Skoda Citigo 1.0L petrol
- Insurance group
- 2 of 50
- Running cost
- £259/mo est.
- Price range
- £2,195 to £7,599
- Reliability
- 74/100
- Safety
- 5 star Euro NCAP
- Economy
- 65.3 mpg
How we ranked them
Pulled from FirstCarScout's live data for an 18-year-old driver, priced under £8,000, filtered to insurance group <= 20, reliability >= 60 and a 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating, then ranked by total monthly running cost (insurance, fuel, tax and servicing combined).
One number per car can mislead, so each pick names the exact engine version that earns its insurance group. A 1.0-litre supermini and its hot-hatch sibling wear the same badge but live in completely different insurance groups, which is the single most expensive mistake a first time buyer makes.
Hyundai I20 1.2L petrol
- Insurance group
- 5 of 50
- Running cost
- £263/mo est.
- Price range
- £2,495 to £8,499
- Reliability
- 66/100
- Safety
- 5 star Euro NCAP
- Economy
- 57 mpg
Seat Mii 1.0L petrol
- Insurance group
- 4 of 50
- Running cost
- £263/mo est.
- Price range
- £3,795 to £7,068
- Reliability
- 85/100
- Safety
- 5 star Euro NCAP
- Economy
- 61.8 mpg
Volkswagen Golf 1.6L diesel
- Insurance group
- 10 of 50
- Running cost
- £270/mo est.
- Price range
- £2,890 to £7,895
- Reliability
- 62/100
- Safety
- 5 star Euro NCAP
- Economy
- 72.6 mpg
Volkswagen Polo 1.2L petrol
A group-1 insurance rating on the entry 1.0-litre is about as low as it gets, and the cabin feels a class above most superminis, so it never feels like a starter car.
- Insurance group
- 4 of 50
- Running cost
- £281/mo est.
- Price range
- £2,295 to £5,595
- Reliability
- 75/100
- Safety
- 5 star Euro NCAP
- Economy
- 50.5 mpg
Watch out Buy the 1.0-litre. The 2.0-litre GTI is a hot hatch that sits in a far higher insurance group, the exact mistake this list exists to stop.
Toyota Yaris 1.3L petrol
The hybrid sips fuel in town and Toyota reliability is hard to beat, so the monthly total stays low even as prices for the car hold up.
- Insurance group
- 7 of 50
- Running cost
- £306/mo est.
- Price range
- £3,995 to £7,995
- Reliability
- 63/100
- Safety
- 5 star Euro NCAP
- Economy
- 56.7 mpg
Watch out The hybrid is the pick. Avoid the GR Yaris, a 250bhp rally-bred car that shares little but the name and costs a fortune to insure young.
Renault Captur 0.9L petrol
- Insurance group
- 8 of 50
- Running cost
- £357/mo est.
- Price range
- £5,995 to £9,249
- Reliability
- 61/100
- Safety
- 5 star Euro NCAP
- Economy
- 51.1 mpg
First car questions, answered
What is the best first car for a new driver in the UK?
For most new UK drivers the best first car balances a low insurance group, dependable reliability and a strong safety rating. On our latest data the 1.0L petrol Skoda Citigo leads on total running cost, sitting in insurance group 2 with an estimated £259 a month all in. Always check the exact engine version, since a bigger engine in the same model can sit in a much higher insurance group. The full ranked list is above.
Which insurance group is cheapest for a first car?
Insurance groups run from 1 to 50, and the lower the number the cheaper the cover. First cars in groups 1 to 10, such as the Volkswagen Polo, SEAT Ibiza and Skoda Fabia, are the gentlest on a new driver's premium, especially when added to a parent's policy or with a telematics box.
Is a petrol or a hybrid better for a first car?
A small petrol car is cheaper to buy and simpler to maintain, which suits tight first-car budgets. A hybrid like the Toyota Yaris costs more up front but uses far less fuel in town, so over a few years the total monthly cost can land lower. We rank both on the same all-in figure so you can compare like for like.
How much should a first car cost to buy?
Most sensible first cars sit between £5,000 and £12,000 used. Spending a little more on a newer, safer car often lowers the monthly total because reliability and running costs improve, which is why we rank on the full monthly cost rather than the sticker price alone.
Are electric cars a good first car?
An electric car can be an excellent first car for short, predictable journeys: there is no fuel bill and no road tax to find each year. The Nissan Leaf and Mazda MX-30 are approachable used options. The trade-offs are a higher purchase price and the need for somewhere to charge at home.
What makes a car expensive to insure for a young driver?
A high insurance group, a powerful engine, a high repair cost and an expensive purchase price all push premiums up for young drivers. Sticking to a low group, a modest engine and a car with plentiful cheap parts keeps cover affordable.
