If you're young and learning to drive, or have already passed your driving test, you will have probably been looking for a car to buy. There are thousands of cars to choose from on the second-hand market and the majority are ideally suited to new drivers because they are generally a bit older and therefore cheap to buy and cheap to run.
But what if you have a bit more cash to spend and can stretch to something newer? Today, new cars tend to be quite expensive because of the technology, safety equipment and modern functions that are fitted as standard. So what is currently on the market that would suit a new driver?
Small city cars are the obvious choice as they are very practical for short, local journeys and city driving, as the term suggests. Therefore, manufacturers go to great lengths to ensure their city cars are small and compact and as a result, they tend to be the cheapest in their range. Common choices of cars to suit young people are often small, three-door hatchbacks with small engines as this is one of the cheapest types of car to get insured on. Popular manufacturers include Peugeot, Citroen, Ford, Vauxhall and Renault.
Here is a comparison of the cheapest new city cars on the market at the moment...
Peugeot 107 3dr
On the road price: £8,695
Engine: 1.0 litre petrol, 68bhp, manual 5-speed, 97mph top speed
Features: power steering, ABS brakes, front airbags, central locking, no alloy wheels
Interior: CD player with MP3 connectivity, manual windows
MPG: average 61.4
CO2 emissions: 103 (g/km)
Citroen C1 3dr
On the road price: £8,695
Features: power steering, ABS brakes, front airbags, central locking, no alloy wheels
Interior: CD player with MP3 connectivity, manual windows
MPG: average 62.8
CO2 emissions: 103 (g/km)
(4 seats only in this car)
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Ford Ka (Studio) 3dr
On the road price: £8,455
Features: power steering, ABS brakes, front airbags, manual locking, no alloy wheels
Interior: CD player with MP3 connectivity, manual windows
MPG: average 57.7
CO2 emissions: 115 (g/km)
Vauxhall Corsa 3dr
On the road price: £9,995
Features: power steering, ABS brakes, front airbags, central locking, no alloy wheels
Interior: CD player without MP3 connectivity
MPG: average 56.5
CO2 emissions: 117 (g/km)
Renault Twingo 3dr
On the road price: £8,995
Engine: 1.2 litre petrol, 75bhp, manual 5-speed, 105mph top speed
Features: power steering, ABS brakes, front airbags, central locking, no alloy wheels
Interior: CD player with MP3 connectivity, electric windows
MPG: average 55.4
CO2 emissions: 119 (g/km)
(4 seats only in this car)
Renault Clio 3dr
On the road price: £8,800
Engine: 1.2 litre petrol, 75bhp, manual 5-speed, 104mph top speed
Features: power steering, ABS brakes, front airbags, central locking, no alloy wheels
Interior: CD player with MP3 connectivity, electric windows
MPG: average 48.7
CO2 emissions: 135 (g/km)
Any of these cars would be a popular choice for a young driver. They are all small, cheap and come equipped with very similar features. In terms of price, the Ford Ka is the cheapest option, but only by a few hundred pounds behind the Peugeot and the Citroen. Both these cars are very similar, too, in that their specifications are almost identical and that they look the same as well, because they are same car underneath just with a different badge on the front. As a result, they are being sold for the same price, making it that little bit harder to choose between them.
The Vauxhall Corsa is the most expensive car in the line-up and although it is one of the smallest, cheapest cars Vauxhall sells, there is not a super-small car in the range that can match to the other cars here. The details of the car are pretty much the same as the others, as it has a small, 1.0 litre engine achieving 56 MPG so nothing stands out as being too different from its rivals. Only the price is the big difference because in terms of size, the Corsa is a slightly bigger car than the superminis like the Peugeot, Citroen and Ka. The only other car here that could compare is the Renault Clio. There are two cars from Renault in this line-up because they have two very similar cars at the lower end of the range - the Clio and the Twingo. The Twingo is a relatively new addition to the range and in comparison to the Clio, there is no major difference apart from the size of each car. Both have a 1.2 litre petrol engine with the same amount of power and similar features on the inside, too. Yet, as you may realise from the details above, the Twingo is slightly more expensive than the Clio but it is a smaller car, even only offering four seats compared to the Clio's five. Perhaps the Twingo is more expensive to make, but this price difference is baffling. If you like the look of the Renaults, then the obvious choice would be to go for the cheapest, where you will actually get a bit more for your money.
Whatever car you choose, it will soon become your pride and joy. For most people, it could be the oldest or slowest car on the road but as long as it gets you from A to B and gives you the independence, then it doesn't matter. For those craving a bit more style with their choice of car, any of the cars here would be perfect, or there are other cheap city cars available from other manufacturers. This comparison will just give you an idea of what you can get for your money and what the best option is in terms of price, power or style.
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