Whether you’re a young driver looking to buy your first car, or you’re investing in one for your offspring, there’s a massive range of first cars to choose from. Budget is a big factor in this category, as is the cost of insurance, but don’t forget that image is everything when you’re young. For 2022 the car that embodies all those qualities is the Renault Clio, whch has now taken this award three years in a row thanks to its good looks, competitive engine range and fantastic interior.
Written by Tom WiltshirePublished: 27 September 2021
Winning in 2021 makes it a hat-trick of awards for the Renault Clio, taking home our Best First Car trophy for the third year in a row. It’s high praise for the French supermini, but it’s deserved – this is a car that’s not only handsome to look at but good to drive, well-equipped and very well priced. It’s perfect as a first car, too – more basic models are in reassuringly low insurance groups, and every model comes with loads of safety equipment.
A huge boot rivals cars in the classes above, and even beyond the showroom it’s composed and comfortable to drive, with low running costs to boot. Talented supermini opposition gives the Clio a real challenge, but we don’t think any of them offer this much for this little. Still a very worthy winner for a third year in a row.
There’s a lot to be said for choosing a compact, easy-to-drive city car as your first car, and we think the Hyundai i10 is one of the very best. It’s a truly grown-up small car – capable of fitting in four six-foot adults despite its tiny exterior dimensions.
High-spec models are also truly packed with kit, and you’ll find an 8.0-inch touchscreen set into a dash that looks far more like a Mercedes-Benz than it has any right to. Peppy engines – including the brilliantly fun 1.0-litre turbo – a five-year warranty and rock-bottom running costs round off this clever, compact package.
A former winner of this category, that the SEAT Ibiza is still worthy of shortlisting so many years on speaks to how competent, capable and impressive a package it is.
We like the Ibiza’s spacious and solid-feeling interior, and we love its range of perky, efficient engines, which range from sensible and sedate to really rather rapid. It looks good, it drives well, it’s great value, and it’s very cheap to run – it’s no wonder this is such a good choice for people looking for the ultimate first car.
