Best Motability cars with nil deposit
High-quality cars with no deposit on the Motability Scheme from rated and reviewed dealers
Best Motability cars with no deposit of 2025
The Motability scheme was introduced in 1972, to provide people with disabilities and reduced mobility affordable access to a new car. And while there are all sorts of cars you can access through the scheme, even posh saloons and large SUVs, they won鈥檛 be to everyone鈥檚 budget. That鈥檚 where Motability cars with zero deposit come in.
These are cars which can be acquired through the scheme without having to make any initial payment, which means you鈥檒l only have the monthly payments to consider. For young drivers or people who can鈥檛 afford to pay a lump sum outright, access to a car with no down payment will make a world of difference.
Somewhere around 20% of the cars sold in the UK are acquired via the Motability scheme, and instead of purchasing the vehicle directly from a manufacturer, the cars are leased via Motability and the Government, jointly. And it鈥檚 not just people with reduced mobility who are entitled to a car via the scheme, but carers too.
Once the lease period is over, Motability sells the cars on the second hand market and re-invests the proceedings into services and schemes in place to aid disabled people, carrying the benefits on long after the cars have served their purpose.
All of the cars available via the Motability scheme have been tested extensively by our expert reviews team, including the options available with no deposit. We鈥檝e put together this list of the ten best cars you can choose from without having to pay a penny until your first instalment, but if you鈥檙e happy to spend a bit extra in the name of poshness then check out this list of ten best Motability cars for all budgets.
Just because you鈥檙e budget-conscious doesn鈥檛 mean you鈥檙e forced to purchase a small car with little in the way of versatility. The Dacia Jogger is one of the best value for money propositions on sale today, and while the entry-level model does look and feel rather spartan, it鈥檚 a bona fide seven seater with room for the whole family.
It鈥檚 a quirky looking thing, combining styling traits from hatchbacks, estate cars and chunky SUVs into one big, unique package - with a surprisingly large amount of road presence. Base models come equipped with steel wheels and plastic wheel covers which might not appeal to some, but what they lack in posh design touches they make up for in standard kit.
Essential spec cars - the only ones available with no deposit - come with cruise control, rear parking sensors, bluetooth and digital radio. is In lieu of a touchscreen, you have to install an app onto your smartphone and use the built-in smartphone cradle.
It may feel somewhat basic and utilitarian, but the Jogger鈥檚 interior is very roomy, with miles of headroom and leg space in every row. The third row is comfortable and can take two full-sized adults in comfort on long journeys, flip forwards for more bootspace, or can be removed entirely for enormous carrying capacity.
You鈥檇 be forgiven for thinking a budget-friendly seven seater makes concessions on the driving front, but you鈥檇 be wrong in this case. The Jogger is very comfortable to potter around town in, thanks to its soft suspension.
The 1.0-litre petrol engine available on the Essential trim level is equipped with a manual gearbox, and while it鈥檚 adequate for one or two passengers, you鈥檒l feel the motor strain a little with seven adults and a boot full of luggage.
It struggles getting the Jogger up to motorway speeds - don鈥檛 even think about going for a fast overtake - but at a steady cruise the Jogger is perfectly adept at soaking up motorway lumps and bumps. Hustling it along a country road isn鈥檛 fun, but it feels grippy and secure, so you鈥檙e best off at a moderate speed.
The Clio is the best of the breed when it comes to posh, small hatchbacks at the minute - and it鈥檚 a stellar example of a budget car that鈥檚 punching above its weight. It鈥檚 a smart looking thing, and even the entry-level Evolution model is rather well equipped, but you鈥檙e limited to the hybrid model on the Motability scheme.
It鈥檚 one of the sleekest-looking small cars on sale, with striking arrow-shaped LED running lights flanking the front end, and a big front grille with an equally bold Renault badge. The rear isn't quite as pointy, but it鈥檚 a handsome little car nonetheless.
The entry-level car doesn鈥檛 come with the large portrait infotainment system that the higher-spec models do, but you still get a 7.0-inch touchscreen display with built-in sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Rear parking sensors are standard too, as is cruise control.
