The best used cars to buy in 2024
The cars that every PHer should consider, in every segment that matters...
Supercars | Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
From a distance, the F12 might seem like an acquired taste. Its engine is not behind the seats, for one thing - which is admittedly the way most of us tend to think about supercars. But supercars are also supposed to evoke drama, too, and in this respect, Ferrari’s 740hp replacement for the 599 knows few real peers. Its high-octane blend of physical presence, handling nous and surprising usability is remarkable enough, but it’s the astonishing sound and performance of the 6.3-litre V12 that you’re really paying for. And when you’ve experienced it, and realised it’s now available from £150k, it’s suddenly hard to acquire a taste for anything else.
Also ran | Lamborghini Huracan LP 640-4 Performante
The STO and Tecnica have nudged the earlier Huracan mould-breaker down the pecking order; good - the closer the Performante gets to £50k off list, the better value it looks.
Sports cars | Toyota GR86
Couldn’t be anything else, could it? The car the GT86 always should have been, the GR has been a phenomenon ever since it was announced. A sell-out sales success thanks to an alluringly low £29,995 entry price and frustratingly limited allocation, those who did secure one bagged a great: as compact and beautifully balanced as the old car, with an engine that could finally do it justice. A few more have come to the UK since, easing demand (and some punchy resale values) a tad, which only makes it more compelling used. No longer is the best part of £40k being asked, but such is the 86’s star quality (and relatively low numbers) that it will remain in demand for a while yet.
Also ran | Jaguar F-Type
There might be a Jaguar that looks as good as an F-Type again, and probably one with almost 600hp - but it won’t have a supercharged V8 in it. And that’s important. A facelift 5.0-litre is from £55k.
Convertibles | McLaren 570S Spider
There are many more affordable nearly new convertibles than a 570S Spider, of course. There are myriad Spyders, Cabriolets and Roadsters that can put the wind in your hair for less. But in terms of actual value (for those who can afford to spend this much on a drop-top, yes), there remains an awful lot on offer with a secondhand McLaren. Carbon construction, rocketship performance and supercar style always counted in its favour, and never more so than for less than £100,000. That it’s also one of the finest mid-engined drivers cars of recent years, at any speed, really is the cherry on top.
Also ran | Mazda MX-5 (ND2)
The fourth-gen MX-5 was very good to start with - the 2018 facelift brought the best from it. The 2.0-litre finally got the power and the appetite for revs it always should have, most notably. Now it’s from £15k.
Hot hatches | Mercedes-AMG A45
A sector populated with brilliant cars, it’s very hard to make a definitive call on a hot hatch. That being said, the original AMG A45 is starting to feel pretty hard to ignore; a car once infamous for its cost is now looking really good value, especially given how much a new one is. Like the current model, this A45 has a crazy powerful 2.0-litre turbo four (421hp is obviously more, though 360 is plenty to be getting on with), a dual-clutch gearbox (eight is more, though seven is enough) and all-wheel drive (albeit without the drift mode you’ll use once then forget about). The fact that a decent one can now be had from £20k - i.e. used Golf R money - is the real clincher.
Also ran | Hyundai i30 N
The rowdy and rambunctious i30 N has been well-received ever since its 2017 introduction. Which means there are plenty to pick from secondhand. Values are holding strong, too - truly a groundbreaker from Hyundai.
Track cars | Ariel Atom 3.5
The 4R was confirmation that Ariel remains at the top of its game in 2023, although its colossal price tag (for the press car, at any rate) also served as a reminder that you’d do well to consider a secondhand Atom before joining the waitlist for a new one. Particularly as the car underneath remains fundamentally the same. The 3.5 is arguably the current sweet spot, delivering you a 310hp Atom with the kinks of the earlier versions ironed out. And thanks to the typical use case, you’ll likely discover one with the K20 unit barely run-in. Anywhere in the £40k ballpark will likely reflect what the original owner paid for it - but there’s no reason to think that staunch resistance to depreciation will falter.
Also ran | Lotus Elise 250 Cup
On the basis that Lotus has finished making them, it feels like you really can’t miss with a late model Elise (especially in special edition format). Class, after all, is forever, and the car’s legend is primed to live on.
Coupes | BMW M2 Competition (F87)
Another one that made the list at a canter, already the F87 Comp is looking like a modern M great. On the one hand, it’s brimming with traditional BMW appeal: there are six cylinders up front, rear-wheel drive, sensible-sized kidneys, a logical dash and an uncomplicated, handsome body on top. On the other, it’s modern enough to feel fresh for a while yet, with a dual-clutch gearbox, smartphone mirroring and driver assists clever enough to make you feel like a hero (without doing it all for you). A new M2 is undoubtedly very good, be in no doubt, but this is half the money with just over 20,000 miles, just as fast, and much less ugly. Told you it was easy to include.
Also ran | Lexus LC500
There’s no escaping the Bentley Continental GT if you prefer a coupe from the GT end of the scale - but the V8-powered LC500 is an eye-popping alternative. And effectively now half price.
Super saloons | Audi RS3 Saloon
There is always a small heap of seriously quick saloons to consider because they can generally be relied upon to depreciate promptly, especially if they’re large. But rather than play favourites with household names, we’ve gone for what is surely a future cult classic. Compact saloons are traditionally not well received in the UK, but the previous RS3 hit a sweet spot in terms of scale and is a badge deletion away from Q-car covertness. Factor in the stifle-free 400hp 2.5-litre inline-five and flabbergast-grade traction, and you’ve got yourself an upmarket, any-weather solution to the trickiest of B roads. And for a whisker above £30k, it won’t do your bank balance too much harm either.
