Best first cars for new drivers 2025
These are the best cars for first time drivers, all of which are cheap, easy to drive and safe
Once you've passed your practical driving test and got your driving licence, the next barrier between you and a whole new level of freedom is finding your first car which can be tough for a new driver.
The best first cars offer a combination of safety, equipment, practicality, and easy manoeuvrability, not to mention being cheap to insure. To help make your search as easy as possible, our experts have rounded up the very best first cars for new drivers.
The cost of buying and running a car can be steep, especially for new drivers, so we’ve chosen these cars with value for money, reliability and fuel economy at the forefront of our minds.
All of these models are brand new, but many great examples can also be found on the used market for lower prices.
Best first cars for new drivers
You can compare our in-depth review star ratings for the top 10 first cars for new drivers using the table below.
| Model | Auto Express rating (out of 5) |
| 1. Skoda Fabia | 4 |
| 2. Kia Picanto | 4 |
| 3. Hyundai i10 | 4 |
| 4. Toyota Aygo X | 3.5 |
| 5. Volkswagen Polo | 4 |
| 6. Dacia Sandero | 4 |
| 7. Leapmotor T03 | 4.0 |
| 8. Renault Clio | 4.5 |
| 9. Vauxhall Corsa | 3.5 |
| 10. Fiat 500e | 4 |
1. Skoda Fabia
- Prices from £20,300
| Pros | Cons |
| Interior space | No hybrid model |
| Decent on-board tech | Road noise at higher speed |
| Comfortable | Not particularly fun to drive |
First-time drivers need a car that’s easy to drive, cheap to insure and affordable to buy, and the car that manages to blend all of these things together best of all is the Skoda Fabia.
“The Fabia has fine-tuned what was already a pretty compelling package into one of the best superminis you can buy”. - Ellis Hyde, news reporter, who tested the Skoda Fabia in the UK
Read more on the Skoda Fabia
Latest Skoda Fabia deals
2. Kia Picanto
- Prices from £16,100
| Pros | Cons |
| Good to drive | 1.0 engine is slow |
| Big-car kit list | 1.2 is only available in pricier trims |
| Spacious and well-made | The bigger Dacia Sandero is cheaper |
The Kia Picanto has grown into an attractive little city car over the years, but it hasn’t lost sight of its low-cost roots. The Picanto is one of the smallest brand-new cars you can currently buy, and it comes with some equally compact costs. The entire line-up sits between groups three and seven, so you shouldn’t be forking out any more than is absolutely necessary on those dreaded premiums. Every variant can also return over 50mpg.
“The latest Kia Picanto has gone through a significant glow-up, transformed from the drab and sparse first-generation car.” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter, who tested the Kia Picanto in the UK
Read more on the Kia Picanto...
3. Hyundai i10
- Prices from £16,400
- Best for comfort
| Pros | Cons |
| Decent on-board tech | Automatic gearbox |
| Roomy cabin | Lacklustre base engine |
| Smart looks | Dull interior |
The Hyundai i10 is a small car with plenty of big car qualities, but the biggest highlight is that it’s available with the coveted group one insurance rating.
“Hyundai’s smallest car is more comfortable and refined than ever, while the diminutive size, tight turning circle and light steering make it an absolute doddle to drive around town.” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter, who tested the Hyundai i10 in the UK
4. Toyota Aygo X
- Prices from £16,900
| Pros | Cons |
| Beefy looks | Rear cabin space |
| Well equipped | Dated interior |
| Convertible option | Same money as larger superminis |
The Toyota Aygo X is a funky, pseudo-SUV with city car costs, although it does cost more to buy than a number of rivals.
“Funky looks and a sense of fun give the tiny Toyota a certain appeal, and set it apart from the more grown-up contenders in this class.” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter, who tested the Aygo X in the UK
5. Volkswagen Polo
- Prices from £21,500
| Pros | Cons |
| High quality interior | Not the most fun to drive |
| Composed ride | Expensive for a supermini |
| Interior space | Disappointing GTI model |
If what you desire is a ‘grown-up’ supermini, the Volkswagen Polo is very hard to beat.
