Instead of looking for a nearly-new modest vehicle, think about an older high-end car

My other motivation for getting a modest vehicle is the cheaper insurance. My old car was group 9, and was costing me about £1200pa. The Focus is group 5 or 6 (depending on trim level) and will save me about £400 a year. The Peugeot's about the same.

it's going to require more maintenance

I'm not going there. I don't have the expertise, tools or space to do my own maintenance, and I can't really afford to set the money aside for a mechanic every few months.

This was the main problem with my last car -- because of the age, it had turned into a bit of a money pit, maintenance-wise.