Best first car 2025
Whether you're taking to the roads as soon as you get your licence or need to buy something after years of managing without, your first car has a big role to play in how confident you feel about driving.
Let's face it, most new drivers, young or old, start out with a used car. Before the days of cheap finance deals, it made sense it made to do so — for many people now a car has become little more than a monthly cost deducted from your bank balance. If you can get a new car for around £200 per month with a warranty and unworn components, the overall costs may not be that different to buying a £3000 used car, replacing worn parts, paying for breakdowns, then finding it's tired out and worthless after two years. In the meantime you'll have enjoyed peace of mind, safety and security as well as the pride of owning something brand new and shiny.
Don't forget the convenience of the latest tech, either — from wireless smartphone-connected infotainment screens that reduce clutter, to parking sensors and cameras to keep those alloy wheels clear of the kerb, even the cheapest new cars are often generously equipped compared with models from a decade ago.
Modern safety equipment and driver assistance systems make it easier to feel confident and safe on the road, while the reassurance of a long warranty and breakdown cover ensures your focus is on driving, not whether the car will make it to the destination.
There is a downside, of course. New drivers are considered a higher risk for insurance and this means the easiest way of choosing an appropriate car is to look for the lowest grouping. At least it is until March 2026, when a new 'risk assessment' standard will replace the current 1 to 50 insurance group system.
With this in mind, we’ve selected 10 of the best first cars you can buy new today:
Best first cars
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Hyundai i10
- Pros: practical for the small size, reliable, reputation for sensible owners
- Cons: cheapest insurance group tied to sub-par automatic option
Insurance group 1
The Hyundai i10 is one of the most sensible small cars you can buy. It's bigger than the average city car, so your mates won't complain about a lack of space, while the relatively large boot means there's plenty of room for shopping bags and the luggage for a weekend away. It's also backed by a five-year unlimited mileage warranty and powered by a range of economical petrol engines. The 67PS 1.0-litre engine gets a group 1 insurance rating when paired with an automated manual transmission, but frankly, you'd be better off choosing the manual gearbox and paying a little extra for cover.
Volkswagen Polo
- Pros: upmarket image, lots of personalisation options
- Cons: expensive for the equipment on offer
Insurance group 3
Since 1976 in the UK, the Volkswagen Polo has been a cornerstone of the 'supermini' segment — a group of small hatchbacks that made the route to affordable motoring feel desirable rather than a decision based on finances. The Polo's far from the cheapest new car you can buy, so you'll be spending or financing over £20,000 before any options or upgrades are considered. Current models start with insurance group 3 for the 1.0-litre 80PS Polo Life but used versions include some group 1 options. If you want more kit you can choose the closely related Skoda Fabia — the VW Polo has always been basic-but-high quality ever since it began life as the Audi 50, a model British buyers missed out on. Its role as a benchmark for quality has been undermined by cars like the Toyota Yaris but it's still a very likeable, grown-up feeling car you can feel good about owning.
Kia Picanto
- Pros: long warranty, rugged new style,
- Cons: interior trim isn't luxurious, engine noise can be intrusive
Insurance group 4
Don't be fooled by the scaled-down Kia EV9 styling, the Picanto is the same size as before — this is just a very effective facelift. It means the cheapest entry-level model has gone but the Kia Picanto 2 with 1.0-litre engine is still in insurance group 4. Better yet, if you want an automatic the more potent 1.2-litre model is a group 5 even in GT-Line trim, whereas the 1.2 manual jumps to group 8. As always, the grouping is only part of the equation so get quotes to make sure the Picanto is the cheapest car for your specific circumstances — but it should be on your shortlist for small automatics anyway, thanks to Kia's seven-year warranty. All models are well equipped and prices start at £16,605 making it one of the cheapest cars you can buy new for long-term peace of mind.
