What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Which cars are best for first-time drivers?

I'm a young first-time driver who's looking for a 10 to 12-year-old car with low running costs. Insurance should be as cheap as possible and the tax possibly £20-30 a year. What cars would you advise? I do about 200 miles per month. Shall I go for petrol or diesel? Thanks in advance for your kind help.

Asked on 8 January 2021 by Maryam Sidibe

Answered by Andrew Brady
We'd recommend a Toyota Aygo. It'll be dirt cheap to run and ought to be reliable. Also, consider a Kia Picanto or, if you'd prefer something a little bigger, a Ford Fiesta with the reliable 1.25-litre petrol engine. Don't bother with a diesel for your mileage – it'll cost more to maintain.
Similar questions
My son is starting his first job and needs something to use to commute 35 miles each way via the M25. His budget is £2000. I expect him to drive about 15k miles per year as we expect him to work from home...
I' planning to buy either a Toyota Yaris (2009-2011) or Ford Fiesta (2008 onwards). Which of the two do you recommend for reliability, holding its value well, build quality and running costs. I'm planning...
I'm looking to purchase an MPV for up to £7000. I currently own Citroen Xsara Picasso on a 54-plate, but the air conditioning no longer works and the heater has also stopped working. I am wondering what...
Related models
Well built with an upmarket interior. Enjoyable and involving to drive. Cheap to run 1.6TDCI ECOnetic. Exceptional reliability record. Very few problems reported despite more than 500,000 sold.
Low road tax and insurance. Averages a claimed 60mpg. Cheap to run and drives decently. 99g/km CO2 from 2012.
Great value. High quality, neatly designed interior. Good to drive.