Is a Toyota Yaris a good first car?
Yes, the Yaris is one of the most reliable first cars available, and the ordinary petrol trims insure cheaply. The Hybrid costs a little more to insure but returns dramatically better fuel economy.
The numbers*
| Insurance group | Group 2 to 14, depending on engine and trim. The ordinary 1.33 petrol sits around group 7 to 10; the 1.5 Hybrid sits at group 13 to 14. |
|---|---|
| Typical used price | £6,700 to £14,200 on the used market (most trims and years) |
| Road tax | £170 to £200 a year depending on registration date and trim |
| Fuel economy | 55 to 57 mpg on the ordinary 1.33 petrol; up to 76 mpg on the 1.5 Hybrid |
| Euro NCAP rating | 5 stars |
Ins grp 7 Toyota Yaris 1.33 TR 5dr M-Drive S
- Standard
- £1,947/yr
- Telematics
- £1,363/yr
Standard monthly £162/mo
Ins grp 10 Toyota Yaris 1.33 Vvt-i Icon 5dr
- Standard
- £1,955/yr
- Telematics
- £1,369/yr
Standard monthly £163/mo
Ins grp 13 Toyota Yaris 1.5 Hybrid Icon 5dr CVT
- Standard
- £2,100/yr
- Telematics
- £1,470/yr
Standard monthly £175/mo
Labels go by monthly insurance: Manageable up to £150, Getting pricey £151 to £200, Danger zone over £200.
Why parents like it
Toyota's reliability reputation is arguably the strongest in the industry, and the Yaris Hybrid brings genuinely low running costs alongside it, a rare combination for a first car.
Why new drivers like it
It's an easy, unintimidating car to learn in, and the current generation looks meaningfully more grown-up than the outgoing model, without losing the light, forgiving controls a new driver needs.
The catch
The closest thing to a catch on the Yaris is the hybrid trim's slightly higher insurance group. For a young new driver, the ordinary 1.33 petrol costs around £162 to £163 a month standard cover (group 7 to 10), while the 1.5 Hybrid costs around £175 a month (group 13). Two real quotes at group 7 came in cheaper still, £113 to £133 a month, so treat these figures as an upper estimate. Either way, the Hybrid's fuel economy, up to 76 mpg against 55 to 57 mpg for the ordinary petrol, offsets the higher group fast on a student's mileage.
Which version to look for
Look for the 1.33 petrol in TR or Icon trim for the lowest insurance groups (7 to 10). The 1.5 Hybrid costs a little more to insure but pays it back in fuel savings within the first year or two of ownership on typical mileage.
* Sources: First Car Scout vehicle listing and insurance-group data (July 2026).