10 best cars for driving instructors

When you boil it down, the best cars for driving instructors are largely going to be the same as the best cars for a learner driver. They’ll need to have lightweight steering for easy manoeuvrability around town, visibility should be excellent to help avoid any unfortunate dings or scrapes and build confidence and – of course – they should be as safe as possible.

As a driving instructor, you may have a few other considerations. With electric cars becoming increasingly mainstream, you may want to opt for a battery-powered car instead of a traditional manual or automatic-transmission internal combustion engine car. Respectable fuel economy (or electric range) is another important thing to bear in mind. And finally, if you’re going to be using the car to run family errands in addition to any lessons, you’ll probably want a decent amount of passenger and luggage space.

Bearing all of this in mind, this list of the best driving instructor cars is a relatively broad one. There’s a selection of petrol, hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as manual and automatic transmission. Whichever you choose, you can rest assured that all of these options are among the best cars to learn to drive in.

The 10 best driving instructor cars are:

1. Volkswagen Polo
2. Peugeot 208
3. Honda Jazz
4. Volkswagen ID.3
5. Ford Puma
6. Vauxhall Corsa
7. Renault Clio
8. Skoda Fabia
9. Citroen C3
10. Honda e

1. Volkswagen Polo

• Euro NCAP: 5 stars
• Engine size: 1.0-litre petrols
• Fuel economy: 50.2 to 54.4mpg

The Volkswagen Polo might be one of the pricier small hatchbacks you could opt for as a driving instructor owing to the posher badge on its nose, but it’s still a fantastic little car. Visibility is good front and rear, the steering, clutch and gearshift weights are all nice and lightweight, and it’s comfortable on rough stretches of road too.

That said, the low-powered versions of the 1.0-litre petrol engine are pretty gutless, so you’d do well to go for the 95hp turbocharged model. The extra low-down torque makes it harder to stall, and your students will thank you for it. Elsewhere, it’s 351-litre boot is generous for a car this small, and there’s a decent amount of rear-seat passenger space.

2. Peugeot 208

• Euro NCAP: 4 stars
• Engine sizes: electric, 1.2-litre petrols, 1.5-litre diesel
• Economy: EV range 225 miles/best petrol 58.2mpg/best diesel 72.2mpg

The dashing Peugeot 208 will certainly be popular with students who want to look good while they learn to drive (at least in terms of the style-appeal of the car they’re in…). Its small steering wheel and light control weights make it feel very nippy and agile in tight spots, although its swoopy design does mean that visibility to the sides and the rear is a bit limited.

You can have the 208 with a choice of smooth petrol engines or a punchy diesel, all of which offer decent enough performance for a learner car. If you’d prefer an electric version, the e-208 is an option too, and promises a range of up to 225 miles. Passenger space in the back seats is a bit tight, though.

3. Honda Jazz

• Euro NCAP: 5 stars
• Engine size: 1.5-litre petrol hybrid
• Fuel economy: 62.8mpg

If you want to focus on teaching your students how to drive a car with an automatic transmission, then the Honda Jazz is a great bet. It comes with a super economical petrol-electric hybrid motor that’s easily capable of returning around 60mpg, and visibility out of this boxy little hatchback is truly excellent.

Driving students will find it comfortable to drive thanks to plenty of seat adjustability, and the steering is nice and light too. For what is a pretty small car, there’s also a tonne of passenger space in the second row, and the Jazz’s boot is also a reasonable 304 litres.

4. Volkswagen ID.3

• Euro NCAP: 5 stars
• Engine size: NA – electric
• EV range: from 216 miles to 340 miles

The Volkswagen ID.3 is an all-electric hatchback that, depending on the size of battery you opt for, can manage a range of up to 340 miles. It’s a very straightforward and easy electric car to drive, and with differing levels of regenerative braking available it’ll offer you the chance to teach your students how to maximise their driving efficiency.

Passenger space definitely isn’t in short supply either, and 385 litres of boot space isn’t to be sniffed at. Some of its interior trim pieces look and feel a bit cheap, but if you’re not worried about that sort of thing this would make for an excellent driver training car.

