Top five affordable luxury cars to get back into driving this summer from a used car expert

The Sun

3 days ago

EARLY mornings, late nights, and lots of sun are the perfect driving conditions.
Don't like the car outside your doorstep or on the driveway?
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Check out Sun Motors' selection of the best and most affordable luxury cars for sale in time for summer.
Why buy a luxury car? Because you're worth it. Prestige cars – like those featured below – look better, feel better and drive better than your average car.
Luxury cars aren't just bought with the heart but involve the head, too.
When you buy used, you're getting a bargain, with the original owner taking the hit.
If you're searching for an inexpensive luxury car, Sun Motors gives you access to the UK's best selection of premium cars.
You'll find luxury cars from all manufacturers for sale at competitive prices. In fact, we've found some seriously cheap luxury cars that won't break the bank.
Here's our top-five affordable luxury cars…
What is a luxury car?
Luxury cars are, as their name suggests, a cut above your bog-standard, basic models. You'll find bigger and better engines, refined looks, better interiors and enjoy a smoother driving experience.
There are companies that specialise in building prestige, performance cars like Rolls Royce, Aston Martin, Maserati etc. These are all considered luxury cars.
You'll also find that pretty many of the established names like Mercedes Benz, BMW, VW, Audi, Ford and more produce luxury rages. Some of these are featured below, like the S Class, a luxury executive car that oozes class and sophistication.
Most car brands also produce luxury versions of standard models. The Golf GTIi is a good example of how a manufacturer can improve the engine, internals and externals to transform a good one into a truly great one.
Buying a used luxury car
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but luxury cars look good. (Or at least, they should do!) Nobody is going to argue that a Porsche Cayman isn't perfection, are they?
Luxury cars should be as attractive on the inside as the outside, with fine internal fittings, comfortable seats, and ultra cool in-car-entertainment.
You'll also find a more powerful engine, precision steering, super smooth suspension and higher levels of driving technology.
Depreciation on a luxury car can be massive. When you buy a used luxury car, you're getting a huge amount of engineering and performance at a much lower price tag.
Top 5 affordable luxury cars
This is our list of the best and most affordable luxury cars for sale today. This list isn't scientific or based on any fixed criteria. That's the point with a luxury car, it's about your personality…
Range Rover Evoque
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Model: Range Rover Evoque
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Considered an 'entry level' Range Rover, the Evoque was still over £40,000 when new – and it feels it. The crossover SUV is a firm favourite among families, yummy mummies and what we used to call yuppies (ask your dad).
The Evoque is a proper luxury car and, for us, is a better investment than the BMW X3. (Opinions on this may differ.) It's luxurious inside, with amazing in-car entertainment and a smooth ride all around.
This used-approved 2020 Evoque is top of budget at £25,000, but that's still a bit of a bargain.
Porsche Boxster
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Model: Porsche Boxster
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Who doesn't love the Porsche Boxster? It's a super capable mid-engine roadster that tears up the road. 'Sensationally to drive and beautifully built,' is WhatCar's opinion and it's all true.
The Porsche Boxster is a super convertible. This 2015 Porsche Boxster Convertible is a shade over £25k, but with some careful negotiation could get you closer to "affordable" levels.
Open top cruising probably doesn't get any cooler.
Mercedes S Class
Model: Mercedes S Class
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The ultimate executive car? Lexus might disagree, but the S-Class range of sedans and coupes has been carrying the rich and powerful around for over 50 years.
They are exquisitely built and near silent while driving. Under the bonnet of every S-Class is a finely tuned beast.
A brand new S-Class can easily run you over £100,000 – but you can pick up a used bargain. This awesome Mercedes-Benz S Class 2.9 S350L d AMG Line car comes in at around £23,000 – which is an amazing price for this 9-speed, diesel-powered beast.
BMW 6 series
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Model: BMW 6 series
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The BMW 6 series is classed as a grand tourer and is built for cross-continental journeys on those unregulated German motorways. But don't worry, it'll also fit in just as well in the Lidl car park.
The BMW 6 series is no longer in production, being replaced by the 8 Series. That means you can pick up a bit of a bargain. It's summer, so our choice is this BMW 6 SERIES 3.0 640d M Sport Convertible. You get a super convertible with the all-important M-series badge on the back.
If you don't buy it, I might.
Jaguar XE
Model: Jaguar XE
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Jaguar is the quintessential luxury car to any kid brought up in the 70s and 80s. It may no longer be British-owned, but the brand is as part of our culture as apologising for nothing in particular.
Jaguar executive care, like the Jaguar XE, can lose a huge amount of value in the first 3 years – in some cases, almost 50%.
Spare your tears for the sad banker and instead start looking for a bargain, like this 2019 JAGUAR XE 2.0 [250] R-Sport. The 250 in brackets refers to the 250 horsepower, turbocharged petrol engine. The R-Sport trim describes the aggressive and sporty styling which continues inside.
Trust us, arrive in this luxury car and you'll turn heads at the golf club.
Luxury car FAQs
What are some luxury car brands?
When you think of luxury cars, you naturally think of prestige brands like Jaguar, Porsche, Aston Martin, Range Rover, etc. These are all luxury car brands. You'll also find mainstream brands like Mercedes Benz, BMW, VW and any other you can think of with luxury lines, as well.
Cheapest luxury cars to look out for
A cheap luxury car isn't necessarily a great thing because they're notoriously complex to work on and costly to fix. Instead, let's look at the biggest depreciation. We can see the Maserati Levante, Audi A8, Audi S6, Maserati Ghibli are all luxury cars that lose *a lot* of value, says AutoExpress.
If you're looking for bargain luxury cars that won't break the bank, check out our list above!
What is luxury car tax?
The luxury car tax is an additional £425 levy applied to any car that costs over £40,000 when new. Introduced in 2017, the increase in vehicle excise duty (VED).
The increased cost is paid for 5 years. New cars are sold with a year's VED paid, so the luxury car tax is paid from when the car is 1 year old to 6 years old.
Does luxury car tax apply to second-hand cars? Sadly, yes, the luxury car tax covers used cars, too.
Are luxury cars more expensive to insure?
Yes. Bigger, more powerful and more expensive cars will cost you more money to insure than a smaller car. But the total price you pay depends on more than the make and model of car but your circumstances, age, driving history and more.
In the end, many people think a few extra quid a month to insure a prestige car is money well spent, and who are we to argue?
Buying a used car? Check out Sun Motors and find your next vehicle today. Whether you're looking for automatic, manual or electric, use Sun Motors to decide on your next model.