Also ran | Mercedes-AMG E63 S
Returning to type for something newer (and larger) the mighty E63, equipped with a 612hp V8 in flagship format, is becoming more affordable by the hour. Get one while you can (literally).
Fast estates | Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Turbo
If you’re inclined to reach comically for your eyes when presented with the Sport Turismo, we get it. There are certainly better-looking fast wagons - and more practical ones, too. But make no mistake: the estate version of the outgoing Panamera is astonishingly good in virtually every other respect, especially when spared the hybrid gubbins most were sold with. Find a traditional V8 (petrol or diesel) and you’ve happened upon one of the fastest and most beguiling large GT cars ever made. Its dynamic bandwidth and sky-high liveability were enticing when new; now available for less than six figures, the 4.0-litre Sport Turismo is one of those combustion cars to cling onto.
Also ran | VW Golf R Estate
The wagon-shaped Golf R probably suffered for its looks, too - but don’t let that blind you to the fact you’re getting an even more practical version of arguably the definitive modern hot hatch. For £20k.
Luxury SUVs | Range Rover Sport 5.0 V8 Autobiography
If you feel inclined to take advantage of the cliff face that earlier SVRs have tumbled off, then by all means have at it. But this week we’re inclined to plump for its seldom-seen sister model - i.e. a previous generation, late model Range Rover Sport furnished with the 5.0-litre supercharged V8, yet unencumbered by the Special Vehicle add-ons. Why? Well, because that way you get a still potent 525hp of blustery old-school performance, but without the shouty, divisive image. And we’re willing to bet that for 90 per cent of the time, the Autobiography is plenty quick enough - while being easier on the eye 100 per cent of the time.
Also ran | Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
If you’re prepared to take a hit on the ‘luxury’ side of SUVing, the sister car to the 510hp Giulia looks like great value. It’s certainly great to drive thanks to one of the truly great modern-day V6s.
4x4s | Suzuki Jimny
The appeal of the Jimny was easy to understand from the get-go: not only did it look fantastic, and cost relatively little, it could reach all the places far more expensive and complex off-roaders boasted about. And we love an underdog story, particularly when it involves an obstacle to overcome; emissions regs called time on Jimny sales early, though a loophole permitted the two-seat LCV a stay of execution which was eagerly pounced on by buyers. The rear seats were never much use anyway. Such is the Jimny’s cult following it’s been taken on by the aftermarket like a reinvented (and shrunken) Defender, this one already benefitting from some Twisted goodies. While you’re there for collection, may as well get the turbo done…
Also ran | Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial
Well if the two-seat Jimny isn’t big enough for a commercial vehicle that needs to off-road, don’t forget there’s a Land Cruiser for that as well. Ruddy marvellous the Commercial looks, too, short and stout and ready for anything for decades to come.
The car in the advert could be any old vanilla A Class too. If I wrote a list of great hot hatches, a Merc that manages to look both dull and a bit ugly at the same time would not be anywhere near it. The best I can say for it is that it doesn't have the image problem of the newer version (which is the car that the local oik will replace their warm/hot Polo or Golf with to drive at warp speed with zero consideration or skill), it'll just make you look about 20 years older.
Too stiff.
Too noisy with the performance exhaust.
Every diesel wanted to race/block you at slip roads.
Numb linear acceleration.
Awful infotainment.
When the bucket seats are the highlight, stay away.
Just checked with GoCompare… it would seem like the RRS is already booked in a container from Liverpool docks looking at the cost to insure it.
Looking only at the cheapest quotes £1750 for that RRS or £800 for an Audi SQ7 2022 with a similarly powerful v8, 3 yrs newer and similar value…
Makes the RRS a tough buy.
No known engine problems (derived from Nissan's Le Mans engine and has proven generally reliable)
Paint corrosion on alloy panels
Random niggly electrical faults often on under-used examples
Silly things like wiper motors that cost a grand
Likely worst case is a gearbox oil leak which is expensive to fix but not that common
Basically 'small' faults which can be expensive to repair with McLaren dealers. So either get a warranty (£3k/year) or go to a good independent like V Engineering.
They are insanely good value for what they are and as good as all the reviews say.
That LC500 looks particularly good value to me. JayEmm, are you watching?
My big issue is the fact like many other 2+2s (inc. my DB9) it has two useless rear seats that don't for me add anything, and the boot is a touch awkward. Still worth thinking about though.
Nothing there really sets the pulse racing bar the M2, but I have one of those 
. Yes, I’d be happy to take some for a spin for sure, but as for actual ownership, nope. 
Michelin Cup 2 and a Super Sport on the front.
Pirelli P Zero and a GoPro Sport T1 on the rear.
Who at PH picked that example of an M2 - not someone who knows M cars or did any research on pricing.
Michelin Cup 2 and a Super Sport on the front.
Pirelli P Zero and a GoPro Sport T1 on the rear.
Who at PH picked that example of an M2 - not someone who knows M cars or did any research on pricing.
Agree! First thing I'd look at, if they can't afford 4 correct, or at least similar tyres I'm walking away thinking where else have corners been cut?
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