Skip advert
Advertisement
Best cars & vans

Ford Fiesta - best first cars for new drivers

The Ford Fiesta is Britain's best-selling car, and makes the perfect first set of wheels

Ford Fiesta Trend - front tracking

The Ford Fiesta is the best-selling car in the country and has been for a long time - and naturally it's still a fine choice for anybody looking to buy or even finance their first car. 

Not only is it easy to drive, and great fun, too, the Fiesta scores well with its raft of safety tech. This includes the clever MyKey system, which allows parents to restrict the maximum speed of the car, the stereo volume when their children are behind the wheel and set a seatbelt reminder. It also features seven airbags and ESP, plus optional autobrake.

Young drivers will be wowed by the technology the interior offers, including SYNC voice activation, while Titanium models upwards get air-conditioning. The Fiesta's larger dimensions mean they can also carry friends in comfort, and the three-door comes with a 292-litre boot, that expands to 1,093-litres with the seats down.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Diesel models return the lowest fuel consumption, but the cheaper 1.0-litre, 99bhp EcoBoost petrol versions return up to 50.4mpg and only drop to 48.7mpg for the 138bhp version. Go for a lower-powered Fiesta, and it’ll sit in a competitive insurance group, too, while the huge Ford dealer network makes it easy to keep up with the service intervals and get any problems resolved.

Top 10 best first cars for new drivers 2021

  1. Volkswagen up!/Skoda Citigo/SEAT Mii
  2. Kia Picanto
  3. Ford Fiesta
  4. SEAT Ibiza
  5. Hyundai i10
  6. Volkswagen Polo
  7. Toyota Aygo/Peugeot 108/Citroen C1
  8. Skoda Fabia
  9. Dacia Sandero
  10. Vauxhall Corsa
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Used Car Hunter: small and fun hatchbacks for £13,000
Used Car Hunter - warm hatchbacks for £13k - header image

Used Car Hunter: small and fun hatchbacks for £13,000

Our Car Hunter has a budget of £13,000 for a small and fun warm hatchback
Features
21 Jun 2025
Cheapest cars to buy 2025
Cheapest cars - header image

Cheapest cars to buy 2025

Searching for a brand-new bargain? These are the cheapest cars in the UK right now
Best cars & vans
20 Jun 2025
Best fast Fords - the greatest high-performance cars ever built by the Blue Oval
Best fast Fords

Best fast Fords - the greatest high-performance cars ever built by the Blue Oval

We reveal our favourites, from hot hatches to coupés and track legends
Best cars & vans
19 Jun 2025
New Ford Fiesta: latest details on supermini’s potential return
Ford Fiesta exclusive image

New Ford Fiesta: latest details on supermini’s potential return

The Ford Fiesta could be coming back as an electric car, and here’s everything we know so far
News
20 May 2025

Most Popular

New Skoda Epiq vRS to headline brand’s hot-SUV onslaught
Skoda Epiq vRS exclusive image

New Skoda Epiq vRS to headline brand’s hot-SUV onslaught

Every future Skoda will get the go-faster treatment, with the brand also working on making cars sharper and more engaging
News
27 Jun 2025
Marcos is back! British sportscar brand’s big plan, and swirling controversy
Marcos, interior

Marcos is back! British sportscar brand’s big plan, and swirling controversy

Development is already underway on the first all-new Marcos cars in roughly 20 years
News
27 Jun 2025
Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal
BMW M5 Touring - front action

Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal

The BMW M5 Touring is M car royalty, with a thoroughly impressive PHEV powertrain. It’s our Deal of the Day for 29 June
News
29 Jun 2025