Front seat space is good, though the back seats aren鈥檛 all that roomy. Taller adults will struggle with their knees rubbing up against the front seats, and there isn鈥檛 that much headroom either.
There鈥檚 a decent amount of door-bin storage and front cubby space, but it鈥檚 the Clio鈥檚 boot space which is impressive at 301-litres. It鈥檚 just a shame the hybrid version loses out on 90 litres compared to the petrol-powered car.
It鈥檚 a great little engine though, highly fuel efficient and with plenty of pep for the Clio鈥檚 diminutive size. 145hp may not sound like much, but it鈥檚 plenty of power to dart around town in and it makes it easy to get up to motorway speeds - even if it is a bit noisy when doing so.
Once you鈥檙e at a cruise the engine settles down, and while some alternatives are more comfortable at high speeds, the Clio handles long journeys with ease. It doesn鈥檛 soak up bumpy stretches of motorways as well as some alternatives though.
The Clio but it鈥檚 still more fun to drive than other small hatchbacks thanks to its stiffer suspension. It鈥檚 a shame the steering is so light though, because while it helps manoeuvring in town, the lack of steering feel means the Clio feels less agile than it could on a good road.
The Fabia is a staple Skoda product, and it distills the Czech brand鈥檚 鈥楽imply Clever鈥 mantra into a practical, easy to live with city car. It鈥檚 far from exciting, it鈥檚 not fast and it鈥檚 not posh either, but the Fabia is quite simply a good car.
That being said, the latest model is the sharpest the Fabia has ever looked, even in the lowest-rung SE spec you can choose with no Motability deposit. LED headlights and taillights, crisp body lines and the typical Skoda 鈥榤oustache鈥 grille bestow the Fabia a modern look, if a little bland.
The interior is a similar story, crisp and well laid out, but circular air vents aside it鈥檚 all quite uninspired. SE cars do come equipped with a touchscreen infotainment setup though, with DAB, Bluetooth, a pair of USB-C charging ports and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity.
It鈥檚 a shame that there鈥檚 a fair amount of hard plastics scattered around, but the seats are very comfortable and highly adjustable, and there鈥檚 lots of headroom and legroom throughout the cabin. The rear ISOFIX points are easy to access, so making the most of the rear bench space with a child seat is easy. The boot is spacious too - at 380 litres it鈥檚 a good chunk bigger than the Renault Clio hybrid.
For zero deposit you can only have the Fabia with a 1.0-litre engine and manual gearbox, though if you鈥檙e after an auto that can be had for a modest 拢199 up front payment, and while it won鈥檛 win any races it鈥檚 perfectly adequate for such a small car.
Town driving is easy thanks to the Fabia鈥檚 tight turning circle and soft suspension soaking up bumps, and while it can take a while to get up to motorway speeds the Fabia settles comfortably into a cruise with little in the way of wind and road noise. Twisty roads aren鈥檛 fun, but as a relaxed car to potter about in the Fabia does very well.
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As far as little cars go, the Citroen e-C3 might just be the most attention-grabbing one on sale. Chunky baby-SUV proportions, fun interior design and funky exterior touches make for a small car that stands out from the crowd.
Unlike a lot of the cars available through Motability, you also get a choice of engine options while still staying at the zero-deposit threshold. You can have the e-C3, which is Citroen鈥檚 most affordable electric car, or the petrol-powered C3 should you often drive long distances or not have access to EV charging.
Aggressive C-shaped LED headlights and taillights on all four corners, chunky body cladding and a slightly raised ride height give the small Citroen a tougher stance than you鈥檇 expect from such a small car, without looking kitschy or contrived.
The interior is basic without feeling nasty. The multi-tiered dashboard masks its harder plastic surfaces with a swathe of funky fabric, a great touch, and the standard-fit 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible. While it鈥檚 a rather narrow cabin, there鈥檚 plenty of headroom and the boot is a useful 310-litre size.