Skoda Fabia
- Pros: it's easily as good as a VW Polo
- Cons: but it costs as much as a VW Polo
Insurance group 4
It's still based on the VW Polo but the latest Skoda Fabia no longer looks like the German's frumpy cousin. Indeed, with cheaper prices, the smart money could be on the Fabia, especially when you consider the group 4 insurance rating of the 1.0-litre MPI 80PS version. The entry-level £20,515 SE trim comes with 15-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, smartphone-linked infotainment system with an 8.0-inch display, rear parking sensors and air conditioning. For an additional £2500, the SE L adds extra equipment, including stylish 16-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control and 9.2-inch colour display but it's worth noting that this trim isn't available with the insurance-friendly 80PS engine.
Toyota Aygo X
- Pros: long warranty, excellent safety technology, open-air sunroof option
- Cons: relatively small and less practical than rivals
Insurance group 5
The Toyota Aygo X is a city car with a touch of SUV attitude. Although it's less practical than the now discontinued Suzuki Ignis, the bold styling, raised driving position and long list of standard equipment combine to make the Aygo X one of the most interesting small cars on the market. It's even available with a retractable canvas roof for some open-air fun. There are four trim levels available — Pure, Edge, Air Edition and Exclusive — with prices starting just below £17,000. The cost of insurance will be kept in check by insurance groups 5 to 7, while the four-star Euro NCAP safety rating is impressive for a car of this size.
Dacia Sandero
- Pros: spacious interior, surprising refinement, comfortable ride
- Cons: few luxury extras or gadgets on the cheapest model
Insurance group 10
It's no longer available in stripped-out, 75PS Access trim for less than £10,000 but the Dacia Sandero remains Britain's cheapest new car. At £14,715 it highlights the real challenges faced in the cost of living, yet still offers exceptional value. In Essential specification, the Sandero will cost less than £190 a month — and you get air-con, LED headlights, a DAB radio and clever smartphone holder with Bluetooth streaming. It even has cruise control. However, it's worth paying the extra £1000 to upgrade to Expression trim, which adds keyless entry, rear parking sensors and an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — you'll get most of that back in higher resale value and enjoy the car a lot more while you own it.
Renault Captur
- Pros: the latest tech and style, good economy, versatile interior packaging
- Cons: big deposit needed for 0% APR, tempting to upgrade and push price up
Insurance group 11
If you're choosing your first car for family and practical needs, rather than just to get a licence and get on the road, then the Renault Captur should be towards the top of your list. At £22,195 this is far from the cheapest option but with dealer promotions and 0% finance you can still get one with monthly payments well under £200 — and cheap insurance, thanks to a low group 11 and excellent safety record. The big benefit is the clever sliding rear seat that allows 616 litres of boot space when you don't need much rear legroom — perfect for infant carriers and all the kit you need to carry for young children.
Read our full Renault Captur review and 2025 Renault Captur long-term test
Toyota Yaris
- Pros: easy and engaging to drive, class-leading warranty and reliability
- Cons: interior trim isn't luxurious, engine noise can be intrusive
Insurance group 13
With DNA that underpins similarly sized models from many brands, the Toyota Yaris is one of the most significant small cars of the 21st century. Refreshed in 2024, this-generation Yaris has been refined and tweaked to deliver an interesting blend of sporty looks and engaging handling, hybrid-automatic convenience and economy, plus traditional Toyota sensibility and reliability. Steering feedback and overall handling has benefitted from the GR Yaris hot hatchback's tuning — and that car's reputation helps the Yaris hybrid get a bit of street cred and appeal beyond just common sense.
This builds on both the low-emission, high-economy talents of the hybrid and excellent safety tech and crash protection that resulted in a five-star EuroNCAP score in 2020's tougher tests. Throw in Toyota's excellent service-activated 10-year/100,000-mile warranty and the Yaris has the potential to be both your first car and your last combustion-powered one — just keep it until the warranty runs out.
MG 3
- Pros: spacious, plenty of power for the size of car, good value overall
- Cons: not the cheapest to insure even at the £16,995 entry level
Insurance group 16
As cars get more sophisticated and expensive to repair, it seems the reduced risk of accidents bestowed upon the latest models is not enough to offset the greater cost of fixing them up — which might explain the number of group 1 models that are now in 3 or 4 after the addition of Euro NCAP-friendly driver assistance systems. However, the MG 3's leap from groups 4-8, to 16, is a surprise. It's still a cheap car to buy and insure overall, though, and the 1.5-litre engine is more generous than the typical 1.0-litre or less in rivals. With a seven-year warranty and much improved quality and technology over 2013's original MG 3, the latest model is good enough that it may be worth spending the extra for the Hybrid+ version, despite the even higher insurance.
