Compare the best cheap first cars

High quality cheap first and learner cars from rated and reviewed dealers

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grey kia picanto driving down a city road

Best cheap first cars of 2024

Buying your first car is a rite of passage for all drivers. However, it’s also one of the trickiest car purchases you’ll ever make – as a new driver, insurance will be high on anything too powerful, and because of your inexperience you will probably want something smaller and easier to manoeuvre. New drivers also tend to be younger with smaller budgets, making it even more important to get your purchase right the first time.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of our favourite new cars that are cheap to buy, cheap to insure and not too intimidating to drive.

Dacia Sandero

1. Dacia Sandero

8/10
Dacia Sandero review

What's good

  • Value for money is tough to beat
  • Interior is spacious and impressively practical
  • Holds its value well

What’s not so good

  • Poor two-star safety rating
  • No USB charge points in rear
  • Colourful paint job costs extra
When it comes to small, affordable cars, the Dacia Sandero really is the top dog. The latest versions look smarter than the ultra-basic models of old and the interior isn’t as utilitarian as you might expect. These improvements mean it’s no longer the absolute cheapest new car you can buy, but it’s easily the best value. It’s surprisingly spacious inside, too, and pretty good to drive.

What's good

  • Value for money is tough to beat
  • Interior is spacious and impressively practical
  • Holds its value well

What’s not so good

  • Poor two-star safety rating
  • No USB charge points in rear
  • Colourful paint job costs extra
Hyundai i10

2. Hyundai i10

8/10
Hyundai i10 review

What's good

  • Stylish exterior design
  • Very easy to drive in town
  • Good-sized boot for such a small car

What’s not so good

  • Really basic entry-level models
  • Cheapest petrol engine is gutless
  • Alternatives have more eye-catching interiors
Given the fact that the similar Kia Picanto is a couple of grand cheaper than the Hyundai i10, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s a touch overpriced. However, we’re big fans of this little car, because it feels much more grown-up than its price and size might suggest. Furthermore, you get an unlimited mileage five-year warranty, so you don’t have to worry about any big bills appearing out of nowhere down the line.

What's good

  • Stylish exterior design
  • Very easy to drive in town
  • Good-sized boot for such a small car

What’s not so good

  • Really basic entry-level models
  • Cheapest petrol engine is gutless
  • Alternatives have more eye-catching interiors

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Volkswagen Up

3. Volkswagen Up

8/10
Volkswagen Up review

What's good

  • Smart interior
  • Comfortable to drive
  • Impressive build quality

What’s not so good

  • Fairly basic interior
  • Only four seats
  • Poor driver assistance tech
The Volkswagen Up has been around for a while and hasn’t changed much. But that’s more to do with the fact that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The Up is a cracking little car with stylish looks that’s much more refined to drive than you might expect, given its size. It will be reliable and cost buttons to run and insure, too.

What's good

  • Smart interior
  • Comfortable to drive
  • Impressive build quality

What’s not so good

  • Fairly basic interior
  • Only four seats
  • Poor driver assistance tech
Toyota Aygo X

4. Toyota Aygo X

7/10
Toyota Aygo X review

What's good

  • Slick manual transmission
  • Nicely weighted steering
  • Faux-SUV styling works well

What’s not so good

  • CVT gearbox is too noisy
  • Fairly large over-the-shoulder blind spot
  • Lots of scratchy-plastics in the cabin
It’s a shame that Toyota had to turn the Aygo into a crossover to keep buyers interested, but we do rather like this new Aygo X’s chunky styling. Typical Toyota build quality means that it should run forever, and the 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine burns less fuel than a camping stove.

What's good

  • Slick manual transmission
  • Nicely weighted steering
  • Faux-SUV styling works well

What’s not so good

  • CVT gearbox is too noisy
  • Fairly large over-the-shoulder blind spot
  • Lots of scratchy-plastics in the cabin
Ford Fiesta

5. Ford Fiesta

7/10
Ford Fiesta review

What's good

  • Great fun to drive
  • Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard
  • Nippy 100hp petrol engine

What’s not so good

  • ST-Line models feel firm
  • Alternatives have more rear space...
  • ...and bigger boots
The popularity of the Ford Puma means that this icon of the British motoring scene is on its way out in 2023. That’s a shame, because the Fiesta is still one of the best all-rounders you can buy. Another car that’s perhaps a touch pricier than it should be, but it costs less than a Volkswagen Polo, gets loads of standard kit and has an economical 1.1-litre engine.

