The semiconductor (or ‘chip’) shortage started to negatively impact the Motability Scheme in July, August and September 2021. There were severe shortages worldwide of some new cars, and many model lines were pulled completely by manufacturers from the Motability Scheme list. During this quarter Motability customers had to be flexible if they wanted a vehicle quickly or prepare for a long wait for the delivery of their new car.
Some of the new models added to the Motability Scheme in quarter 3 included the next-generation Nissan Qashqai, the Volkswagen ID.4, the electric SEAT Mii, the new Renault Arkana SUV, the BMW i3S and the Renault Kadjar SUV.
Many cars were removed though because of production problems. Some of the vehicles removed at the start of quarter 3 included the popular Audi Q2 Black Edition, the Audi A3 Saloon, the Mercedes-Benz CLA Shooting Brake and the Peugeot 508.
In July the Volkswagen T-Roc, Tiguan and the majority of Golf models were all removed from the scheme, along with the Skoda Karoq, the Skoda Kamiq, the Peugeot Rifter and the Ford Tourneo Connect / Grand Tourneo Connect.
Later in the quarter SEAT also removed the Arona, the Ibiza, the Ateca, the 7-seat Tarraco and the majority of the Leon range. Skoda then also removed their Octavia, Scala and Superb models, while the DS7 SUV and Honda CR-V were also pulled.
In September Mercedes-Benz and smart removed all of their cars from the Motability Scheme.
This was all happening because of worldwide supply issues in the motor industry, which experts said was likely to continue into 2022.
This guide was originally put together on 1 July 2021, but because of problems with vehicle supply many models and trim levels were removed from the Motability Scheme car list during July, August and September.
ALFA ROMEO – On 1 July 2021 there were no Alfa Romeo vehicles listed on the Motability Scheme price guide.
AUDI – There were 4 Audi models to choose from on the Motability Scheme this quarter, but prices had increased significantly on most of them. The entry level Audi A1 required £1350 Advance Payment (up from £150 last quarter), with the sporty Black Edition trim up to a minimum of £1799. Audi Q2 prices also increased, with the range starting at £1949 (up from £349 the previous quarter). Prices for the Audi Q3 also increased, with manual models available to order from £2899 (up from £1299) or £3299 for the lowest priced automatic. Prices for the Audi A3 Sportback were unchanged from quarter 2, but Saloon models were all removed. The A3 Sportback range started at £1699 for the Technik trim.
BMW - In quarter 2 the electric BMW i3 made a welcome return to the Motability Scheme price guide, with versions available to order from £999. The BMW 1 Series range still started at £1499 Advance Payment, with prices identical to the previous quarter. The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe was also unchanged, with 4 versions that started at £1999. Prices for the BMW X1 started at £1999, or £2299 if you wanted the automatic version. There was also a diesel model added for the first time in a while. BMW X2 SUV prices increased slightly, starting at £1999 for the Sport manual trim (up from £1849).
CITROEN – The all-electric e-C4 was better value during this quarter, with the range starting at £695 for the e-C4 Shine Plus trim (down from £1295). The Citroen C3 Aircross range started at £0 Advance Payment for the Shine trim. Advance Payment prices for the Citroen C5 Aircross SUV started at £395 for the C5 Puretech Shine, or £595 if you wanted the diesel version. The Plug-In Hybrid versions of the C5 Aircross were no longer available. The seven seat Citroen Grand C4 Spacetourer range started at £1999 (up from £1845), while the larger 8 seat Space Tourer range began at £4595. The Berlingo was a minimum of £595 Advance Payment (for the 5 seat Feel trim), or it was £895 if you wanted the larger 7 seat Feel XL version.
DS AUTOMOBILES – Many DS3 Crossback models came down in price, with the DS3 1.2 PureTech Prestige at £0 (was £499) and the 100% electric DS3 Crossback E-TENSE Prestige also reduced to £0 Advance Payment (was £699).
DACIA – The new Dacia Duster was priced from £0 Advance Payment (down from £249) this quarter, and new trim levels were also introduced.
FIAT – Fiat prices were competitive again this quarter, with versions of the new 500, the larger 500L, the 500X, the Panda and Tipo all available to order with £0 Advance Payment. The Fiat 500 Electric was a new-ish option, priced from £495 for the Passion trim. The popular Fiat 500X Sport increased from £0 to £1149 Advance Payment, with the automatic version £500 more.
