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Best used cars for learner drivers
Costs for new drivers are spiralling, so read our top 10 list of the best used cars for learners that are less than £10,000 and have group three insurance or lower...
Nobody should discriminate based on age, but it seems the odds are stacked against new drivers, especially the younger ones, from the start. Aside from the expensive of learning to drive and taking the test, it’s often the high costs of insurance that puts most teenagers off driving.
That’s where we can help (although not with the cost, sorry), because we’ve put together a list of the most affordable used city cars and small cars with low insurance groups. None on this list has an insurance group higher than three, making each perfect for a new driver. That way, you should be able to get a competitive quote for coverage. Plus, no entry on this shortlist will cost more than £10,000 to buy.
So read on to find out what's the best car for new drivers, counting down from the highest insurance group to the lowest. And remember, you can browse our What Car?'s Used Car Buying service to find over 145,000 used cars for sale that are quality checked, come with a warranty, are less than eight years old, and have covered less than 100,000 miles.
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10. Ford Ka+
The lesser-known Ford Ka+ may not be the belle of the small car ball, but it's one of the more spacious cars in the class in the rear. It’s also quite nice to drive, and the pre-facelift model has the slightly more refined four-cylinder engine, rather than the occasionally rough three-cylinder example in later ones. And while that engine maybe relatively large in capacity, it’s only in group three for insurance and manages 56.5mpg.
We found: 2017 Ford Ka+ 1.2 Zetec, 14,869 miles, £6490
Read the used Ford Ka+ review here
Search for a used Ford Ka+ for sale with What Car? >>
9. Vauxhall Corsa
Of course the Vauxhall Corsa was going to feature in a list of learners cars. Many reading this will either be taking their test, or have just passed it in one, due in no small part to the fact that the Corsa is so easy to drive. All the control weights are easy to get along with, visibility is good and running costs are low. Even though it has the largest engine on the list, it still manages 55.4mpg, and its competitive 74bhp means that it has group three insurance. The Energy example we found is loaded with kit, including a 7.0in touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, air conditioning, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. Plus, it’s inexpensive, making it a very affordable set of wheels for newbies.
We found: 2017 Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 Energy 5dr, 30,632 miles, £6490
Read the used Vauxhall Corsa review here
Search for a used Vauxhall Corsa for sale with What Car? >>
8. Seat Ibiza
Perhaps a bit cooler than the Corsa, the Seat Ibiza is an award-winning small car with a big boot and plenty of space for mates in the rear, plus it's nice to drive. You can still get a SE Technology example within our insurance group three limit, with all the equipment you’d expect and an intuitive 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system. Fuel economy can’t quite match some of the others here, at 57.6mpg, but then the Ibiza is one of the largest cars in its class.
We found: 2018 Seat Ibiza 1.0 SE Technology, 17,521 miles, £8790
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More people buy small hatchbacks than any other type of car. However, there are an awful lot to choose from, so here we count down the top 10 – and reveal the models to avoid
