Motoring expert Richard Aucock reviews six cars that are available on the Motability Scheme for no Advance Payment, including a clever seven-seater, several practical SUVs and a fun small car for less than your weekly allowance.
The Motability Scheme price list is updated every three months. The prices shown here are valid between January 1 and March 31 2026. Remember, prices can go up or down.
The Motability Scheme is a great way to lease a safe, reliable and practical new car. The many new models that are available for no or low Advance Payment are particularly appealing. This means you can get into a brand new car with no Advance Payment at all.
Leasing a new car through the Motability Scheme is an exciting prospect. The latest cars are better than ever thanks to the growth of technology. They are packed with high-tech features that make driving easier, safer and more comfortable. A new car on the Motability Scheme looks after you and other road users while you drive. They also make motoring more fun!
Because petrol and diesel cars are being phased out from 2030, I have included some electric cars (also known as EVs) here. More affordable EVs are being added to the Motability Scheme all the time.
Remember, when you lease your first electric vehicle, Motability Scheme customers with off-street parking can get a home charger installed at no extra cost. This means you can charge at home in the most cost-effective way. You can start each day with a fully charged battery.
If you cannot have a home chargepoint installed, you’ll get a subscription to bp pulse, giving you access to the UK’s largest public charging network. All EV customers will also receive a Motability Go Charge card. This gives easy access to more than 65,000 public chargers in the UK.
I have also included petrol-powered cars available for no Advance Payment here too, for those who are not yet ready to make the switch. And whether it is petrol, diesel or an electric car lease, all cars come with the Motability Scheme’s all-inclusive lease package. This includes insurance, road tax, servicing and breakdown cover.
These are my choices for cars with no Advance Payment this quarter, but there are plenty more new cars available on the Motability Scheme to suit all needs. Read on to be inspired about your next new mobility car!
Kia Picanto
What sort of car is it?
The Kia Picanto is a stylish small car that’s ideal for city streets. It is less than 3.6 metres long, so it is really easy to park. Despite its compact size, it still has five doors and a roomy rear seat. Best of all, it costs less than your weekly allowance, at just £75.25 a week.
Why is it so popular?
This Kia Picanto is the appealing GT-Line version. It has a sporty appearance that certainly cuts a dash. I love the LED light bar at the front, which helps you safely be seen out on the road. The 1.0-litre engine can do nearly 50mpg, so should help keep fuel bills in check.
I’m really impressed with how much space there is in the back of the Kia Picanto. It can easily take two adults, despite being so compact on the outside. There’s a lot of equipment too, including an 8.0-inch touchscreen. This includes a handy reversing camera. The Kia Picanto has a 255-litre boot, which is a good size for such a compact car. Fold the rear seats flat and this expands to over 1,000 litres.
View the Kia Picanto
Alternatives to consider: The Dacia Spring is another car that costs less than your weekly allowance, at just £70 a week. It is an electric car and has recently been updated. The better battery gives a longer range between charges.
Vauxhall Frontera
What sort of car is it?
The Vauxhall Frontera is a new car from this well-liked British brand. It is a spacious small SUV with a cool, rugged appearance. You can have it with a hybrid petrol engine, or the electric model I’ve chosen here. This car is the well-equipped GS version, and available for no Advance Payment.
Why is it so popular?
The Vauxhall Frontera replaces the Vauxhall Crossland, a previously popular car available on the Scheme. The Frontera is a bit longer, measuring nearly 4.4 metres overall. It has a bold appearance and many will like the high-set seating position. GS models get extra-comfortable front seats, scientifically designed to aid long-distance comfort.
This electric version has a range of nearly 190 miles. The Vauxhall ‘Electric All-In’ package helps make the switch as easy as possible. Other convenient features include a 10.0-inch touchscreen, automatic air conditioning and a wireless charger for your mobile phone. When I tried out the Frontera recently, I was also really impressed with its practicality. There’s loads of space in the rear seats and the 460-litre boot is really well-shaped
View the Vauxhall Frontera
Alternatives to consider: The Kia Niro is a good alternative if you prefer a hybrid-powered car. It is spacious, with a decent boot, and the hybrid engine tech gives claimed fuel economy of over 60mpg. It is currently available for no Advance Payment
Mini Countryman
What sort of car is it?
The Mini Countryman is the largest car made by this iconic British brand. Measuring over 4.4 metres long, it is a family-sized SUV with plenty of space inside. The electric Countryman E is currently available on the Motability Scheme for no Advance Payment.
Why is it so popular?
