What car should I buy quiz: Let a motors expert help you find your next motor as we reveal the BEST overall choice

FROM the most boring family saloon to super exciting single-seat sports cars, I’ve driven my fair share of cars, and it’s helped me to understand some of the things that make a great motor. 

Picking your perfect car involves setting your budget and then finding a car with the practicality and performance you need.

This quiz has 7 key questions for you to answer. Jot them down and we’ll provide some scores at the end…

1. What’s your budget? (If you don’t know, use your car finance checker)
2. How many seats do you need? 
3. What’s more important: price or performance?
4. Do you want a petrol or diesel car?
5. Where will you do most of your driving? (City, motorway, countryside, or a mix of all three?)
6. Have you got a preferred make or model in mind, or want to search the whole market?
7. Do you want to search the UK’s largest selection of high-quality used cars?

Congratulations, you’ve scored 100.

These 7 things are the essential questions every car buyer should ask themselves before starting the search. You set your budget, list out your requirements, and start searching…

Which car should I buy quiz: Check out Sun Motors Vehicle Reviews

The quiz above can help you draw up a shortlist of suitable motors. Once you’ve drawn it up, use Sun Motors’ car reviews to get expert insights into the pros, cons and real-world performance of the UK’s most popular cars.

We’ve got hundreds of used car reviews that include:

• Pros: A realistic review of the good points of this used car. 
• Cons: An honest appraisal of any bad points you need to know about.
• Driving experience: Learn what the car is like on the road from someone who has driven it, including handling, performance, and fuel economy.
• Safety: The safety features of the used car will be listed with details on what’s included and what’s not – and why that matters.
• Specifications: Learn about the specs, covering everything from engine size to in-car entertainment.
• Alternatives: See a handpicked selection of other used vehicles you should consider that are a similar size, specification, and cost.
• Pricing: And, finally, you’ll get industry insider advice on the all-important price range for the car according to our experts.

What is the best used car to buy overall?

Practical? Check. Affordable? Check. Reliable? Check. Fashionable? Err, maybe…

All these things – and more – can be used to describe my favourite used car, the old(er) Dacia Duster.

Model: Dacia Duster

It’s a great family car that’s also a fairly capable country car (especially if you invest in the rarer 4×4 version). 

In the city, the elevated driving position provides great visibility. As a crossover, the carrying capacity is great.

It’s pretty economical, too, with the (now unpopular) diesel version doing over 40mpg.

It gets even better when you realise you can pick up a 10-year-old car for £3,000, and a modern, low-mileage 2021 Duster for £13,000.

Dacia owners are like Millwall fans. Everyone hates them, and they don’t care. 

Don’t judge them until you’ve driven a hundred miles in their shoes… If you do, you’ll probably buy a Dacia too.

Which used car should I buy quiz

You’re an adult (we hope) and have control of all your faculties, so you can choose to buy any car you want. 

Here are some of *my* favourite used cars for each of these core categories.

Best used city car​

Model: Skoda Fabia

The Skoda Fabia is a great-looking little car that’s practical, safe and reliable.

You’ll have no trouble getting in and out of tight parking space. So, it’s small, but it is actually reasonably sized inside and will carry four people in relative comfort. 

The Skoda Fabia isn’t a blow-your-socks-off city car like the Audi A1, for example, but it’s cheaper to buy and run.

When it inevitably loses a wing mirror or picks up a dent or scratch, you won’t be as bothered.

We really like the bolder colours like this striking blue 2019 Skoda Fabia 1.0 TSI for a few quid under £10,000.

Best used for rural driving 

Model: Subaru Forester

Modern Range Rovers aren’t the rugged beasts of the past (unless you’re paying for premium models), so we’re going for the Subaru Forester.

These are a farmer’s favourite, with a bullet-proof engine and incredible build quality.

Top Gear calls it “comfy, spacious and dependable”, which is what you want from a rural runaround. Reliability, too, is amazing. It’s not the most refined driving experience and the interior can leave you a bit cold, but countryside folk aren’t worried about looks. Resale value is great as well.

The most recent hybrid engine Foresters are good cars, but we’re going old school with the 2023 Subaru Forester.

Buying a used car? Find cars for under £150 on Sun Motors here.

Best used car for first-time drivers

Model: Ford Fiesta

Join generations of new drivers with the Ford Fiesta. First-time drivers will want a low-cost car that’s affordable to insure.

You’ll also want a small and reliable motor to keep running costs and insurance down. The Fiesta does all this (and more).

It was a sad day in 2023 when Ford pulled the plug on the Fiesta, but that means you can pick up a bargain.

