Real Car Prices
The prices that buyers pay are not usually the prices that car manufacturers set as the Manufacturer Recommended Price (or List Price). Many manufacturers offer significant discounts. Even if not buying a car outright, getting a discount will reduce the monthly payments.
The prices in this article are not necessarily the lowest price that could be negotiated; they are price published as Target Prices by What Car magazine and as such should be the highest price that you should realistically pay. Advise on getting the best price is available on my Save &Thousands on a new car page.
The following table shows the current UK top 10 best selling cars (January 2021) and the typical discounts that are available;
| UK Top 10 best selling car models - January 2021 | |||||||
| Make | Model | Spec | % inflated | List Price | What Car Target Price | Saving | |
| 1 | Vauxhall | Corsa | 1.2 SE | 4.7 | £ 16,540 | £ 15,799 | £ 741 |
| 2 | Kia | Sportage | 1.6 GDi ISG 2 | 7.1 | £ 23,795 | £ 22,213 | £ 1,582 |
| 3 | Nissan | QashQai | 1.3 DiG-T N-Motion | 22.0 | £ 27,470 | £ 22,522 | £ 4,948 |
| 4 | Ford | Fiesta | 1.1 75 Trend 5dr | 8.0 | £ 17,040 | £ 15,781 | £ 1,259 |
| 5 | Volvo | XC40 | T5 Recharge PHEV Inscription | 6.3 | £ 41,450 | £ 39,011 | £ 2,439 |
| 6 | Mercedes Benz | A-Class | A180 SE | 6.4 | £ 24,095 | £ 22,652 | £ 1,443 |
| 7 | Volkswagon | Golf | 1.0 TSI Life | 7.1 | £ 23,335 | £ 21,781 | £ 1,554 |
| 8 | Ford | Puma | 1.0 EcoBoost Hybrid mHEV Titanium | 7.7 | £ 22,030 | £ 20,451 | £ 1,579 |
| 9 | Kia | Nero | 1.6 GDi PHEV | 12.6 | £ 30,515 | £ 27,110 | £ 3,405 |
| 10 | Ford | Focus | 1.0 EcoBoost 125 Zetec Edition | 8.6 | £ 23,680 | £ 21,809 | £ 1,871 |
List Prices are inflated buy as much as 22% on a Nissan QashQai and ‘only’ 4.7% on the best-selling Vauxhall Corsa. If you are buying a new car use the available websites to see what discounts are available before placing your order. If the dealer you are buying from isn’t prepared to give a discount then go to a different dealer, or buy though an online site; often the dealer will offer a discount via car buying website that is greater than you can get going to them directly.
Here is a list of more cars and the What Car target prices to give an illustration of the size of discounts that are available;
| Make | Model | Spec | % inflated | List Price | What Car Target Price | Saving |
| Alfa Romeo | Stelvio | 2.0 Turbo 200 Super [Xenon] | 3.7 | £ 41,255 | £ 39,786 | £ 1,469 |
| Alfa Romeo | Giulia | 2.0 TB Lusso Ti | 5.6 | £ 41,495 | £ 39,304 | £ 2,191 |
| Audi | A4 | 35 TFSI Technik 4dr | 10.3 | £ 30,835 | £ 27,944 | £ 2,891 |
| Audi | A4 | 45 TFSI 265 Quattro S Line 4dr S Tronic | 10.1 | £ 43,565 | £ 39,577 | £ 3,988 |
| Audi | A6 | 40 TDI Quattro Sport | 10.5 | £ 42,250 | £ 38,221 | £ 4,029 |
| BMW | 1-Series | M135i xDrive 5dr Step Auto [Tech/Pro Pack] | 5.5 | £ 41,105 | £ 38,955 | £ 2,150 |
| BMW | 3-Series | 330e xDrive SE Pro | 7.1 | £ 41,580 | £ 38,834 | £ 2,746 |
| BMW | 5-Series | 520i MHT M Sport | 19.4 | £ 42,770 | £ 35,833 | £ 6,937 |
| Citroen | C5 | Aircross 1.2 PureTech 130 Shine | 12.2 | £ 28,055 | £ 25,015 | £ 3,040 |
| Fiat | 500X | 1.3 Sport DCT | 4.0 | £ 26,060 | £ 25,057 | £ 1,003 |
| Ford | Fiesta | 1.1 75 Trend 5dr | 8.0 | £ 17,040 | £ 15,781 | £ 1,259 |
| Ford | Focus | 1.0 EcoBoost 125 Zetec Edition | 8.6 | £ 23,680 | £ 21,809 | £ 1,871 |
| Ford | Puma | 1.0 EcoBoost Hybrid mHEV Titanium | 7.7 | £ 22,030 | £ 20,451 | £ 1,579 |
