Best First Cars for New Drivers Who Just Passed Their Test
Most cost figures on this site assume a driver six months into their licence, a fair average, but not what your very first quote actually looks like. These five are costed twice: at zero months, the day you actually pass, and again at 12 months with a clean year behind you, so you can see the real gap between the price that scares new drivers off and the price you're actually paying by your first renewal.
Prices below are current UK asking prices, checked 6 August 2026, not a fixed number: they move with the market. Insurance group and price both depend on the exact registration year and engine, not just the model name, so always confirm both for the specific car you're looking at (see why that is).
- Hyundai i10 1.0 petrol £251/mo all in £80/mo fuel £17/mo tax
£251/month the day you pass (£140 insurance, £80 fuel, £17 tax, £14 servicing), dropping to about £196/month once you've got 12 months and a clean year behind you, roughly £55/month less. This group mixes older used examples with nearly-new stock, 2015 to 2026, so check the exact registration.
- Kia Picanto 1.0 petrol £263/mo all in £90/mo fuel £17/mo tax
£263/month the day you pass (£141 insurance, £90 fuel, £17 tax, £15 servicing), dropping to about £207/month by your first clean-year renewal, roughly £56/month less.
- Toyota Aygo 1.0 petrol £266/mo all in £75/mo fuel £2/mo tax
£266/month the day you pass (£174 insurance, £75 fuel, £2 tax, £15 servicing), dropping to about £197/month by your first clean-year renewal, the biggest drop of this five at roughly £69/month less. Also the lowest road tax here by a wide margin, an older pre-2017 VED banding.
- Volkswagen Up! 1.0 petrol £264/mo all in £75/mo fuel £17/mo tax
£264/month the day you pass (£156 insurance, £75 fuel, £17 tax, £16 servicing), dropping to about £202/month by your first clean-year renewal, roughly £62/month less. Worth knowing before you buy: the Up! scores only 3-star Euro NCAP, the lowest of any car on this site, see our safest first cars page for 5-star alternatives at a similar group.
- Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 petrol £278/mo all in £86/mo fuel £3/mo tax
£278/month the day you pass (£172 insurance, £86 fuel, £3 tax, £17 servicing), dropping to about £210/month by your first clean-year renewal, roughly £68/month less. Corsa insurance groups vary a lot by engine and trim, this is a real, older, low-group spec: check the exact registration.
Prices and insurance groups checked 6 August 2026.