Compare the best first cars

Q: What is the cheapest first time car to buy?

At the moment, the winner is the Kia Picanto , which manages to be almost £2,000 cheaper than its cousin, the Hyundai i10. Even a Dacia Sandero isn’t that cheap, so snap one up before the prices rise.

Q: What is the best first car for cheap insurance?

The Kia Picanto , Volkswagen Up , and basic versions of the Volkswagen Polo are all in Group 1 for insurance, so it’ll be tough to get a better quote than you will with one of them. The Ford Fiesta , Skoda Fabia , Kia Rio , and SEAT Ibiza all start in Group 2, while the Renault Clio , Hyundai i10 , and Dacia Sandero all start in Group 3. Check out our explainer guide on car insurance groups to find out more.

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Best first cars of 2022

Choosing your first car is a tough one — it has to be cheap enough to buy and run, robust enough to cope with young driver mistakes, and yet still have a modicum of style so that your friends won’t mock you. So, which are the best first time cars to buy?

1. Hyundai i10

9/10

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£160^* / month (£12,547)

As with all cars, Hyundai’s little i10 is a bit pricier than it used to be, but still good value at from £13,340. Roomy enough inside for four (although the boot’s tiny) but the good stuff here is a lively and frugal little 1.0-litre engine, and Hyundai’s solid reliability and warranty. The car is not un-stylish, either.

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2. Dacia Sandero

9/10

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£181^* / month (£12,252)

This is the one your parents will want you to buy, because it’s one of the cheapest. £13,595 gets you a Polo-sized hatchback, with space to spare. Basic 90hp turbo 1.0-litre engine is lively, but not thirsty, and instead of a touchscreen you get a clamp to hold your mobile phone and an app to connect it to the car’s speakers. Neat, if cheap. Safety rating (two NCAP stars) is a bit grim.

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3. Volkswagen Polo

9/10

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£168^* / month (£17,911)

This is the other one your parents will want you to buy, because it’s built like a bank vault and performs like one in a crash test (the Polo has a 94% adult protection rating from NCAP). Cheapest 80hp engine gets you going, but it’s hardly sparkling. Possibly a bit too sober a choice, and pretty pricey for a first-timer. Maybe get an Up instead, before they stop selling them?

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4. Ford Fiesta

8/10

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£204^* / month (£17,778)

For many, the Fiesta is the default first car and you can easily see why. They’re cheap to buy and run, but the steering and chassis are just so good that you can’t help falling in love with how they drive. Cabin quality has improved recently, and reliability is decent. Basic 1.1 three-pot engine has only 75hp, so leave plenty of time for your journey…

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5. SEAT Ibiza

8/10

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£163^* / month (£16,291)

The SEAT Ibiza should be the stylish, funky Spanish cousin to the Germanic Polo, but someone at Seat clearly didn’t get the memo — it feels pretty much as safely sensible as the VW, and suffers from a deeply dull cabin. It is cheaper to buy than a Polo, hence the appeal.

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6. Skoda Fabia

7/10

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£207^* / month (£16,783)

Oddly, it’s the Czech Fabia that looks and feels funkier than the Spanish Seat. Not from the outside — it’s all quite sober, aside from some jazzy colour options, but it’s the Skoda’s cabin that’s a winner, looking and feeling classier than some far more expensive rivals.

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7. Toyota Yaris

7/10

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£227^* / month (£19,611)

Once upon a time, the best thing about a Yaris was that it was indestructible. That solidity hasn’t changed, but Toyota has injected the latest Yaris with a jolt of styling brio, and a chassis that feels more deft and engaging than you’d expect. Pricey hybrid is super-economical, and it suffers from small back seats and a tiny boot.

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8. Vauxhall Corsa

7/10

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£176^* / month (£16,120)

Arguably an even more default-choice than the Fiesta, the Corsa has been much improved with this latest version. Looks a little bit sensible-shoes inside and out, but it’s sweeter to drive than it used to be, and you can even get a fully-electric version if you want to future-proof your first car.

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9. Kia Picanto

7/10

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£11,567

Cheaper than the equivalent Hyundai, which is nice, and arguably nicer to look at with chunky, square-edged styling. Not the roomiest thing in the world, but it’ll do, and Kia’s seven-year warranty is reassuring when it comes to reliability. You might just crack 60mpg if you drive carefully.

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10. Hyundai i20

6/10

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£181^* / month (£17,759)

Far sharper to look at than it used to be, and nicer to drive too. The Hyundai i20 is a bit of a class-act all-round, actually, with a smart cabin. It’s expensive in basic form, but standard rear parking sensors are a boon for first-time drivers. Get it in blue and pretend it’s an i20 N.

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First cars FAQs

What is the best engine size for a first car?

Insurers will want you to buy the smallest engine you can, so it’s probably best to stick to a 1.0-litre unit. Thankfully, the latest 1.0-litre engines from the likes of Ford, Volkswagen, and Renault are much better all-round performers than they used to be, so venturing out onto the motorway isn’t an exercise in endurance.

What is the cheapest first time car to buy?

At the moment, the winner is the Kia Picanto, which manages to be almost £2,000 cheaper than its cousin, the Hyundai i10. Even a Dacia Sandero isn’t that cheap, so snap one up before the prices rise.

What is the best first car for cheap insurance?

The Kia Picanto, Volkswagen Up, and basic versions of the Volkswagen Polo are all in Group 1 for insurance, so it’ll be tough to get a better quote than you will with one of them. The Ford Fiesta, Skoda Fabia, Kia Rio, and SEAT Ibiza all start in Group 2, while the Renault Clio, Hyundai i10, and Dacia Sandero all start in Group 3.

Check out our explainer guide on car insurance groups to find out more.

What is the best way to buy your first car?

Well, saving up is the best way — there’s nothing like going into a car dealer with a pocket full of cash, and you’ll definitely wangle a good deal if you do. Many will buy with parental help, of course, so be nice to mum and dad.

Should I get my first car on finance?

Maybe. Finance is a big commitment, and while the monthly repayments on PCP plans look temptingly low, don’t forget there’s always the final payment to make in three years’ time, or you’ll have to be ready to roll the car over into a new deal. Make sure you read all the fine print, and don’t assume that the car company’s finance deal is the best — shop around with high street banks and credit unions to get the best deal. Above all, make sure you can afford the repayments in the longer term.

You can read more about buying a car on finance in our guide on PCP car financing.

What should I look for when buying a first car?

The two key words here are reliability and economy. With fuel prices the way they are, you don’t want something that’s getting any less than 45mpg on average (and preferably better than that). Reliability is key too, as even if problems can be sorted under warranty, if you’re in a first car you’re also probably in a first job, and missing days to get your car fixed is a no-no.

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