,500-£13,500
Porsche Cayenne (2003-2009)
When the Porsche Cayenne first hit the UK shores the press hated it. They called it bloated and un-Porsche-like. But in reality they sold by the boatload and saved the company.
Today, the looks have softened. And the fact it sold so well means there are plenty around.
It’s not quite as luxurious as the Range Rover at the top of the list, but it’s a lot better to drive. Very sweet for an SUV weighing in at over two-tonnes in fact.
Used price: £3,500-£20,000
Lexus LS (2007-2017)
Like Volvo, Lexus has a very different idea of luxury. Other cars in this list will have had some questionable modifications made to them. But it’s not very likely someone will have done that to a Lexus LS.
A 19-speaker sound system is standard, as is extreme refinement. Even the 4.6-litre V8 petrol is near silent.
In many ways, this is the pragmatist’s choice because of Lexus’ reputation for reliability.
Used price: £5,000-£35,000
Mercedes S-Class (2006-2013)
Simply one of the finest luxury cars ever made. Year after year the S-Class wins awards for its luxury and tech-filled interior, and it’s easy to see why.
Sumptuous materials are a given, but double glazing and sheer build quality is hard to come by for this price range.
A few engines on offer here, including some lovely petrol V8s. However, the entry-level 3.0-litre diesel V6 helps mitigate the high running costs.
Used price: £3,000-£35,000
Audi A8 (2003-2011)
Another luxury limo here from a premium German marque.
Despite the age of the car, modern bits of tech, such as start-stop, radar cruise control and climate control all feature.
Then there’s the practicality. Bag a long wheelbase version and you’ll get acres of rear legroom and a 500-litre boot.
Used price: £3,000-£18,000
Volkswagen Touareg (2003-2009)
If you were feeling unkind, you could call this the poor man’s Porsche Cayenne. It shares many parts with the Porsche, except for the stonking engines and handline finesse.
However. This means the Touareg is full of expensive parts and it’s pretty competent off-road too. Usefully cheaper, too.
It was even available with an insane 5-litre V10 diesel engine. Not even the Cayenne got that. We can hardly recommend that though. Not when the 2.5-litre unit is so good.
Used price: £2,000 – £25,000
Infiniti G (2009-2013)
If you think exclusive is a synonym for luxury, then the Infiniti G Saloon is for you. Barely any were sold. So few in fact, that Infiniti stopped selling cars in the UK in 2020.
The G is a 3 Series rival that’s nearly as good to drive. There’s only one engine to choose – a 3.7-litre petrol V6. It’s a quality engine, although it is pretty thirsty.
Used price: £5,000 – £10,000
10 Luxury Used Cars That Won’t Break The Bank
VW’s poshest car ever. Maybe even too posh. From new, people were off put with the idea of paying so much for a VW.
That means it’s a bargain on the used car market. It’s a serious piece of kit with loads of tech and double glazing. Good selection of engines too, from silly to sensible.
Used price: £2,500 – £13,000
