Best Cars Under 50K

As the motoring industry is ever-growing it’s sometimes hard to keep up on what cars are paving the way. These cars are typically the ones you should be considering.

If you are in the fortunate position of having a budget of £50,000 for your next car, there is no denying the excellent range of options you have at your disposal.

Now it’s just the matter of narrowing down the best few options for the best cars out there that cost under £50,000, which is what we will highlight today.

Please note, all car prices outlined throughout this article are brand-new model prices, not used car prices.

Best Cars Under £50,000

1. Tesla Model 3

2. BMW 3 Series

3. Hyundai i30 N

4. Kia EV6

5. Jaguar F-PACE

6. Audi A6

1. Tesla Model 3

Tesla have taken the automotive world by storm over the past decade or so, with the Model 3 being at the forefront of the electric vehicle revolution.

The Tesla Model 3 is a four-door luxury saloon released by Tesla back in 2017.

Since its release, the Model 3 has become one of Tesla’s favoured models. It is also the cheapest model from the EV manufacturer’s line-up, giving motorists a less expensive option to the likes of the Model Y and Model X, that are £5,000-£10,000 and £55,000-£75,000 more expensive respectively.

Industry experts have also heralded the electric vehicle since its inception, such as Auto Express who named the Tesla Model 3 ‘Car of the Year’ in 2020. What Car? also named the Model 3 ‘Large Electric Car of the Year’ in 2022, further emphasising how critically acclaimed the EV is.

You can pick up a Tesla Model 3 Standard Range (RWD) for £40,000, with the Long Range variant (AWD) being priced at £50,000.

For the awards and high popularity alone, it makes the Model 3 right in and around the top of our picks for cars under £50K.

2. BMW 3 Series

Being one of the most iconic car brands ever, BMW have had their fair share of iconic car models.

Their most successful and arguably most important car model released is the BMW 3 Series.

Revealed to the world for the first time in 1976, the 3 Series has been a staple in BMW’s car production for nearly 50 years, becoming the brand’s best-selling car of all time.

And it’s one of the world’s best-selling cars of all time too, as it is currently the 11th highest selling car ever according to Goodwood.

This is for good reason – with engine outputs of 292hp and a torque of 420NM (standard edition), the 3 Series arrives with great performance driving capabilities.

The 3 Series has gathered many awards and accolades since its release, such as Fleet News heralding the model ‘Best Company Car of the Year’ and What Car? naming the 3 Series 'Best Estate Car to Drive' in recent years.

There are several variants of the BMW 3 Series, meaning prices for the model will vary. These variants include the standard Sport edition, M, and M Sport, with the M models being considerably more expensive.

A new BMW 3 Series Sport edition will set you back around £40,000, with M sport being a couple thousand more in price. M models of the 3 Series will cost in the region of £60k if you would like to opt for a high performance variant of the car.

Given its stamp on the automotive industry since the 1970s, the 3 Series is the definition of a reliable option when looking for that next car.

3. Hyundai i30 N

Hyundai have established themselves as one of the leading car manufacturers in the world.

One of the top models that Hyundai have in their model line-up is the i30, with the impressive performance variant of the model being the i30 N.

The i30 N was introduced to the world in 2017, 10 years after the release of the standard i30 model.

The hot hatch delivers a power output of 247hp and a maximum torque output of 353NM, allowing the car to have top speeds of 155mph.

Awards and recognitions have also been common for the i30 N over the past few years, most noticeably the Sport Auto Award. Between 2019 and 2021, the i30 N won three consecutive awards for the category ‘Production cars compact class up to €35,000 – Import’.

The Hyundai model is the one of the cheapest cars on this list, as a brand new i30 N is available for around £35,000.

Efficient performance capabilities and fair pricing of the i30 N makes this vehicle a fantastic option in car for people with a £50,000 budget.

4. Kia EV6

Now for the second electric vehicle on this list of cars for under £50k, this being the Kia EV6.

Kia have taken great pride in EV development, with the EV6 being arguably Kia’s best electric car to date.

The Kia EV6 is an all-electric compact SUV released in 2021. One of the first Kia produced EVs, the EV6 is one of the top electric SUVs on the market.

Rivalling electric car model such as the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Cupra Born, the EV6 has been previously named ‘Car of the Year’ in 2022 at the Car of the Year awards – a very prestigious award for a relatively young car.

Performance outputs of the EV6 consist of a maximum power of 229hp and a torque of 350NM, allowing the car to accelerate from 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds (RWD variant).

Prices for the EV6 vary, but you will be able to grab the standard edition (Air) for £45,000.

As far as electric vehicles go, the EV6 stands tall as one of the sleekest in design and efficient in performance, making it a sought-after car for any EV buyer.

5. Jaguar F-PACE

Jaguar are one of the most prominent luxury car brands in the world, manufacturing vehicles since 1935.

One of their more modern models is the F-PACE that was unveiled to the world in 2015 – a luxury SUV that has steered Jaguar to huge success.

Jaguar’s flagship SUV is available at various price points anywhere from £47,750 to £83,915, with the R-Dynamic S configuration being the cheapest.

The R-Dynamic S, being available at just under £50k, is a mild-hybrid diesel variant of the F-PACE, boasting a power output of 398hp and 640NM torque.

By 2017, the Jaguar F-PACE gathered prestigious accolades, such as the ‘World Car of the Year’ at the World Car Awards. Jaguar labelled the F-PACE the brand’s “fastest selling global model”, further emphasising how much success the F-PACE had seen in such a short space of time.

When it comes to luxury vehicle production, very few car brands do it quite like Jaguar, with their F-PACE being at the forefront of their achievements in recent times.

6. Audi A6

Alongside BMW, Audi have defined German manufacturing ingenuity, offering a range of luxury vehicles since 1910.

One of Audi’s flagship models is the A6, a luxury saloon that has been manufactured by Audi since 1996.

Currently in its 5th generation, the Audi A6 has impressive power outputs of up to 261hp, along with 370NM of torque.

The A6 has been the bearer of plenty awards since its release – these awards include ‘Best Executive Car’, ‘Best Premium Car Award’, and many more, making the saloon one of Audi’s most successful models.

If you wish to have a brand-new Audi A6, you will be looking at the price bracket between £45,340 and £50,695, depending on the configuration you chose.

Being at the forefront of any car brand’s model line-up is an achievement in itself, but it takes a pretty special model to be one of Audi’s greatest. For that reason, the A6 is right up there for best cars under the price of £50,000.

The 6 cars outlined today are few of many car models that are great options under the £50k price bracket. Bear in mind that purchasing a used car is a great way of saving money.