The e-C3鈥檚 piece de resistance is in its comfort, thanks not only to its highly adjustable seats but also its pillowy suspension. It doesn鈥檛 try to be overtly sporty - ignoring the 鈥楽鈥 in SUV - ironing out lumpy, bumpy and cracked roads.
Motorways aren鈥檛 quite as comfortable as town driving, with the e-C3 feeling slightly unsettled in a crosswind and on badly paved stretches of road. Country lanes aren鈥檛 as nerve-wracking as you may expect from an upright car with such soft suspension, but are best taken at a moderate pace.
It鈥檚 a shame that the claimed range is a lowly 199 miles, and in our experience you鈥檒l see between 155-160 miles to a charge. The e-C3 is best enjoyed in town then, unless you鈥檙e a fan of motorway services.
The Peugeot 208 is one of the most desirable small cars on sale, with enough poshness and style about it to consider against bigger, more expensive alternatives. It might just be the most luxurious-feeling zero-deposit car you can get through Motability.
The styling is modern and crisp, with a sharp front end featuring the enormous signature three claw LED running lights and a big, intricate front grille. The side-profile has a hint of retro Peugeot 205 about it while the colour contrasting wheel arches and joined-up taillights add a hint of sportiness to the 208.
It gets even better inside, with an oh-so stylish cabin featuring an intricate dashboard design, luxurious-feeling controls and a small, chunky steering wheel perched underneath the digital driver鈥檚 display. The standard-fit touchscreen is Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatible too.
Unfortunately it鈥檚 a very tight interior, both front and rear, feeling particularly narrow and with not much headroom. Rear legroom is particularly tight, though the 311-litre boot is on par with its alternatives.
The small steering wheel is part of the reason the 208 is fun to drive around town, making direction changes feel particularly darty, and the entry-level Allure model (the only zero-deposit option) is by far the most comfortable of the lot.
Even the basic 1.2-litre engine feels peppy, and getting up to motorway speeds is no bother for the little Peugeot. The Renault Clio is more fun on a twisty road though.
Only the second electric car on this list, the Skoda Elroq is a different kettle of fish to the much smaller Citroen e-C3. It鈥檚 much larger and more practical as a result, but it鈥檚 also not as characterful.
The Elroq is a sleek-looking thing, with Skoda鈥檚 latest design cues such as the slender headlight/front 鈥榞rille鈥 panel combo, crisp lines and point taillights. It鈥檚 not the most interesting car to look at, but it鈥檚 handsome in an understated way.
The interior is just as slick, with a simple dashboard that curves underneath the standard-fit 13-inch display and lots of open storage space underneath the 鈥榝loating鈥 centre console. Again, it鈥檚 not particularly interesting, but aside from some scratchy plastics it鈥檚 a solid-feeling and well-designed cabin.
The seats are comfortable and there are lots of clever cubbies both front and back. The boot is not only a useful 470-litre capacity but it also has some nifty features such as shelves above the rear wheels and charging cable storage under the parcel shelf.
The zero-deposit SE model has a 232-mile electric range, and while its soft suspension soaks up small bumps and holes in the road in town, big speedbumps and motorway dips do unsettle the Elroq just a touch. Twisty roads are fine if uneventful, but again, larger dips on a bend do shake the Elroq around a little.
Though the Skoda Elroq is bigger and the e-C3 is quirkier, the SEAT Arona is the only one of the three that looks properly off-roady. It鈥檚 far from an action-ready 4x4, but the SEAT certainly looks the part, doesn鈥檛 it?
Rufty-tufty body cladding, a jacked-up ride height and chunky detailing on the roof gives the Arona a properly butch appearance, and it鈥檚 one of the most convincingly-styled baby-SUVs you can buy. There are some rather funky two-tone colour options available which help the Arona to stand out even more.
Funky details such as light-up vent surrounds and silver trims brighten up an otherwise straightforward interior, and the SE Technology trim which can be had with zero deposit comes with a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system as standard as well as a quite of driver assistance systems such as lane assist, collision warning and rear parking sensors.