Fiat 500 Electric
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- Pros: funky styling, interesting interior, fun to drive, lots of personalisation options
- Cons: limited range in the cheapest model, high list price, best bought with discounts
Insurance group 16
Many electric cars, even the small ones, are in high insurance groups because of their novelty, complexity and mass. Those batteries mean a small EV can make an impact comparable to a medium-sized petrol SUV, so it shouldn't be a surprise that the electric cars with the lowest insurance group are also the ones with a relatively short range. Even so, the Fiat 500 Electric's group 16 stands out, beating most rivals that start in the mid-20s. The funky Renault 5 E-Tech gets close, with group 18 but it costs more than the 500's already steep £25,025 list price. That list price distinction is crucial, because if you don't mind one keeper on the logbook and a handful of miles, pre-registered Fiat 500 Electrics are considerably cheaper. Ex-demo models are approaching Dacia Spring prices — and the Dacia is likely to cost much more to insure.
What is the best first car for a 17-year-old?
Most insurers see 17-year-olds with a fresh full licence as a very high risk, and they are unlikely to quote for higher grouped new cars regardless of other factors. Choosing the Volkswagen Polo or a similar spec of SEAT Ibiza or Skoda Fabia is a good start, as they have low insurance groups, good handling and safety and are generally easy to drive and maintain.
When buying used, don't dismiss 'grown-up' brands on the basis of a high group. Insurance is about statistics, and you may find that a larger, lazy car with minimal street cred such as a Volvo S60 (D2 versions are in group 17) or Volkswagen Eos (the 1.6 FSI is group 16) gets lower quotes than obvious teenage-driver small hatchbacks. This can be particularly obvious for street-parked cars in university towns, where risks of theft and vandalism are just as relevant as how the car is driven.
Don't dismiss two-seater cars such as the Renault Wind (group 14-19) or Smart Fortwo (group 2-13), either. Fewer seats means fewer passengers, and a big reduction in the potential liability in the event of an accident. A big part of the teenage driver equation is the potential for four teenage passengers being injured as well.
Which car is best for first-time drivers?
The best car for any first time driver is one that they feel comfortable and relaxed in. Take time to try all the options, even if it's just sitting in them and playing with the seats and steering wheel adjustment. Try to do this outdoors rather than in a showroom as it's easier to judge visibility past pillars and in mirrors. Something that gives good feedback from brakes and steering, such as a Toyota Aygo X, will help build confidence and a feeling of control.
Is an automatic car a good first car?
New drivers have a choice to make when they start learning, no matter how old they are. Do you take on the extra coordination of a clutch and a manual gearbox, or choose the easy option and get an automatic-only licence? For a long time the advice has always been to try and get the manual one, since the pool of available used cars was overwhelmingly biased towards changing gear yourself.
Now we're heading for the electric era, it seems less important. Almost every electric car you can buy is controlled by just two pedals, and some even promote a dodgem-style 'one pedal' approach. Taking the practical challenges of clutch control and gear changing out of the mix means you can focus on roadcraft — on good driving habits and behaviours — instead of hill starts and handbrakes. By 2035, a clutch pedal will be a very rare sight in showrooms.
Which is the safest first car?
All of the new cars listed here come with a good amount of standard safety equipment, including electronic stability control to keep the car stable on slippery and icy roads. It is a real life-saver. The latest cars also come with an autonomous emergency braking system, which automatically slams the brakes on if the car detects a possible collision and the driver doesn't react. It’s worth checking out the Euro NCAP crash safety scores, which highlight the very safest cars of all. Currently, the Skoda Fabia, Toyota Yaris and Volkswagen Polo are the front-runners in the small car sector, with five-star ratings from Euro NCAP.
Can you suggest a good first car?