FORD – In quarter 3 the Ford Puma range started from £95 Advance Payment (down from £195) for the Titanium trim, with the automatic version at £695. The sporty Puma ST-Line X 125PS was £395 (down from £495) while the top spec ST-Line X Vignale was just £150 more at £545. Advance Payment prices for the petrol versions of the Ford Kuga SUV were similar to the previous quarter, with the range beginning at £1095 for the Zetec petrol trim. Plug-in Hybrid versions of the Kuga went up by around £800. The Ford Focus range started at £345 Advance Payment (up from £95), with estate versions available from £445. Prices for the large seven seat Ford Galaxy and S-Max ranges increased by a few hundred pounds and started at £2745 and £2845 respectively.
HONDA – The Honda Jazz SE automatic was still priced at £0 Advance Payment during this quarter, but the higher-spec SR trim was also down to £0 Advance Payment (was £399). The Crosstar trim was £899. Honda’s CR-V hybrid range started at £1399 for the S automatic trim. Honda Civic prices were unchanged, with the range starting from £1399. The all-electric Honda E was £749 for the standard Honda E, down from £1849 when it was first introduced in 2020.
HYUNDAI – The recently facelifted electric Hyundai Kona could be ordered with nothing to pay upfront. The top-spec Ultimate increased by £500 to £999. The updated Kona (with the new MHEV mild-hybrid petrol engine) and the Kona Hybrid both also started at £0 Advance Payment. Hyundai i10 and i20 models could be ordered with nothing to pay upfront, as could the Hyundai IONIQ Hybrid range. The full electric version of the IONIQ was still priced from £499. Prices for the new Hyundai Tucson SUV started from £999.
JEEP – Advance Payment prices for the Jeep Renegade range increased in this quarter. The popular Jeep Renegade Night Eagle special edition was £945, up from £195. The automatic version was £1595, up from £1295. Jeep Compass prices also increased on most trims.
KIA - The Kia Sportage SUV ‘2’ was still priced at £299 Advance Payment in quarter 3, with the all-wheel-drive version of the '2' available for £799 (down from £999). Prices for the Kia Niro self-charging hybrid - one of the Motability Schemes bestselling vehicles – were the same, with the range starting at £199. The Niro PHEV plug-in hybrid was £3599 for the ‘2’, or £3899 for the higher ‘3’ trim. The Kia Soul EV ‘First Edition’ was better value at £999, £1000 less than the previous quarter.
MG MOTORS - The MG HS Crossover was still one of our best buys this quarter, with the HS Excite trim very competitive at £0 Advance Payment. It was just £249 more if you want the automatic version. Plug-In Hybrid HS models still started at £3395. The electric MG ZS EV Excite was £0 Advance Payment, with better Exclusive trim down to £99 (reduced from £199). Pricing for MG5 EV electric estate were the same, with the range starting from £499.
MAZDA – There’s was another drop in the Advance Payment price of the new electric Mazda MX-30, with the range starting at £0 (was £299) for the impressive (if low range) EV from the Japanese carmaker. The better Sport Lux trim was £299, £300 less than the previous month. The price of models from the Mazda CX-30 range increased slightly, starting at £499 for the SE-L trim (was £299). The Mazda CX-5 range wasn't available this quarter.
MERCEDES BENZ – Mercedes-Benz GLA Advance Payment prices were unchanged, with the range starting from £2599 for the GLA 180 Sport automatic trim. The starting price for the Mercedes Benz A-Class hatch was £1999 for the A180 AMG Line Executive (up from £1749), while the A-Class Saloon range started at £1549 for the A200 Sport. A Class Plug-In Hybrids (introduced for the first-time in quarter 2) were priced from £5499. The Mercedes-Benz CLA Coupe 180 AMG Line Premium automatic was £3499, while the CLA Shooting Brake was removed from the scheme list altogether.
MINI – Prices for the all-new Mini Electric (added to the Motability Scheme list in March) all dropped by £250. 3 door and 5 door Mini models could both be ordered in the Cooper Classic trim with £0 to pay upfront. The Mini Convertible range – one of the few soft tops available to order through the scheme - started at £1999 Advance Payment. Pricing for Countryman SUV was the same as the previous quarter, starting at £749 for the Mini Countyman Cooper Classic. Plug-In Hybrid versions of the Countryman were no longer available to order.
MITSUBISHI – Mitsubishi were in the process of leaving the UK car market, so very few vehicles were available during this quarter.
NISSAN – The new Nissan Qashqai was added to the Motability Scheme in quarter 3, with 6 models available to order priced from £699 Motability Advance Payment. Many Juke models increased in price, with the range starting from £199 for the N-Connecta trim. Nissan’s two 100% electric models – the 5 door Leaf and the E-NV200 Combi MPV - started at £0 and £4099 respectively.