Being closely related to the Skoda Fabia mentioned higher up in this list, the Polo is another supermini with a sense of distinction about it. Provided you steer clear of the hot Polo GTI (tempting as it may be) you won’t have to fork out loads on running VW’s baby hatch, either. Opt for the base ‘Life’ model and you’ll be looking at a car that sits in insurance group three.
“Buy a Polo, and you’ll be getting into a small car that rides with a similar level of composure to a VW Golf, while the interior quality is impressive” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter, who tested the Aygo X in the UK
More on the Volkswagen Polo...
6. Dacia Sandero
- Prices from £14,800
- Best value for money
| Pros | Cons |
| Cabin quality | Jerky power delivery on TCe |
| Better to drive | Cabin noise |
| Price | Two-star Euro NCAP rating |
The Dacia Sandero is one of the cheapest cars to buy in the UK, and the latest-generation model is based on the current Renault Clio, which itself is a great supermini.
As a new driver, you may wish to focus on the basics as you get used to driving without an instructor sitting next to you. The Sandero is a great choice for no-nonsense motoring as it simply offers the features that drivers need for a price they can genuinely afford. A brand-new Sandero can be yours for under £15,000, and you can find plenty of bargains on the used car market, too.
“The Dacia Sandero continues to offer great practicality for cost-conscious buyers.” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter, who tested the Dacia Sandero in the UK
7. Leapmotor T03
- Prices from £16,000
- Best for running costs
| Pros | Cons |
| Plenty of rear seat interior space for a city car | Tiny boot and one-piece folding back seat impact practicality |
| Lots of equipment as standard | Bouncy ride quality compared with more accomplished rivals |
| Represents good value compared with rivals | Some cheap-feeling interior materials |
Leapmotor is a newcomer to the UK market, but the T03 is one of the cheapest electric cars on sale.
The electric car market is growing fast, and prices are continuing to head downwards. This means that new drivers can now join the roads without touching a drop of liquid fuel, if they wish to. The Leapmotor T03 is a compact electric city car that also happens to be one of the cheapest electric cars on sale at around £16,000. One of the biggest advantages of EVs are reduced running costs, including cheaper road tax and the avoidance of emissions-based charging.
“The Leapmotor T03 is a credible alternative to the Dacia Spring, and should win fans on its lavish amount of standard equipment alone.” - Richard Ingram, deputy editor, who tested the Leapmotor T03 in the UK
Read more on the Leapmotor T03...
8. Renault Clio
- Prices from £19,000
| Pros | Cons |
| Striking new look | Rear space is a little tight |
| Lots of equipment | Noisy petrol in hybrid models |
| Great to drive | Slow pure-petrol version |
If you’re something of a fashionista, the latest Renault Clio should suit you as it’s one of the best-looking superminis that you can currently buy.
Of course, beauty is only skin deep, but we’re pleased to report that the Clio has plenty of substance to go with its style. Buyers have the choice of petrol or hybrid power, but both offer pleasingly high fuel efficiency on the WLTP combined cycle — up to 54.3mpg for the petrol and rising to 67.3mpg for the hybrid. Insurance, meanwhile, starts from group 10.
“The Renault Clio refuses to relinquish its position as one of the best superminis on the market.” - Ellis Hyde, news reporter, who tested the Clio in the UK
9. Vauxhall Corsa
- Prices from £18,500
| Pros | Cons |
| Great engines | Tight rear space |
| Slicker infotainment | The ride never fully settles |
| Refinement | Electric model is expensive to buy |
You may well have learned how to get your driving licence by taking lessons in a Vauxhall Corsa as it’s so popular with driving instructors. If so, this supermini will come with a sense of familiarity.
It may be one of the UK’s best-selling cars, but the Vauxhall Corsa has another ace up its sleeve; you can choose petrol, mild-hybrid or fully-electric power. Naturally, if you’re prepared to make the switch, the Vauxhall Corsa Electric offers the lowest running costs and emissions. However, the petrol and mild-hybrid cars will return between 50 to 63 mpg on paper, so they’re not exactly thirsty, either. Regardless, if you want the lowest purchase price then you’ll need to look at the petrol-powered model.
