There was a time when the choice of models available on the Motability scheme was fairly limited, but these days there are options aplenty, including the chance to lease a fashionable SUV. Here are the top 10 choices available on the scheme.
Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class
You need to put down a £549 advanced payment, but you can still get behind the wheel of a premium-badged SUV using your weekly Disabled Living allowance. The GLA-Class 1.6 can be yours for your full weekly DLA payment and is an exceptionally pleasant way to travel, with a modern, high tech feel and premium quality interior.
Vauxhall Grandland X
Vauxhall’s latest SUV contender is a decent all-rounder, and shares much of its architecture with the Peugeot 3008, making it one of the first fruits of the tie-in between Vauxhall and PSA Group. It’s spacious, chunky and well-made, though the lack of a four-wheel-drive option may put some buyers off. On Motability, it requires an advanced payment of £499 plus your weekly allowance.
MINI Countryman
With a £499 advance and your weekly mobility allowance, you can get behind the wheel of one of the funkiest SUVs on the block. The MINI Countryman might not be as practical as some of its more conventional rivals, but it’s a cracking car to drive, with surefooted handling and lively performance, plus a sense of fun that’s missing from some more ordinary cars.
Ford Kuga
The Kuga is a great SUV and is, unsurprisingly, very popular on the Motability scheme. It can be had for your standard DLA allowance plus an advance payment of £445 for the 1.5T or £495 for the 1.5TDCi. As well as a spacious cabin, the Kuga has superb handling and ride comfort, while the high driving position gives a commanding view of the road.
Honda CR-V
The latest CR-V is one of the most agile SUVs on the market and has very car-like road manners, while it is also one of the most highly rated cars in the UK by its owners. The 2.0S model can be yours for an advance payment of just £99 plus a weekly rental of the full DLA allowance, making it a terrific car for the money.
Dacia Duster
The Duster is the only SUV which will give you change from your DLA, as the weekly rental is £54.25. There’s no advance payment to lay down either, so it’s an appealing choice. However, the price is for the extremely basic Access model, and if you’re prepared to use your full mobility allowance there are better options.
Jeep Renegade
With no advanced payment required and available for the full weekly mobility allowance, the Jeep Renegade is a characterful choice of car on the Motability Scheme, as well as being one of the most affordable options. Some of the interior plastics feel a bit cheap and cheerful, but it’s a funky looking thing that’s a bit more exciting than the norm.
Hyundai Tucson
Hyundai’s Tucson is a superb SUV for families, and also for wheelchair users thanks to its wide, flat load bay and generous boot. It’s available with no advanced payment and can be leased for the full weekly mobility allowance. It’s smaller than some of its rivals, but the flip side to that is it has more car-like handling.
Kia Sportage
The Sportage is a spacious car with a high seating position, which makes it ideal for less mobile people who may struggle to get in and out. It has a big boot and good levels of standard equipment. The 1.6 GDi model is available with no advanced payment and no additional cost over the weekly mobility allowance, while the better-equipped GDi 2 can be had for a £199 advanced payment and the same weekly lease.
Suzuki Vitara
Our star Motability SUV is the Suzuki Vitara. It’s a great car to drive, it has a high driving position, easy-to-access cabin and is both well made and good looking. There are three models that stand out – the petrol engines SZ-T and SZ4 models, both of which are available with no advanced payment for the total weekly allowance, and the more upmarket Kuro, which has the same weekly cost with £199 upfront.