What's good

  • Great fun to drive
  • Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard
  • Nippy 100hp petrol engine

What’s not so good

  • ST-Line models feel firm
  • Alternatives have more rear space...
  • ...and bigger boots
Volkswagen Polo

6. Volkswagen Polo

8/10
Volkswagen Polo review

What's good

  • Slick cabin feels posh
  • Very comfortable on the road
  • Plenty of boot space

What’s not so good

  • Not as fun as some alternatives
  • Entry-level petrol engine lacks punch
  • Useful options can be expensive
An expensive cheap option, if you catch our drift, but the Volkswagen Polo is worthy of a place on this list because it genuinely feels like a much bigger, more grown up car than its dimensions suggest. It’s basically a baby Golf, so it’s nice inside, reliable and cheap to run. And their popularity means you’ll get a good price on the used market, which will help justify the higher outlay to begin with.

What's good

  • Slick cabin feels posh
  • Very comfortable on the road
  • Plenty of boot space

What’s not so good

  • Not as fun as some alternatives
  • Entry-level petrol engine lacks punch
  • Useful options can be expensive
Kia Picanto

7. Kia Picanto

7/10
Kia Picanto review

What's good

  • Small and nippy around town
  • Lots of tech as standard
  • Feels mature for its size

What’s not so good

  • Engines are a bit weedy
  • No wireless smartphone connectivity
  • Not much fun on a longer journey
The Kia Picanto might be a seven-out-of-10 car overall, but for very specific buyers – those looking for a cheap first car, for example – it’s closer to full marks. That’s because it’s now the cheapest new car you can buy in the UK and some models even drop into the cheapest possible insurance group. A seven-year/100,000-mile warranty only enhances its value.

What's good

  • Small and nippy around town
  • Lots of tech as standard
  • Feels mature for its size

What’s not so good

  • Engines are a bit weedy
  • No wireless smartphone connectivity
  • Not much fun on a longer journey
Citroen C3 Origin

8. Citroen C3

6/10
Citroen C3 Origin review
Astonishingly, you can currently get a basic C3 for less than the price of an Up, i10, or even a Dacia Sandero. You don’t get a lot of kit for your money — no touchscreens here, but you do at least get manual air conditioning — and it’s an older design, but it still looks fresh, and who could argue with that price tag?
Vauxhall Corsa (2019-2023)

What's good

  • Fairly fun to drive
  • Range of efficient engines
  • Generous standard equipment

What’s not so good

  • Fiddly infotainment
  • Bumpy at low speeds
  • Limited back-seat space
Fractionally more affordable than the basic Fiesta, and arguably the better-looking car of the two, the Corsa scores highly with its fuel-sipping 1.2-litre petrol engines and solid build quality. Not the most exciting thing, but that’s not the point, is it? The point is that it's just a good car that’s great value, and that’s the reason why it has kept topping UK sales charts in recent years.

What's good

  • Fairly fun to drive
  • Range of efficient engines
  • Generous standard equipment

What’s not so good

  • Fiddly infotainment
  • Bumpy at low speeds
  • Limited back-seat space
Skoda Fabia

10. Skoda Fabia

9/10
Skoda Fabia review

What's good

  • All-around practicality
  • Very comfortable
  • Smart design

What’s not so good

  • No electric or hybrid version
  • Cabin quality isn't the best
  • Not that exciting
Another car that’s slightly more expensive than it ought to be, but the new Fabia makes up for that with a super-stylish cabin, good interior space and a boot that’s as big as what you get in a Golf. Refined to drive, too, and with Skoda’s reliability it’ll do you for years to come.

What's good

  • All-around practicality
  • Very comfortable
  • Smart design

What’s not so good

  • No electric or hybrid version
  • Cabin quality isn't the best
  • Not that exciting

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Advice about cheap first cars

Cheap first cars FAQs

The Hyundai i10 is possibly the most reliable cheap first car you can buy, at least according to Warranty Direct, which rated it above such other reliable cars as the Toyota Yaris and Volkswagen Polo. According to consumer experts Which? Honda, Mazda, Toyota, Volkswagen, and somewhat surprisingly, Citroen all make reliable small cars too.

Don’t be afraid to travel far and wide to find the right car at a price that works for you, and hit the phone to track down what you want alongside looking online. If you want a new car, check dealers towards the end of the month or financial quarter, and see if they’ve been doing a bit of sneaky pre-registering. If you’re buying used, scour the car supermarkets. And, of course, check out carwow for the best deals on new cars as well as used cars!

The Kia Picanto, Volkswagen Up, and basic versions of the Volkswagen Polo are all in Group 1 for insurance, so it’ll be tough to get a better quote than you will with one of them. The Ford Fiesta, Skoda Fabia, Kia Rio, and SEAT Ibiza all start in Group 2, while the Renault Clio, Hyundai i10, and Dacia Sandero all start in Group 3.

Read our guide on car insurance groups to find out more.