| Ford | Kuga | 2.5 PHEV ST-Line X Edition | 6.7 | £ 37,655 | £ 35,307 | £ 2,348 |
| Ford | Galaxy | 2.0 EcoBlue 190 Titanium AWD [Lux Pack] | 12.0 | £ 42,085 | £ 37,570 | £ 4,515 |
| Honda | Jazz | 1.5 i-MMD Hybrid EX | 4.3 | £ 22,185 | £ 21,278 | £ 907 |
| Honda | CR-V | 2.0 i-MMD Hybrid SE | 7.5 | £ 34,330 | £ 31,931 | £ 2,399 |
| Hyundai | i20 | 1.0T GDi 48V MHD SE Connect | 8.2 | £ 18,605 | £ 17,199 | £ 1,406 |
| Hyundai | Tuscan | 1.6 TGDi 48V MHD Premium | 6.9 | £ 31,260 | £ 29,229 | £ 2,031 |
| Hyundai | Santa Fe | 2.2 CRDi Premium 4WD | 6.6 | £ 41,420 | £ 38,854 | £ 2,566 |
| Jaguar | E-Pace | 2.0 P200 R-Dynamic SE | 5.0 | £ 41,960 | £ 39,956 | £ 2,004 |
| Jeep | Compass | 1.4 Multiair 140 Longitude | 4.2 | £ 27,100 | £ 26,017 | £ 1,083 |
| Jeep | Wrangler | 2.0 GME Sport 2dr | 3.9 | £ 41,525 | £ 39,968 | £ 1,557 |
| Kia | Picanto | 1.0 X-Line 5dr | 5.4 | £ 13,645 | £ 12,940 | £ 705 |
| Kia | Nero | 1.6 GDi PHEV | 12.6 | £ 30,515 | £ 27,110 | £ 3,405 |
| Kia | Sportage | 1.6 GDi ISG 2 | 7.1 | £ 23,795 | £ 22,213 | £ 1,582 |
| Kia | Sorento | 2.2 CRDi 3 | 3.2 | £ 41,245 | £ 39,954 | £ 1,291 |
| Land Rover | Range Rover Evoque | 2.0 P200 R-Dynamic S | 5.1 | £ 41,650 | £ 39,636 | £ 2,014 |
| Lexus | CT | 200h 1.8 | 8.4 | £ 26,275 | £ 24,249 | £ 2,026 |
| Lexus | NX | 300h 2.5 5dr CVT [Premium Plus Pack/Pan Roof] | 8.0 | £ 41,210 | £ 38,143 | £ 3,067 |
| Mazda | 3 | 2.0 e-Skyactiv G MHEV SE-L | 4.3 | £ 21,800 | £ 20,900 | £ 900 |
| Mercedes Benz | A-Class | A180 SE | 6.4 | £ 24,095 | £ 22,652 | £ 1,443 |
| Mercedes Benz | C-Class | C300e AMG Line Edition | 7.3 | £ 42,364 | £ 39,500 | £ 2,864 |
| Mercedes Benz | E-Class | E220d AMG Line Premium | 13.9 | £ 44,180 | £ 38,782 | £ 5,398 |
| Mini | 3-door | 1.5 One Classic | 3.5 | £ 16,800 | £ 16,225 | £ 575 |
| Nissan | Juke | 1.0 DiG-T 114 Visia | 9.8 | £ 18,595 | £ 16,941 | £ 1,654 |
| Nissan | QashQai | 1.3 DiG-T N-Motion | 22.0 | £ 27,470 | £ 22,522 | £ 4,948 |
| Nissan | Leaf | 110kW Acenta 40kWh | 10.5 | £ 29,845 | £ 27,007 | £ 2,838 |
| Peugeot | 108 | 1.0 72 Active 5dr | 18.1 | £ 13,185 | £ 11,162 | £ 2,023 |
| Peugeot | 3008 | 1.2 PureTech Active Premium | 5.1 | £ 27,160 | £ 25,851 | £ 1,309 |
| Renault | Clio | 1.0 SCe 65 Play 5dr | 14.6 | £ 16,195 | £ 14,127 | £ 2,068 |
| Renault | Kadjar | 1.3 TCE Iconic | 21.7 | £ 25,195 | £ 20,703 | £ 4,492 |
| Seat | Ibiza | 1.0 SE [EZ] | 24.1 | £ 16,445 | £ 13,256 | £ 3,189 |
| Seat | Arona | 1.0 TSI SE [EZ] | 27.7 | £ 18,605 | £ 14,574 | £ 4,031 |
| Skoda | Octavia | 1.0 TSI SE First Edition | 8.0 | £ 21,230 | £ 19,650 | £ 1,580 |
| Skoda | Kodiaq | 1.5 TSI SE | 7.0 | £ 26,630 | £ 24,892 | £ 1,738 |
| Smart | ForTwo | EQ 60kW EQ Premium 17kWh | 12.8 | £ 21,700 | £ 19,246 | £ 2,454 |
| Suzuki | SX4 S-Cross | 1.4 Boosterjet 48V Hybrid SZ4 | 18.1 | £ 21,249 | £ 17,999 | £ 3,250 |
| Toyota | Corolla | 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid Icon | 7.8 | £ 24,480 | £ 22,713 | £ 1,767 |
| Vauxhall | Corsa | 1.2 SE | 4.7 | £ 16,540 | £ 15,799 | £ 741 |
| Vauxhall | Insignia | 1.5 Turbo D SE | 8.9 | £ 23,795 | £ 21,845 | £ 1,950 |
| Volkswagon | Polo | 1.0 EVO 80 | 7.1 | £ 17,125 | £ 15,987 | £ 1,138 |
| Volkswagon | Golf | 1.0 TSI Life | 7.1 | £ 23,335 | £ 21,781 | £ 1,554 |
| Volkswagon | Passat | 1.5 TSI EVO SE Nav | 27.4 | £ 27,085 | £ 21,252 | £ 5,833 |
| Volvo | XC40 | T5 Recharge PHEV Inscription | 6.3 | £ 41,450 | £ 39,011 | £ 2,439 |
| Volvo | XC60 | 2.0 B5P [250] R DESIGN 5dr Geartronic | 9.8 | £ 43,635 | £ 39,752 | £ 3,883 |
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