What's the best first car for an 18-year-old?

My 18-year-old son has just passed his driving test. What car would you recommend we buy for him to start building up no claims? I would assume a very low engine below 1.0 and are thinking about keeping the overall buying/insurance costs to around £5000 if that is in any way realistic?

Asked on 8 July 2019 by John McGlynn

Answered by Andrew Brady

That's a very realistic budget - it's not worth spending a fortune on a first car. I'd recommend looking at a cheap Ford Fiesta with the tough 1.25-litre engine or maybe a Suzuki Swift or Kia Picanto. Shop around for insurance... often thinking outside the box will return cheaper quotes than simply sticking to smaller engines. We have a guide to saving money on insurance: www.honestjohn.co.uk/cheap-car-insurance/

Tags: first cars new drivers buying advice

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