5. Ford Puma

• Euro NCAP: 5 stars
• Engine size: 1.0-litre petrols
• Fuel economy: 49.6 to 52.3mpg

With its miniature SUV design, driving students should feel right at home behind the wheel of the Ford Puma thanks to its raised up driving position and decent forward visibility. Its range of 1.0-litre petrol engines are all impressively punchy and easy to get along with, and a nicely weighted clutch should help to avoid repeated stalls.

Being a slightly sportier flavour of small SUV, the Puma can feel a bit firm over rough stretches of roads, but its direct and keenly weighted steering makes it feel impressively agile and responsive. As for practicality, space in the back is a bit on the tight side, but its 456-litre boot is impressively versatile.

6. Vauxhall Corsa

• Euro NCAP: 4 stars
• Engine size: electric, 1.2-litre petrols
• Economy: EV range 222 miles/54.3 to 57.6mpg

The Vauxhall Corsa has always been a favourite amongst driving instructors, and for good reason. They’re exceptionally easy to drive, offer decent fuel economy, and aren’t too expensive to buy. This latest one is no exception, even if it does feel a bit bumpy at lower speeds.

As with the Peugeot 208, the Vauxhall Corsa is also available as a pure-electric car, with a range of up to 222 miles. With smooth and effortless electric performance, the Corsa-e is even easier to drive than the petrol model. That said, all versions of the Corsa are a bit cramped in the back seats.

7. Renault Clio

• Euro NCAP: 5 stars
• Engine size: 1.0-litre petrol or 1.6-litre petrol hybrid
• Fuel economy: 54.4 to 64.2mpg

With its handsome looks, posh cabin and lightweight controls, the Renault Clio should prove popular amongst learner drivers. It comes in two flavours: a regular 1.0-litre petrol with a manual gearbox, and a petrol electric hybrid with an automatic. The hybrid’s automatic gearbox is pretty clunky at times, so if you’re considering a Clio you’ll probably be better off sticking with the easy-shifting manual option.

The second row of seating is a wee bit cramped, which isn’t ideal if you’re planning on carting passengers around outside of driving school, but this is par for the course for most superminis, and the Clio’s 391-litre boot is seriously impressive. That said, if you go for the hybrid that figure drops significantly.

8. Skoda Fabia

• Euro NCAP: 5 stars
• Engine size: 1.0 to 1.5-litre petrols
• Fuel economy: 49.7 to 56mpg

If you want a no-frills hatchback that’s comfortable, spacious and will be very easy for your students to drive, then the Skoda Fabia is certainly worth a look in. It’s available with a range of economical petrol engines, as well as a choice of automatic and manual gearboxes, so depending on your preferences you should have most of your bases covered.

The steering is light, as are pedal and gearshift controls, and with excellent all-round visibility the Fabia is a very easy car to drive around town. If you’re planning on using the car personally, you’ll also be pleased to know that rear passenger space is pretty generous, and the boot has a very tidy 380-litre capacity.

9. Citroen C3

• Euro NCAP: 4 stars
• Engine size: 1.2-litre petrols, 1.5-litre diesel
• Fuel economy: best petrol 54.5mpg, best diesel 70.6mpg

With excellent visibility, super comfortable chairs and lightweight controls, the funky-looking Citroen C3 is a great car to learn to drive in. That featherweight steering and a loftier driving position than your average family hatchback makes driving in tight spots that much easier, and a softer suspension set up helps it to smooth over even the roughest bumps in the road.

The C3 is available with a couple of 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel engines, and chances are you’ll be best served by the punchier 110hp petrol than the entry-level 83hp offering. That said, if you want that engine with a manual transmission, you’ll have to go for the range-topping Shine Plus trim.

10. Honda e

• Euro NCAP: 4 stars
• Engine size: NA – electric
• EV range: 137 miles

This cutesy electric car is a bit on the pricier side, but as an easy-driving learner car that has good visibility, comfortable on-road manners and a decent level of agility around town, it’s certainly still worth considering. Students will find its instantaneous electric acceleration smooth and easy to control, while its sensibly weighted steering will help them place the car on the road with ease too.

Admittedly, its 137-mile range is a bit limited, and it doesn’t have the largest boot in the world. But there’s decent passenger space in the second row, and the array of tech (think parking cameras and sensors) will really come in handy when you’re teaching someone how to drive.

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