Comfortable, highly adjustable front seats are a plus but tight legroom in the back of the Arona are a bit of an annoyance for long journeys. The 400-litre boot is also smaller than a lot of the Arona鈥檚 alternatives at this size, though it is a usefully square shape.
It鈥檚 a little bit firm over bumps and potholes, but the Arona鈥檚 steering is light enough to make it a breeze to manoeuvre around town. It feels sportier on a twisty road than you might expect from a small SUV, partly down to its stiff suspension but also because the light steering still does a good job of communicating how much grip the front wheels have.
Much like its smaller 208 stablemate, the Peugeot 2008 brings a hefty dose of style and poshness to the range of zero-deposit Motability cars. It鈥檚 pretty much the 208 on stilts, with a taller ride height and a bit more space inside.
It has many of the same design cues on the outside too, from the LED running lights and small taillights to black cladding all around - though in rugged plastic here as opposed to gloss black paint.
The interior is almost identical to the 208 too, with a 10.0-inch infotainment display perched on the dashboard and the funky, tiny steering wheel beneath the instrument display. There鈥檚 a lot more space inside than in the hatchback though, especially in terms of headroom - but rear legroom is still a little tight for tall passengers - and the 434-litre boot is a good size.
The 2008 can be had in both petrol and electric forms via Motability with no deposit, so you can choose which model best suits your needs without sacrificing on the 2008鈥檚 funky looks.
We prefer the petrol-powered version, but both models are easy to drive in town, and they鈥檙e supremely comfortable both in the city and on the motorway. Twisty roads aren鈥檛 great in the 2008 though, as it feels a little bit too soft and floaty on rough roads with noticeable body lean.
The Skoda Kamiq is one of the most incognito cars you can buy these days, making it the perfect choice if you want to blend in to traffic and get about your day in a fuss-free manner. It looks big and body, though unlike the mechanically similar SEAT Arona it does without any chunky body cladding.
The Kamiq gives off a totally different vibe to the Arona on the inside too, with less quirky details and a slightly more old-fashioned design. Not in a bad sense - the dashboard is rather handsome - it鈥檚 just very strait-laced and sensible. The standard-fit touchscreen, digital driver display and reversing camera are all nice features to have.
Plenty of storage space and a highly adjustable seat and steering wheel combo go a long way to following Skoda鈥檚 鈥楽imply Clever鈥 mantra, and there鈥檚 plenty of room for tall occupants both front and rear. The 400-litre boot is on par with its alternatives, if nothing special.
You can only get the 1.0-litre engine SE version of the Kamiq with no deposit, but it鈥檚 a solid little engine which doesn鈥檛 kick up much of a fuss when getting to up speed - though it feels more at home in town. The suspension is soft, making light work of speedbumps and potholes, but there are more fun alternatives to hustle down a winding road.
10. Suzuki Swift
Suzuki Swift reviewWhere some small cars are posh, extra stylish or super sporty, the Suzuki Swift sits happily in the middle of the lot as a solid, dependable small hatchback. It鈥檚 not very exciting, far from striking to look at and there are more exciting cars to drive, but the Swift does a good job of being a good car, plain and simple.
The exterior is a bit of a let down compared to earlier Swifts, but it鈥檚 still distinct on the road thanks to its big LED headlamps and big front grille. The interior is rather simple too, with a fuss-free dashboard and well laid-out controls.
It鈥檚 a shame that the material quality isn鈥檛 all that; hard plastics are in plentiful supply, and alternatives such as the Renault Clio and 208 have the Swift licked when it comes to poshness. It feels solid though, regardless of quality, as though the cabin will last a lifetime.
It鈥檚 rather roomy inside too, both front and back, but the boot is a tiny 265 litres. Enough for the weekly shop, but not much else.
Where the Swift stands out is in fuel efficiency, with the mild hybrid 1.2 litre engine able to easily reach 60mpg when being driven gently. It鈥檚 slow, there鈥檚 no denying that, but it鈥檚 actually a good laugh to drive on a twisty road. It鈥檚 just a shame that the Swift is a bit stiff around town and that there鈥檚 a bit too much wind and tyre noise on the motorway.
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