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Best superminis for Motability 2025

Use your Motability allowance wisely, and you can get a supermini that's practical as well as fun to drive

​​​Moving up to a supermini from a city car will give you more practicality, with extra boot space and room for three in the back. As superminis have grown in size, the range of their abilities has increased, too, and many of the latest models are just as user-friendly as larger cars.

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Motability customers can also benefit from a zero advance payment on several superminis, meaning it's even easier to get behind the wheel.

Citroen e-C3

  • Model: e-C3 83kW Plus 44kWh 5dr 
  • PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
  • Advance payment: nil
  • Fuel type: electric
  • Gearbox: automatic

Not only is our 2024 Car of the Year available on Motability, but it also doesn’t require any advance payment. The Citroen e-C3 is a fully electric supermini but, apart from its powertrain, it’s actually very similar to the combustion-powered C3. This is a good thing, though, because it means this car is a terrific choice for those making their first steps towards an EV.

Rather than focusing on showy bells and whistles and aggressive performance, the e-C3 is adorned with the features you’ll actually need, while its single motor develops an adequate 111bhp and 120Nm of torque. In a way, this is a great example of less actually being more.

Renault Clio

  • Model: Clio 1.6 E-Tech full hybrid 145 Evolution 5dr Auto
  • PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
  • Advance payment: nil
  • Fuel type: hybrid
  • Gearbox: automatic
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The Renault Clio was already a firm Auto Express favourite when Renault performed its latest series of updates. Now, a striking new look, lashings of technology and an enjoyable driving experience all work in the stylish supermini’s favour. Long-gone are the days of jibes about reliability of French cars, too, because the build quality is excellent. The Clio on offer here is the hybrid-powered model, and this can achieve over 60mpg as well as lower exhaust emissions. 

Skoda Fabia 

  • Model: Fabia 1.0 TSI 116 SE Edition 5dr
  • PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
  • Advance payment: nil
  • Fuel type: petrol
  • Gearbox: manual
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As part of Skoda’s ‘simply clever’ ethos, the Fabia is a supermini that gets the essentials right and accompanies these with some genuinely useful add-ons. LED headlights, an 8.25-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, rear parking sensors, alloy wheels, air-conditioning and several advanced safety systems are included as standard, and there’s an overall feeling of quality about the cabin, too. The 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine here also remains refined at higher speeds while delivering more than 50mpg.

Vauxhall Corsa 

  • Model: Corsa 1.2 Turbo Ultimate 5dr
  • PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
  • Advance payment: nil
  • Fuel type: petrol
  • Gearbox: manual

The Vauxhall Corsa has been a staple of the British supermini market for decades, and the latest model continues the ongoing theme of approachability. It’s not the most spacious car in the class, but the Corsa should still prove stress-free to live with because it’s very easy to drive as well as economical. Vauxhall’s supermini has long been the choice of new drivers looking for their first car, too, given that the cost of insuring it isn’t usually too horrifying.

Peugeot 208

  • Model: 208 1.2 PureTech 100 Allure 5dr
  • PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
  • Advance payment: nil
  • Fuel type: petrol
  • Gearbox: manual

It would seem that the French car brands are on a stylish supermini roll at the moment. It’s not only the Renault Clio that scores big points for looks, because the Peugeot 208 is also very easy on the eye. Of course, there’s more to a car than just its appearance, so we’re pleased to say that the 208 is also very good to drive. We recommend trying this car out before signing any paperwork, though, because Peugeot’s unusual i-Cockpit layout isn’t to everyone’s tastes.

​Best superminis for Motability

Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express? We’ll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too.

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Shane is responsible for looking after the day-to-day running of the Auto Express website and social media channels. Prior to joining Auto Express in 2021, he worked as a radio producer and presenter for outlets such as the BBC.

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