Instead of having to put down many thousands of pounds as deposit, new car buyers can sign up for a new car with either no payment at all, or a low and affordable up-front sum.
What’s more, if you have an older car that’s worth less than a more modern motor, a zero deposit or low deposit car finance deal means you can still use the trade-in of your old car to take on a new deal, without having to fork out any extra.
The best zero deposit and low finance car deals are also tailored to ensure monthly payments remain affordable. For those on a budget, they are great all-round deals.
Some zero deposit or low deposit car finance deals see the car manufacturer add a so-called ‘deposit contribution’, instead of the car buyer having to fork out.
This incentive helps lower the amount of money being financed, which keeps monthly payments low.
Other zero deposit and low deposit car finance offers are PCP car deals that are tailored to take advantage of a car’s low rate of depreciation. Monthly payments can remain affordable even without a deposit, because the car will still be worth a good amount of money at the end of the deal – lowering the amount you're financing
Expertise is required to create a good zero deposit or low deposit car finance deal. Don’t simply jump in and sign up, because you could pay for any up-front savings further down the line, particularly in terms of steep monthly payments.
To help you, we are picking out the most competitive deals that are worth investigating. Check out the best zero deposit and low deposit car finance deals here and see how much you can save!
BYD's Atto 3 is a solid and quirky electric SUV, and it's available for an impressively low amount. Right now BYD is offering the car in Comfort trim for £379 a month with 0% APR and a low £379 deposit, and it'll even throw in a £3000 deposit contribution.
Deposit: £379 plus £3000 BYD deposit contribution
Monthly payments: 49 x £379 (£18,571)
Optional final payment: £13,225.50
Total payable: £34,796.50
Mileage per year: 6000
Representative APR: 0%
Deal ends: 31 October 2024
The BYD Dolphin is an able and affordable new electric car, that is even more accessible thanks to a striking low deposit deal. Pay just £289 up front for the Comfort trim, with BYD contributing a further £249 and knocking £1475 off the price, and you'll pay £289 a month with 0% representative APR.
Citroen's e-Berlingo is one of the most practical electric cars on the market, and it's available for just £339 a month for the short-wheelbase Plus model. You don't need a big deposit, either – £339 will do it, and Citroen will throw in 0% APR.
Deposit: £339
Monthly payments: 47 x £339 (£15,933)
Optional final payment: £11,249
Total payable: £27,521
Mileage per year: 8000
Representative APR: 0%
Deal ends: 28 October 2024
The Citroen C4 is a practical family hatch that offers more space than small cars such as Citroen C3. It's particularly appealing in C4 You! trim, which costs just £18,886. Only available online, it offered with a PCP deal for a low £349 deposit and £349.01 a month payments.
The Fiat 600e is a new all-electric car from the famed Italian brand. Unlike the smaller Fiat 500e, the Fiat 600e is focused on families, with five-door practicality and a decent boot. The 600e (Red) trim is available for £399 a month with no deposit, thanks to a £3000 Fiat e-Grant saving, and just 1.8% APR.
One of the very best electric cars, the Kia EV6 has a striking design, loads of interior space and is great to drive. Kia is now offering the high-spec EV6 GT-Line 84kWh model with a low 3.9% APR, no deposit and a £1500 deposit contribution. As with most PCP deals, though, you can adjust things – if you do have a deposit, you could drive down your monthly costs further.
One of the best electric cars on the market, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 looks great, has a spacious cabin and promises up to 300 miles on a single battery charge. This feature-packed Advance spec car is on offer with 0% APR, no customer deposit and a £2000 deposit contribution from Hyundai.
This stylish Toyota Aygo X Edge isn't quite available for no deposit – but the £1000 deposit is still very low, and boosted further by a £300 contribution from Toyota. It's then just £238.11 a month for three and a half years, with the total amount payable kept in check by a competitive 2.9% representative APR.
Recently upgraded, Vauxhall's very decent electric hatchback is now available with a low £2000 deposit and APR of just 2.9%. Add in a £1100 deposit contribution from Vauxhall, and you could drive a Corsa Electric Design model for just £331.52 a month over five years. Just be aware that the guaranteed final value (the optional final payment) is rather low, which suggests the car could depreciate a lot. That's not a problem if you plan to keep it, but not great if you want to build equity for a future purchase.
As with all car finance deals, finding the right deal for you, with monthly payments you can afford, is not quite the full picture. You still need to be approved, which is where your credit rating comes into the mix. Your car deal will do this for you and run through the finer details when your credit application is approved.
It’s becoming surprisingly common to find zero deposit and low deposit car finance deals combined with 0% APR. This is an added bonus, as it means you won’t pay any extra in interest over the terms of the deal.
A deposit contribution is a sum of money the car manufacturer puts towards your deposit. This is effectively money off the car, but by putting the cash towards a deposit, it means the customer doesn’t have to fork out up front – and it also means the monthly payments are lower, as you’re borrowing less money on finance. It’s always worth looking for deposit contributions if you want to keep your personal deposit as low as possible.
By offering a zero deposit or low deposit car finance deal, manufacturers can make a new car accessible for those who don't have much to put down, or don't have a car to trade in.
You can, but you'll have to look a bit harder for these deals. They sometimes don't hang around for long, either. It is often worth checking out large dealer groups for the latest zero deposit or low deposit car finance deals.
A zero deposit car finance deal is a good way to get into a new car without putting much down. Increasingly, car makers are adding in their own contributions, so you still get a decent amount put down, which lowers the amount you have to borrow on finance. Often, 0% finance further sweetens the deal.
Keep me updated by email with the latest advice, news and offers from heycar.