Car leasing

Driving Tips For Cardiff

Located in the heart of the city, Cardiff Castle is a remarkable medieval castle with Roman origins. To get there by car, follow the A470 to the city centre. If you use a sat nav, the Castle’s postcode is CF10 3RB. Cardiff has four Park and Ride sites, which can get you to the city centre in 15 minutes. For more information on Cardiff's Park and Ride sites, visit tfw.wales/park-and-ride.

Cardiff Bay waterfront area has been transformed into a vibrant hub with numerous attractions. It features the striking Wales Millennium Centre, home to the arts in Wales, and the Cardiff Bay Barrage.

Driving to the bay, follow the A4232. or from the East (M4) leave at Junction 29, and take the 3rd exit off the A48. There are several car parks in the Cardiff Bay area including: Pierhead Street Q-Park, Havannah Street and The Barrage.

Like most historic cities driving around, you have to expect delays during peak hours; however, Cardiff and the waterfront area offer much more to explore, including vibrant shopping areas, a lively nightlife scene, and a wide range of restaurants and cafes.

Car lease background

Car leasing deals in Cardiff

For many people in Cardiff, leasing a car is a more attractive option than buying one outright. Are you looking to find your next lease car and live in Cardiff?

Pros

  • Car leasing lets you choose from the whole market, and offers you fixed monthly rentals making it ideal for budgeting.
  • Our unique special offers give you cheaper car lease deals to choose from, helping you save money each month.
  • You don’t have to worry about the car losing value over time. Simply lease your car and hand it back at the end of the term.
  • Our lease cars are brand new, so you will receive the full warranty, road tax for the term and breakdown recovery.
  • Delivery is included to anywhere in the UK mainland.
  • We shop the market place so don’t have to. Using our panel of the ten of the best leasing companies.

Cons

  • Being a lease, you won’t own the car; once the lease term is up, you’ll have to return the car.
  • It pays to be accurate with your mileage allowance. There are mileage charges should you go over your contracted miles.
  • Because our car lease special offers are constantly changing, you may miss out on the best offer for you if you wait too long.
  • There can be a termination fee should you want to exit your contract early.
  • If the price of road tax increases, you will have to pay the difference.
  • If you return the vehicle damaged, you will have to pay for the repairs.

Our leasing expertise at your disposal

Cardiff's Clean air driving zones

There are no current LEZ or ULEZ zones in the Cardiff area; with the latest consultation, there are no plans to introduce one until 2027. The city has already closed off Castle Street to private vehicles, making it a bus-only route.

EV Chargers in cardiff

Cardiff Council has installed the first 18 public electric vehicle charge points across 10 locations in the City Centre. Some of these being in:

  • Canton: CF11 9NE
  • Cathays: CF24 4HQ
  • Penylan: CF23 5AD
  • Plasnewydd: CF23 5HW
  • Riverside: CF11 9JQ

For additional chargers, check out ZAPMAP to get you topped up.

Fast delivery lease deals

Cardiff is connected to the UK road network via the M4, West, terminating in Carmarthen and, to the east, London.

Cardiff Central is on the South Wales Main Line railway. Central station provides regular services to London Paddington via Bristol Parkway, with other links to Bristol Temple Meads, Birmingham New Street, Nottingham, Manchester Piccadilly, Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour.

It takes an average of just under 4 hours  to travel from London Paddington to Cardiff by train, There are normally 48 trains per day travelling from London Paddington to Cardiff Queen Street.

Cardiff, as well as South and West Wales, is served by Cardiff Airport (CWL). Scheduled, charter, and low-cost flights are operated on a regular basis to Belfast and Paris, other UK destinations, Europe, Africa and North America all year round.

Parking in Cardiff

Whether you’re watching world-class sport at the Millennium Stadium, shopping at the Central Market, eating out in one of the city’s restaurants or taking in an exhibition at the National Museum, there are Nine NCP car parks across the city with thousands of spaces. Pay in advance or, as you arrive with the MiPermit App, use the Saver ID, VISITCARDIFF, for discounts. The four park and ride hubs offer up to 24-hour parking.

Helpful Car Leasing Insights

Below you can find answers to our most commonly asked questions about car leasing in Cardiff. If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Get in touch.

  • First Vehicle Leasing has leased vehicles to Cardiff for twenty-five years. Being wholly owned by the Ogilvie Group brings FVL the buying power to secure the best deals from your favourite car manufacturers. We shop the market for the best possible leasing package from our panel of ten hand-picked leasing companies to bring you the best deal. Our leasing consultants are on hand to take you through the process from start to finish and will happily answer any questions.

  • Established in 1998, we’re industry experts with a wealth of experience. As an FVL customer, you benefit from the strength of our partnerships with leading finance companies to bring you low prices and flexible leasing options. This means we can tailor deals to suit your needs. Our deals start from under £200, so you’ll find a vehicle for even the tightest budget.

  • At First Vehicle Leasing, our aim is to provide the best car leasing solutions and unbeatable service for our customers across the UK. To bring you the best deals we use a rating system. Our proprietary ranking system has been developed over 25 years and takes into account features of each model compared to its rivals. The primary categories used are length of lease, mileage limits along with a car's performance, practicality and tech features. We go direct to negotiate highly competitive deals on all our vehicles, so we can offer the very best deals.

  • Car leasing is simply a longer hire of a new car using a credit contract for a set period, usually between 2 and 4 years. They offer low fixed monthly rental payments until the end of the contract, and then you hand the car back.

  • With a standard car lease deal you will find included:

    • Full vehicle manufacturers warranty.
    • Road Tax for the length of the lease.
    • Free UK mainland delivery, right to your door.

    With a standard lease, you are responsible for insurance, charging and (or) fuel costs, damage, servicing, and maintenance.  
     
    If you wish to include servicing, premium branded tyre replacements, and maintenance, you can opt-in for what is called a Lender Maintained Lease. 

    Your lender-maintained contract hire includes all of the above with a few extra additions.

    Those include: 

    • Servicing  
    • Maintenance  (even things like wipers, bulbs, brakes, exhaust)
    • MOT for leases over three years
    • Breakdown recovery
    • Premium branded tyre replacements (and often puncture repairs too)
  • When you lease a car with FVL, you benefit from a range of special deals and offers. You'll also get one-to-one expert advice on which car to choose, how the process works, and how to get the most out of your vehicle. We have access to every new make and model of car available in the UK, including the latest electric cars.