Just got your first taste of freedom on the road? If you've recently passed your driving test, you'll want an affordable, safe and cheap-to-run first car. Here's our rundown of the best cars for new drivers.
Passing your driving test is an exciting time, opening up new destinations and adventures, giving you a real sense of freedom. But there are some harsh motoring realities to face when you're young, inexperienced and have a limited budget.
Buying a brand new car as your first car is a luxury that most new drivers don't have, so most will be looking to the used car market. But even if you find an affordable car, choosing poorly could still see you burdened by prohibitively expensive running costs, particularly when it comes to insurance, as cover can be really expensive for inexperienced drivers. That's why it's important to choose wisely.
We've selected ten cars that'll be perfect for if you've just passed your test. Our selection is based on a mixture of sensible and fun traits, but most importantly, these cars must be cheap to insure and tax, economical and safe.
That doesn't mean they need to be dull or basic, however. All of our top 10 first cars for new drivers are comfortable, stylish, well-equipped and enjoyable to drive. If you're looking to save money on a first car, check out the best new and used car deals we've found online, including some brilliant PCP deals. Still need to pass your test? Read our guide to booking and passing your driving test.
Best first cars for new drivers
1. Volkswagen Polo
Used prices from £8,000
The Volkswagen Polo makes a great first car for new drivers. It feels like a small car that’s grown up, so while it's restrained on the outside it feels premium on the inside, with a dashboard that features squidgy plastics and a large infotainment screen that can mirror the display on your smartphone.
It’s impressively roomy inside. You get plenty of space to stretch out up front but the Polo is also impressively roomy in the back. The boot is also large and well designed, with an adjustable boot floor that means you don’t have to lift heavy luggage over an awkward lip.
The Polo’s comfortable ride and quiet cabin mean it feels like a big car on the motorway, but its small size and light controls make it easy to get the hang of if you’re a first-time driver. Choose the 95PS petrol engine for a perfect balance between fuel economy and running costs, but the base 75PS engine isn't too underpowered.
The VW Polo has been around since 2017, so if your budget can't stretch to a new model, there's lots of choice of used examples around.
2. Volkswagen Up
Used prices from £5,000
The Volkswagen Up is a small car that feels big, but it's more affordable than the Polo. When it was new, it was available with a range of personalisation options that mean you can have it with a striking paint job and an uprated Beats Electronics stereo.
Whatever model you choose, the Up feels more spacious inside than other city cars. There’s noticeably more elbow room than in narrower small cars and the back seat is just big enough for tall adults. Even the boot is relatively large and most models have an adjustable floor that gives you somewhere to hide valuables.
The Up feels right at home in the city where its small size and accurate steering make it perfect for negotiating congestion and squeezing into tight parking spaces. The Up is only available with small petrol engines that are extremely cheap to run, although the 90PS model is worth considering if you do lots of motorway driving and can afford the insurance.
Having been around for a decade now the VW Up is the most affordable car in this list, with prices starting from around £5,000.
3. SEAT Ibiza
Used prices from £7,000
The SEAT Ibiza is mechanically identical to the Volkswagen Polo, but SEAT differentiates its car by giving it a slightly sportier character, evidenced by its sharper styling and (ever so slightly) sportier drive.
It’s not quite as posh inside as the Polo, but the interior feels durable, has a very intuitive layout and the infotainment system can mirror the display of your phone. The SEAT only comes with five doors so your passengers get great access to the back seat and the boot will take a couple of larger suitcases.
The Ibiza’s light controls make it an easy first car to drive and it comes as standard with automatic emergency brakes that should give you added peace of mind. All the engines are great in town, but the 95PS petrol also copes well on the motorway and is cheap to run.
In terms of buying the SEAT Ibiza is generally cheaper than the VW Polo, with prices starting from £6,500 for a 2017 model.
4. Skoda Fabia
Used prices from £12,000
Ok, it doesn't have the most youthful image. But if you want a small car that does it all, and does it all well, then the Skoda Fabia should be very near the top of your list. The latest version, released in 2021, is more stylish than ever, with sleek looks and an incredibly refined and comfortable driving experience.
It comes with a choice of frugal engines, too, so fuel bills will be minimal, and insurance costs are low, too. Inside it's spacious enough for you and three friends (four for short journeys) and the boot is massive compared to the competition.
Skoda is famous for adding clever features to its cars and the Fabia is no exception, with nifty features like an ice scraper in the fuel flap, an umbrella in the driver's door and a USB socket in the rear-view mirror to power a dashcam. It's a car that just makes driving life less stressful, and it's all the better for it.
This latest-generation Fabia is relatively new, but used versions are available for as low as £12,000.
5. Kia Picanto
Used prices from £6,500
When it comes to all-rounders, not much can match the Kia Picanto. It might not excel at any one thing, but it's excellent or very good and just about everything, which makes it a doddle to drive and own. Massive warranty? Yep, seven years. Affordable to buy? Impressively so. Good to drive? Yes, comfortable and nippy, and happy in town or on the motorway.
The Picanto also has rock-bottom running costs when it comes to insurance and fuel economy thanks to its choice of small 1.0-litre or 1.25-litre engines. There's a dizzying amount of trim levels to choose from and all are well-specced.
Although the Picanto is small it's got enough room for two passengers in the back and the boot is a decent size at 255 litres.
Used versions are in plentiful supply and start at around £7,500.
6. Ford Fiesta
Used prices from £6,000
The Ford Fiesta is a small car with fun character and smart looks. It’s roomy, great to drive and available with an excellent range of engines. This is why it's such a good first car.
