What is a good first car for a 17 year old?
My 17 year old grandson is near to sitting his driving test and my daughter is wondering about a suitable car for him when he passes. The budget will be up to £10k, less if possible, and insurance, reliability and running costs are very important.
Asked on 23 July 2026 by Sam Martin
Answered by
David Ross
You can see our guide to the best small cars for new drivers here - www.honestjohn.co.uk/guides/small-cars/best-first-.../ - all of which are designed to cater for those just starting out with low running costs including low insurance groups. In particular we would suggest looking at the Hyundai i10, which has a strong reliability record, is very easy to drive and is surprisingly spacious for something so small, and the same applies to the closely related Kia Picanto. The Toyota Aygo X is also a sensible choice, with its SUV-like design giving it a raised driving position, while Toyota has a well-deserved reputation for building reliable cars. These options also offer sufficient performance to make them usable out of town and on the motorway but are frugal to keep fuel bills down and insurance groups low.
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