The best cars for new drivers are small hatchbacks like the Hyundai i10, Ford Fiesta, Renault Clio, Skoda Fabia and Toyota Yaris. These cars sit in low insurance groups (1–10), have small 1.0–1.2L engines, and are affordable to run, making them ideal for first-time drivers.
🏅 Best All-Rounder: Renault Clio - A balance of low insurance costs, strong safety ratings, and modern features makes the Renault Clio ideal for most new drivers.
💸 Cheapest To Insure: Hyundai i10 - One of the lowest insurance group cars available, keeping premiums as affordable as possible, the Hyundai i10 is a great car for new drivers.
🚗 Best Used Option: Ford Fiesta - Widely available, cheap to repair, and still one of the most enjoyable cars to drive, the Ford Fiesta is a top option for new drivers.
💪 Best For Reliability: Toyota Yaris - Known for long-term durability and low running costs, making the Toyota Yaris a dependable first car.
💷 Best Budget New Car: Dacia Sandero - Offers the most space and features for the lowest purchase price in the UK market, the Dacia Sandero is a reliable first car for new drivers.
Low insurance group (1–10)
Small engines (1.0–1.2L)
Easy to drive / park
Safety tech
Reliability
Summary: The Renault Clio, Skoda Fabia, and Hyundai i10 are the best all-rounder cars for new drivers, with cheap insurance costs, reliability and good build quality.
The best all-rounder cars for new drivers comprise cheap insurance, a low price, reliability, a solid build and good fuel economy. Here are some of the best options on the market.
The Renault Clio is one of the best cars for new drivers because it combines low insurance costs, strong safety ratings, and modern features. Clios are known for large boot space, high-quality interiors and good overall finish. Ranked 4/5 by WhatCar?, the Renault Clio is a fantastic option for new drivers.
The Skoda Fabia is one of the best cars for new drivers with it being a practical option with solid engineering and finish. Smaller engine models can rank as low as insurance group 2, and when combined with a used price of around £6,000, the Skoda Fabia is a good option for new drivers.
The Hyundai i10 is one of the best cars for new drivers, sitting in insurance groups 1-4, making the Hyundai i10 one of the cheapest insurance options in the UK. The Hyundai i10 is a reliable city car that punches above its weight for quality. A used i10 can be as cheap as £1,000.
Honda Civic – Reliable, great fuel economy, and solid resale value make the Honda Civic a good compact option for new drivers. A used Honda Civic can cost as little as £1,500.
Toyota Corolla – A durable car with low maintenance costs and good safety specs makes the Corolla a solid option for new drivers. A used Toyota Corolla costs around £10,000, which may be too expensive for new drivers.
A used VW Polo can be as cheap as £5,000 used, and can rank as low as insurance group 1, making the VW Polo one of the cheapest cars to insure in the UK. VW Polos are extremely reliable, too, helping reduce the potential for maintenance and repair costs down the line.
Older Toyota Yaris models rank in insurance group 3, one of the cheapest groups for insurance. Older used models are also cheap to buy, with prices coming in under £3,000, a fantastic deal for a reliable car.
Kia Picantos sit in insurance group 1, making them cheap and perfect for new drivers who already face high insurance costs. Older Kia Picanto models cost around £4,000, a good price for a car best suited to city driving.
Summary: The Dacia Spring and Renault 5 are good options, although both are expensive and sit fairly high in insurance groups.
The Dacia Spring is cheap to run and best suited to city driving. With a 140-mile range, the Dacia Spring can get you from A to B, but it will need to be recharged for longer trips. The Dacia Spring includes a touchscreen with navigation, Active Emergency Braking, and lane assist. All of these factors make the Dacia Spring a great option for new drivers. In saying that, a used Dacia Spring will cost more than popular used options like the Toyota Yaris, coming in around £8,000. The Dacia Spring also ranks high for insurance, sitting in groups 24 to 28.
A used Renault 5 will cost around £22,000, making it one of the most expensive cars on this list. If you’re happy to part with this amount, you’ll get a compact car with a super-modern finish and tech to back that up. The Renault 5 will sit in the 18-22 insurance groups, making it a fairly expensive car to insure.
Summary: New drivers should look for cars with a high crashworthiness score, low insurance costs, and used models if they want to save. They should also test drive a car before buying.
New drivers should:
💯 Check safety ratings. Check crashworthiness; cars with higher scores are a lower risk.
🚗 Insurance. Choose cars in insurance groups 1-5, which are among the cheapest.
🆕 New vs used. A slightly used model that is cheap but has solid safety spec is a good choice.
🏎️ Test drive. Get a feel for the car before buying.
📖 Buying A Used Car - Top Tips
The Vauxhall Corsa is a popular used car that offers new drivers low running costs and good fuel efficiency. A compact hatchback, the Corsa is easy to park, helping new drivers get over a potential banana skin early into driving. A used Corsa costs around £2,500 and can rank as low as insurance group 1, making the Vauxhall Corsa a great cheap used car for new drivers.
The Dacia Sandero is a reliable, compact car that’s safe and runs well. For new drivers, it’s a steady and cheap option. Used models start as low as £2,000, and rise depending on spec, model and engine size. Dacia Sanderos are also cheap to insure, sitting in groups 2 to 15.
A car that sits anywhere from insurance groups 5 to 7, the Toyota Aygo X is a cheap to insure, reliable option, that’s small and easy to park and has a good MPG. Used models are fairly expensive, with prices sitting around £9,000.
The Hyundai i10 is best for keeping insurance costs low, while the Ford Fiesta is better for the driving experience. The Renault Clio offers the best balance of safety, cost, and features, making it the strongest all-round option.
Additional Young Driver Support And Advice 👇
Cars in insurance groups 1-3 are the best cars for to choose as a 17-year-old driver. Look for a Hyundai i10, Fiat 500 or Kia Picanto, all of which have small engines and provide sufficient reliability and build quality.
The Hyundai i10, Renault Clio, and Ford Fiesta are the best used car options under £5,000. All are reliable and sit in low insurance groups, making them fantastic options for first time drivers.
The Hyundai i10 is one of the best cars for new drivers insurance. The i10 sits in insurance group 1-4, making it one of the cheapest insurance options in the UK.