Inside, you get a smart design dominated by a large touchscreen infotainment system that’s right in your line of sight and easy to use. It comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you can use your phone's navigation and music apps on the car’s big screen. For the ultimate practicality, we’d go for a five-door model which gives your passengers better access to the reasonably roomy back seat.
The best bit about the Fiesta is its ability to put a smile on your face on a twisty road. Its steering feels accurate and positive as the car hunkers down into corners and there’s no shortage of grip. Choose one of the petrol EcoBoost models and you’ll get perky performance and cheap running costs, although insurance costs might limit you to the non-turbo models, which do need working to get the best out of them.
This generation of Fiesta has been around for a while now, which means there are some affordable examples around. Check out heycar's classifieds for a dealer-sold used Ford Fiesta with a warranty.
7. MINI Hatch
Used prices from £8,000
The last-generation Mk3 MINI hatchback injects much of the charm of the original model but in a thoroughly modern package. It was available with a huge range of customisable options when new, so each individual car has its own unique personality.
Find one with the uprated infotainment system and it even communicates with you using coloured LEDs in the screen bezel, giving the car genuine personality. It also feels nice inside and has a sculpted, sporty design. There’s loads of room up front, but the back seat is tight and, if you opt for the three-door MINI hatch, it’s a squeeze to get into. The boot is also small.
All that will be forgotten when you experience the MINI’s energetic responses and limpet-like grip. It really is great fun on a twisting road and even the basic One model is nippy. Plus, its cheap running costs won’t turn that smile into a frown every time you need to fill up.
You'll pay a bit of a premium for the desirable MINI over some other cars in this list, but it's been on sale since 2014, meaning as little as £7,000 will get you into one.
8. Toyota Aygo X
Used prices from £12,000
If your parents know anything about cars they'll no doubt be encouraging you into something known for reliability, like a Toyota. The Aygo has been around for several years and is a very popular and likeable first car, and one of the cheapest cars to run and insure that money can buy.
The older models are decent enough, but if you're leasing or lucky enough to have a bigger budget, then we'd highly recommend stepping up to the newer Toyota Aygo X. It's more desirable thanks to its rugged baby SUV styling, classier interior and added refinement.
All Toyota Aygos made in the last few years get smartphone integration as standard, but the touchscreen in the Aygo X is more advanced, as is the level of fit and finish on offer. You can also get neat features such as an opening fabric roof to enjoy summer days, although that does impact on rear seat space, which is pretty tight for adults.
On the road, the Toyota Aygo X is a fun and plucky little car. It gets the same 1.0-litre petrol engine with a modest 72PS as the older Aygo, but its eager nature means using all the performance is no hardship. It'll feel a bit underpowered on a motorway, though.
The Aygo's light weight and agile handling means it's enjoyable to zip about town, while an available CVT automatic gearbox takes the stress out of traffic jams. You'll be doing at least 50mpg, too. Prices for the Aygo X start at just over £16,000, but there are some competitive leasing deals around.
9. Peugeot 208
Used prices from £6,000
The Peugeot 208 is the freshest looking car on this list. It's styled like a yawning lion from the front, while the slashed tail lights look like claw marks. Even basic models get alloy wheels.
Some serious effort has gone into making the interior look striking and feel upmarket. You get a large digital instrument binnacle that takes the place of conventional analogue dials, and a centre screen that can mirror the display of your smartphone. You also get air-conditioning as standard. There’s space inside for four adults, although the rear doors are quite small, and you get a boot that is pretty large for this size of car.
The 208 is very comfortable at low speeds and on the motorway, and it’s an easy car to drive in town. Basic cars come with a 75PS petrol engine, but if you can afford the cost and insurance it is worth upgrading to the 99PS model, which is still economical but much more relaxing at speed.
Older Peugeot 208s are more affordable, whereas you'll need £10,000 or more to get in a latest generation model, but leasing deals are your friend here.
10. Hyundai i10
Used prices from £8,500
Like the Kia Picanto we mentioned earlier, the Hyundai i10 is a really terrific all-rounder, not hugely surprising given that the two cars share a great deal mechanically. There's not one single thing it does badly, and in most areas, it's either very good or absolutely great.
The latest iteration of the car came out in 2020, and it's better than ever, with impressive quality, generous equipment, very impressive practicality given its size (it's one of the roomiest city cars and has one of the biggest boots in the class), and it's enjoyable, comfortable and incredibly easy to drive.
A budget of £8,500 is enough to get you into a three-year-old example with low miles, and thanks to Hyundai's impressive five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, that means it'll still have a couple of years worth of cover left to run. Insurance groupings are also very low, with some versions even falling into group 1, which is the cheapest you can get.
To get the safest car possible, check the latest Euro NCAP crash test results to see which cars have been awarded five stars for safety. Even small cars come with plenty of safety features but it’s worth keeping an eye out for automatic emergency braking. It can slow the car automatically if it senses an imminent collision and, as a result, makes cars cheaper to insure.
The obvious answer is a second-hand car. Chances are, it’ll probably already have a few scuffs and scrapes so you won’t feel so precious if you damage the paint. Once you’re a confident driver, you can always trade it in for something nicer a few years down the line.
When you’re learning to drive it makes sense to get a small car that you’ll find easier to place on the road and squeeze into parking spaces. That said, even a tiny car like the Volkswagen Up has enough space to squeeze in four adults, and the larger Polo feels genuinely roomy.
Most small cars come with a choice of petrol and diesel engines that cost buttons to run, and insurance costs are low. Small cars are much better equipped than they used to be. Most come as standard with air-con and some form of an infotainment system. Many even get autonomous driving aids like active cruise control and lane assist.
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