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What are the best used cars for new drivers? 

Just passed your test or looking to get a car for someone who has? We have lots of advice for those of you looking for the best used car for a new driver, from what to look out for, to some of our suggestions and top picks. You’ve already made a great choice by researching used cars. Used cars are lower in price and this is reflected in insurance premiums, they also don’t suffer from as much depreciation. Many new drivers choose to keep their first car for at least a few years, buying a used car is a great way to get a new driver onto the road. 

 

Insurance cost 

If you’re a new driver with 0 years no claims then your insurance is likely going to be much higher than a driver with experience. New drivers are often young which can also impact on their insurance premiums. In order to reduce the overall monthly or yearly cost of driving we suggest selecting a car which will be low on insurance costs. Insurers can also refuse to insure new drivers on very powerful or expensive cars. 

 

Cars are categorised into insurance groups, these insurance groups determine the cost of the car to insure. They range from group 1 - group 50, group 1 cars are the cheapest to insure, whilst group 50 are the most expensive. There are many factors that make up the insurance group a car is categorised into, these include: 

 

  • Car value - the price of the car to buy new will influence the cost of the insurance. 

  • Parts and repair cost - if a car is cheaper to repair the cost of the insurance is likely to be lower 

  • Repair times - lengthy repair times due to rare parts can increase insurance costs 

  • Performance and engine size - large engines and high performance cars are more expensive to insure 

  • Safety - if the car has extra safety measures it is likely to reduce insurance costs  

  • Security features - as with safety, security features reduce insurance costs 

  • Bumper structure - the structure and rating of the bumper is another factor considered in the car insurance grouping process 

 

When opting for a car for a new driver a 1.0-1.2 litre petrol car, that is common and has additional safety and security features will be cheaper to insure. Check out the insurance group of the cars you are researching and opt for something in the 1-3 range.  

 

Car size 

Car size is something to consider when purchasing a vehicle for a new driver. Lack of experience may make larger cars more difficult to drive. Smaller cars are easier to park and it is less likely that the driver will struggle to get out of small spaces, or misjudge the amount of room they have to manoeuvre. Small cars are also cheaper to insure as per the above.  

 

Safety rating 

New drivers are far more likely to get into accidents on the road as they lack knowledge and experience. The safety rating of their car is therefore very important, if an accident does occur the car needs to be safe and protect the driver as much as possible. Safety rating also takes into account safety features that are included on vehicles, these may help to prevent accidents for new drivers. You can find details of the safety rating of a large number of vehicles using the Euro NCAP website. 

 

Our top used cars for new drivers picks:

These are our top suggested used cars for new drivers. Each of these vehicles have their own great set of features and specifications. Importantly they are all small cars with small engines and a good safety rating. 

 

 

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