“The Corsa is more convincing than ever thanks to its impressive blend of performance, high fuel economy, decent comfort, and easy-to-drive manners.” - Max Adams, online reviews editor, who tested the Corsa in the UK
Read more on the Vauxhall Corsa...
10. Fiat 500e
- Prices from £25,000
| Pros | Cons |
| Great to drive in urban areas | Heavy depreciation from list price |
| Excellent energy efficiency | No rear doors limits cabin access |
| Stylish interior design stands out | Very light and vague steering |
The Fiat 500e is arguably more fashionable than some of the other cars on this list, but this glamour comes at an additional cost.
“As a city car the 500e certainly cuts it with the best, although its limitations are easy to see once you head out on the open road.” - Alex Ingram, chief reviewer, who tested the 500e in the UK
What to look for in a first car
Here are some key questions to ask when shopping for a first car…
Is it cheap to insure?
One of the biggest obstacles for new drivers to overcome is sky-high insurance costs. As a new driver, your shortage of experience will count against you in the eyes of an insurer. If you can keep out of trouble for 12 months, you will accrue a no-claims discount which will give you a percentage reduction on your premium. If you continue to not make any insurance claims, then this discount will only grow over the years. There are even some finance deals which include free insurance, although this usually raises the monthly payments drastically.
One way of boosting a no-claims discount is to fit your car with an insurer-approved 'black box'. This electronic device plugs into your car's electronics and monitors your driving, and you and your insurer can review your performance to see how and where you can improve. Return a good score, and the insurer can further reduce your payments.
Is it safe?
Some parents will be in a position to buy their children their first car, and if you're in that enviable situation, then you'll likely want to buy the safest car possible. You need to find the cars that come with the highest Euro NCAP safety rating: the higher the score for a car, the safer it is.
Still, buying a new car rather than an old second-hand one will mean it's inherently safer, because it will feature the most up-to-date safety equipment. This could include more advanced systems such as autonomous emergency braking and lane-keeping assist, which allow the car’s systems to intervene in an emergency and try to avoid a collision.
Which fuel type should I choose?
We'd recommend going for a petrol car over a diesel. There aren't many small diesel cars on sale these days, and you'll only reap the benefit of their better fuel consumption if you do lots of motorway miles, which is unlikely if you're an inexperienced driver.
It's better to go for a small petrol, and if the option of stop-start is available then that should help to reduce running costs even more. While the experience of the engine cutting out when you put the car in neutral might be unnerving at first, you'll soon get into the habit of saving fuel and making your money go further.
Alternatively, if your budget allows, an increasing number of smaller hybrid models are going on sale. These cars use both a petrol engine and electric motors to lower fuel consumption and emissions, meaning that you could make savings on both running costs, all while reducing your carbon footprint. If you are looking at a hybrid car, it is important to remember that there are different types of hybrid, and these carry their own advantages and disadvantages depending on how you use them.
If you’d prefer to go all-electric, there are lots of small, easy-to-drive models to choose from. However, prices for electric cars are still higher than their petrol, diesel and hybrid counterparts in the majority of cases, and insurance premiums can be a lot higher. Calculate it correctly, and the fuel and tax savings could help to counteract this. It is, of course, important to make sure that you would indeed be able to live with an electric car, such as having the space for a home-charger.
Is it easy to drive?
Other important things to look out for when buying a car for a new driver include light steering, good visibility, a responsive engine and brakes, user-friendly controls and a positive gear shift; all of these will help a new driver build confidence during their time behind the wheel. You’ll want to take a few test drives in the models on your first car shortlist to decide which one suits you best.
Keep reading to find everything you need to know about learning to drive, getting your driving licence and choosing your first car...
Learning to drive
Passing your driving test
- Driving theory test: everything you need to know
- Hazard perception test: what to expect and how to pass
- Driving test 'show me, tell me' questions: hints and tips
- Practical driving test: how to pass
- Driving test pass rates explained
- Driving test aids product test
- History of the UK driving test
Getting your first car