New drivers should focus on the smaller 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine Fiestas, like this sporty and pretty stunning 2017 Ford Fiesta 1.0T EcoBoost ST-Line.

Best used family car

Model: Citroen C3

The Citroen C3 is a cool and compact city car that’s just about big enough to fit a young family in.

Classed as a supermini, it’s surprisingly spacious. The quirky, box-style shape works (for me) and the proportions are great. 

When you drive it, it’s fairly basic and a little bit boring, but it will get your family from A to B without much fuss.

Citroen has shrugged off its reputation for poor reliability, says WhatCar?, with the brand building some excellent cars.

Check out this nearly new, 2019 Citroen C3 hatchback. It’s a lot of car for £6,995 and with just 63,000 miles on the clock, it’s ready for a few more family holidays…  

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Best used luxury cars

Model: Range Rover Evoque

This is where personal preference takes over, so feel free to ignore my choice.

But, if you’re looking for a car that will do everything, go anywhere and look good while doing it, then you’re talking about a Range Rover Evoque.

It’s the smallest Range Rover, but you still get the premium feel and prestige badge you want.

This 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque is at the affordable end for a Range Rover and looks fantastic for the price. 

Best used small car

Model: Kia Picanto

Kia changed the game with its massive 7-year warranty, which was either huge confidence in the quality of its cars or the worst business mistake of all time.

Turns out to be the former and we’re huge fans of its small car, the Kia Picanto.

It’s small, smart and built to a high standard. It could easily have been our choice of the best city car.

While small engine Picantos might run out of puff on the motorway, the 1.2-litre engine is more than enough to keep up with traffic.

The Kia Picanto 1.0 is an affordable and sporty small car with extra points for the gold paint job.

Best sports car

Model: Ferrari 296

When it comes to comparing sports cars, there’s no point in thinking rationally about it. Heart beats head and all that. While Sun Motors is full of affordable, reliable, and sensible cars, you can also find beasts like this 2022 Ferrari 296.

Sure, you could buy a whole street of terraced homes in a provincial northern town for the £170k asking price, but could they do over 200mph? No.

If we’re talking about affordable sporty cars, we’d go for the Audi TT. So it’s technically a roadster, but there are so many on the market, you can pick up a bargain.

Best bargain car

Model: Ford Edge

Car supermarkets and online dealers mean it’s harder than ever to pick up a used car bargain, but they are out there. Our tip is to find a discontinued model from a trusted manufacturer. Think Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Astra, or (as seen above) the Audi TT. 

We’re going properly leftfield and recommending the Ford Edge. Haven’t heard of it? This super-sized SUV wasn’t a hit in the UK, which means if you want a family car that’s mainly used for motorway miles, there are few better.

This souped-up 2017 Ford Edge is an attractive alternative to your Range Rovers, BMW X3s and other school-gate SUVs.

Best car for pet owners

Model: Ford Edge

Muddy paws, mucky fur and manky blankets are no match for the Skoda Fabia Estate. It’s a strange-looking, but supremely effective people and pet carrier. 

This low-mileage 2018 Skoda Fabia Estate is spacious, slick with its silver paint job, and is around £220 per month. 

Skodas are built to be run for hundreds of thousands of miles. You could transport your pampered pooch in a top-of-the-range Range Rover, but you know as well as we do that they’ll ruin it. So why bother? 

Get a Skoda Fabia Estate, enjoy it for 10 years of stress-free motoring and then move on. 

If you’re interested in more options you can check out our best cars for dog owners round-up.

Car buying FAQs

Here are some of the most common questions we’re asked about buying a used car.

When is best to buy a used car?

When you need one and can afford one! In the end, the market for used cars is, like any market, about supply and demand. You’ll find that campervans and convertibles are cheaper in the winter. But not by much. 

If you’re looking for the perfect time to buy a used car, it’s today…

What’s the best mileage on a used car?

In the past, high mileage was a huge warning sign. Today, not so much. 

What’s more important is a full-service history and an understanding of how the miles were driven and by who. 

A low-mileage hire car driven (badly) by hundreds of users will be a worse buy than a high-mileage vehicle that’s mostly done on long motorway runs. 

Ask questions of the dealer, check out the MOT history and (if possible) inspect the car for signs of wear and tear. 

Discover our experts’ top 5 best-mileage used cars that will go the distance and find out what mileage is good on a second-hand car.

Where to buy used cars

Obviously, the answer is Sun Motors! You’ll find the UK’s best selection of used cars, including popular makes and models from Ford, Kia, Skoda, Dacia, Audi, BMW, Range Rover and any number of other brands I can’t remember. 

Sun Motors makes buying a used car stress-free. Select your model, chat with your dealer and apply and agree on finance in one place. 

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.