Buying your daughter a car and starting her own insurance policy is probably a good thing as she can gain some independence and start building up her own no claims bonus. However, it might not make a lot of sense if she's going to university in a year and isn't planning on driving while she's there. Most students see a car as an unnecessary expense and she'll soon lose any NCB she's built up if she doesn't have a car insured in her name while she's away.

If you'd like to buy her a car anyway, an Aygo/C1/107 would be a good choice with low running costs. If she'd prefer something a little bigger, we'd rate a Ford Fiesta (with the reliable 1.25 petrol engine), Hyundai i20 or Toyota Yaris over a Corsa.

It's worth shopping around for insurance quotes on any car you're considering, and you might find that most insist on a black box.