If you are a new driver and looking for your first car, you’ve come to the right place. Our guide to great cars for first time drivers has you covered.
Buying your first car can be one of the most memorable experiences of your life – right up there with ordering your first pint and getting your first pay check. After all, owning your own vehicle finally gives you access to a level of freedom that you may never have experienced before.
However, it is important to remember that owning a car also means dealing with being able to afford to run it, so you will need to take things such as insurance cost and fuel economy into account.
What to look for in your first car
One of the biggest expenses associated with buying your first car is the sky-high insurance cost. Insurers will hold the fact that you are a new driver against you – however, if you can keep out of trouble on the roads for 12 months then you will be rewarded with a no-claims discount which should help to lower the cost of your second year of insurance.
One way you can potentially boost your no-claims discount is by fitting a so-called ‘black box’ to your car. This is an electronic device that plugs into your car’s electronic system, monitoring youre driving and allowing you and your insurer to review your driving to see if any improvements can be made. If your score is considered good however, your insurer may reward you with reduced payments.
It is also important to consider the safety of your first car as well. You will want to look for small cars with a high safety rating from the independent assessment organisation NCAP. Their assessment scores are ranked with the higher the score being the safer the car. New cars tend to be safer than older cars anyway, as new cars have kit such as electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes fitted as standard.
Another thing to consider is fuel – petrol or diesel. If you have the option to purchase a car with stop/start installed then we would recommend this as it will reduce running costs even more, although it can be unnerving at first if you are not used to the car ‘cutting out’ when you put it in neutral.
Manual cars can be better for newer drivers, as they give you more confidence when controlling the cars mechanicals.
Other things to look out for when buying a car for a new driver are:
- Good visibility
- Light steering
- Positive gear shift
- Responsive engine and brakes
- User-friendly controls
We’ve pulled together some of our picks for great cars for first time drivers, based on them being not only cheap, but easy to drive and safe as well.
- Volkswagen Up – Cheap to run, easy to drive and spacious
- Ford Fiesta – Britain's best-selling car
- Fiat 500 – A great and stylish car that's perfect for around town
- Audi A1 - Stylish, sporty and fun to drive
- Seat Ibiza – Practical but with a youthful view
- Hyundai i10 – Safe handling, reliable and plenty of kit
- Volkswagen Polo – Refined comfort with some great tech
For more guidance on the best cars for new drivers, get in touch with our sales team on 0161 885 0676 or visit one of our thee showrooms in Bury or Rochdale.