The Mini Countryman is a really classy car. It looks smart on the outside, and the interior is very high quality. I love the big round central touchscreen, which harks back to the original Mini. It has a lovely open-plan feel and it is calming to sit in. The use of fabric on the dashboard is a nice touch that makes it feel warm and welcoming.
Passengers are treated to plenty of space, with lots of leg and head room. The sliding rear seat is convenient. The 460-litre boot is practical and well-shaped. The rear seats have a 40/20/40 split-fold layout, with up to 1,450 litres available with them folded down. A large 66kWh battery gives a generous EV range of up to 287 miles.
View the Mini Countryman
Alternatives to consider: If you would rather have a petrol-powered family SUV, the Omoda 5 is an interesting choice. It has distinctive styling and a really well-equipped interior, and is available for no Advance Payment.
Renault Symbioz
What sort of car is it?
The Renault Symbioz is a mid-size SUV powered by a choice of hybrid petrol engines. It is a bigger alternative to the Renault Captur, with more rear seat space and a roomier boot. This 1.3 TCe Techno version is currently available on the Motability Scheme for no Advance Payment.
Why is it so popular?
The Renault Symbioz is another really good-looking SUV from the popular brand. It has sharp lines and distinctive LED lights at the front. Inside, it comes with a large 10.4-inch touchscreen. It is equipped with Google built-in tech, including Google Maps. I think it is a superb system, and you can even download apps from the Google Play store.
A standout feature of the Renault Symbioz is its rear seat space. It actually has a sliding rear seat, so you can choose between maximum boot space or rear passenger room. Even with the rear seat fully back, there is a useful 492-litre boot space. Slide it fully forward and it expands to a massive 624 litres! This flexible spaciousness really helps set the Symbioz apart.
View the Renault Symbioz
Alternatives to consider: The British-built Nissan Qashqai is a good alternative to the Renault Symbioz. It is currently available on the Motability Scheme for an Advance Payment of just £149.
Ford Puma
What sort of car is it?
The Ford Puma is the best-selling car in the country. Thousands of people choose a new one each month, thanks to its all-round blend of talents. This petrol-powered Titanium model is currently available on the Motability Scheme for no Advance Payment.
Why is it so popular?
The Ford Puma has plenty going for it. For starters, it looks smart, with a curvaceous take on the small SUV design. The interior is really well-designed, with a perfect driving position and high-set seats. I love the extra-large 12.0-inch touchscreen system, which has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 1.0-litre mild hybrid petrol engine has official claimed fuel economy of over 52mpg.
The Ford Puma is practical, too. It has decent rear seat space and a really roomy 456-litre boot. It even has extended underfloor space in the boot, called the Ford MegaBox. This deep, wide space is surprisingly useful and unique to the Ford Puma. Other handy features include rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. The heated windscreen comes into its own on frosty winter mornings as well.
View the Ford Puma
Alternatives to consider: The Jeep Avenger is an interesting alternative to the Ford Puma. It too is a compact SUV with an economical petrol engine capable of nearly 49mpg. Like the Puma, it is currently available on the Motability Scheme for no Advance Payment.
Dacia Jogger
What sort of car is it?
The Dacia Jogger is a very clever family car. It combines estate car practicality with crossover SUV styling cues. It also has seven seats, across three rows. Each row is mounted higher than the one in front, so everyone gets a good view out. It is yet another car currently available on the Motability Scheme for no Advance Payment.
Why is it so popular?
The Dacia Jogger is a smartly-designed car. For the driver, it feels more car-like to drive, and some will appreciate the lower, more accessible seating position. The middle row of seats is extremely roomy, and the third row are OK if you’re not too tall. These seats fold flat into the floor, and they can also be removed to expand boot space further.
With all seats in use, the Dacia Jogger has a 212-litre boot. Fold the third row and it grows to 565 litres. Fold the middle row as well and there’s more than 1,800 litres of space. Few regular cars are this roomy! And if you need to carry even more, ingenious modular roof bars can take a roof box weighing up to 80kg. The 1.0-litre engine officially averages a decent 47mpg and it is turbocharged to serve up decent pulling power.
View the Dacia Jogger
Alternatives to consider: The Citroen C3 Aircross is another surprise seven-seater. Hybrid versions are available with a third row of seats as an option. It is worth chatting to your local dealer to find out more.
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*About the writer
Richard Aucock has been a professional motoring writer since 1998. He’s written about the car industry for the Motability Scheme since 2009. He has many key roles in the motoring world, including the UK juror for AUTOBEST, a juror for the World Car Awards, and Vice Chair of the Guild of Motoring Writers. Richard is also the director of Motoring Research, a leading UK publisher in the industry.
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