PEUGEOT – In quarter 3 Peugeot’s EV prices were unchanged, with the electric Peugeot e-208 range beginning at £599 and the larger e-2008 range starting at £999. The refreshed Peugeot 3008 SUV started from £749 for the Active Premium diesel, while the larger 7 seat 5008 range all increased in price by £200, starting from £1449. No petrol versions of the 3008 or 5008 could be ordered. Plug-In Hybrid 3008 models all came down in price by £500. The van derived Rifter range could be ordered with £749 Advance Payment, with 7 seats versions available from £949. The 8 seat Peugeot Traveller range was priced from £3399.
RENAULT – In quarter 3 2021 the 100% electric Renault Zoe Iconic could still be ordered with £0 Motability Advance Payment, plus there were 5 other models to choose from (including the sportier GT Line) for under £499 Advance Payment. The Renault Clio 5 door range started at £0 Advance Payment, with the sportier RS Line now £395. The larger Captur range also started at £0, with Plug-In Hybrids versions priced from £2595. The Renault Kadjar SUV was back on the scheme, priced from £2295.
The new Nissan Qashqai was added to the Motability Scheme list in July 2021, priced from £699 Motability Advance Payment.
SEAT – Plug-In Hybrid versions of the SEAT Leon hatchback and estate came down in price this quarter. For example, the Leon FR E-HYBRID automatic hatchback dropped from £3399 in quarter 2 to £0 Advance Payment in quarter 3. It was £649 for the estate version. The Leon FR Sport eTSi 150 automatic at £499 was also a great option this quarter. The SEAT Ateca SUV range started with the SE Technology at £299, while the bigger 7 seat SEAT Tarraco range began at £1749 for the SE trim.
SKODA - Some Skoda KAROQ SUV prices increased this quarter. The entry model - the 1.0 TSi 110 SE – went from £0 to £99 Advance Payment, while the Skoda KAROQ SE Technology was £395, £200 more than previously. Many of the smaller Skoda KAMIQ models also went up in price, with the KAMIQ TSi SE L DSG automatic £345 (up from £245). Skoda KODIAQ models were not available.
SMART - The smart FORTWO and FORFOUR could be driven away with £0 Motability Advanced Payment.
SUZUKI – The Suzuki Vitara SZ4 and SZ-T Boosterjet 48v hybrid trims were both £0 Advance Payment, while the Suzuki Swift Hybrid SZ-5 automatic also great value at £0. Both Suzuki Swace estate models – the SZ-T automatic and SZ5 automatic – came down by £500, which meant that the entry-trim could be ordered with £499 Advance Payment.
TOYOTA - Prices increased this quarter on the entry-level CH-R trim. The Toyota C-HR Hybrid started at £1095 Motability Advance Payment (up from £495 the previous quarter) for the ICON Hybrid spec with the 122 BHP engine. Other trim levels also increased in price. The new Yaris Hybrid 5 door still started at £0 Advance Payment, but some of the higher trims increased in price slightly. Toyota Corolla prices also began at £0 for the hatchback, saloon and touring sports estate versions, while the impressive RAV4 range was slightly better value this quarter, starting at £2345 this month for the ICON trim (down from £2345).
VAUXHALL - The new Vauxhall Mokka started at £199 (down from £699), or £399 (down from £1199) if you wanted an automatic. It was also £399 Advance Payment if you wanted the all electric Mokka-e, down from £1849 the previous quarter. The 100% electric Vauxhall Corsa-e Elite Nav Premium could still be ordered with nothing to pay upfront, while prices for the Vauxhall Grandland X range started at £499 Advance Payment for the Elite Nav trim, down from £799. The electric Vivaro-e Life could be ordered with £1249 Advance Payment, much less than its £3999 price tag in quarter 1.
VOLKSWAGEN – The big news from Volkswagen in quarter 3 was the addition of the electric ID.4. It wasn't cheap though, with models starting from £2849 Advance Payment. The smaller Volkswagen ID.3 was priced from £0 Advance Payment, with many of the higher spec models coming down in price. For example, the ID.3 Family Pro Performance 58kWh dropped from £2949 to £449 Advance Payment. The Volkswagen Golf range started from £499 Advance Payment, while the popular Golf GTD trim increased from £1799 to £2099 Advance Payment. The Plug-In Hybrid GTE was unchanged at £3295. Volkswagen T-Roc models all increased by between £500 and £600 and the updated Tiguan SUV range started at £1199 (up from £799). Another new vehicle was new 7 seat Caddy Maxi Life MPV, priced from £949 Advance Payment.
VOLVO – In quarter 3 the new XC40 Plug-In Hybrid range – known as the XC40 Recharge – started at £2899 Motability Advance Payment.
The new 100% electric Volkswagen ID.4 has joined the Motability Scheme list this month, priced from £2849 Motability Advance Payment.
Here you'll find a selection of the printable Motability price guides that vehicle manufacturers published at the start of quarter 3 2021.
