Best learner driver cars 2024
Easy to drive, affordable, and inexpensive to run, these are our top 10 used cars to learn in
The best cars for learner drivers are those that are easy to drive, inexpensive to run and, perhaps most importantly of all, cheap to insure. While the idea of a shiny, brand-new car is an exciting one, a used motor tends to make a lot more sense for a beginner. Not only can you find some serious bargains on the used market, but you won’t be as upset if it picks up a few dings along the way. Read on to find the best learner driver cars, according to our expert road testers.
Best used cars for learner drivers
- Volkswagen up!/SEAT Mii/Skoda Citigo (Mk1)
- Ford Fiesta (Mk6)
- Skoda Fabia (Mk3)
- Toyota Aygo (Mk2)/Citroen C1 (Mk2)/Peugeot 108
- Kia Picanto (Mk3)
- Renault ZOE (Mk1)
- Vauxhall Corsa (Mk4)
- Ford Focus (Mk3)
- Toyota Yaris Hybrid (Mk3)
- Fiat Panda (Mk3)
1. Volkswagen up!/Skoda Citigo/SEAT Mii (Mk1)
- Used prices from £2,500
- Production dates: 2012-2023
As a three-time winner of the City Car of the Year title at the Auto Express New Car Awards, it’s no secret that we are very fond of the Volkswagen up! - along with its sister cars, the SEAT Mii and Skoda Citigo. In fact, not only is this whole family of compact cars easy to manoeuvre and park, but they’re comfortable and fun to drive, too.
All three versions are plentiful on the used market, and they can be found for very reasonable prices. Although there are electric versions available, these command much higher prices so we recommend sticking with the perfectly capable 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol. This engine should easily deliver over 50mpg, and it’s even a fairly low polluter with CO2 emissions of 117g/km.
Things get even better when it comes to insurance. There is at least one variant of each model residing in insurance group 1, so this will help to keep those premiums under control.
2. Ford Fiesta (Mk6)
- Used prices from £2,500
- Production dates: 2008-2016
Whether you’ve been driving for days, weeks, or years, the Ford Fiesta has proven itself as a great all-rounder for generations – so much so that it often topped the UK car sales charts before being axed in 2023. It’s fun to drive, practical for its size, reliable, and reasonably priced.
Our choice here is the Mk6 Fiesta which was produced from 2008-2016, as these cars are currently sitting in the sweet spot of low prices and modern features. There’s also plenty of variety on offer with multiple trim levels and a range of petrol and diesel engines readily available nationwide.
Find a Fiesta Mk6 in Zetec trim and you will get a fair helping of creature comforts, such as electric front windows, remote central locking, a heated windscreen, air-conditioning and alloy wheels.
3. Skoda Fabia (Mk3)
- Used prices from £5,500
- Production dates: 2014-2021
The Skoda Fabia is another supermini that offers refinement, practicality and reliability – thanks to its proven underpinnings that are shared with the Volkswagen Polo. The reason why the Fabia makes this list over the VW, though, is that it tends to sell for a lower price, making it great value.
There are three petrol engines and one diesel to choose from, and if you aren’t too fussed about power, the non-turbocharged 1.0 mpi petrol sits in insurance group one with a number of trim levels. If you’re not pushing it too hard, another upside of this engine is fuel economy of more than 55mpg.
On the subject of trim levels, the basic S spec is a little sparse when it comes to equipment, so we’d recommend opting for at least SE Drive as this includes some useful additions such as front fog lights and rear parking sensors.
4. Toyota Aygo (Mk2)/Citroen C1 (Mk2)/Peugeot 108
- Used prices from £4,000
- Production dates: 2014-2022
Although they come from different manufacturers, the Toyota Aygo, Citroen C1, and Peugeot 108 are all pretty much the same car – the only noticeable difference is their exterior styling. While the model you choose will mostly be down to price and personal tastes, all three make a great choice for a learner due to their sheer simplicity.
Compact, equipped with the essentials, and very cheap to run – thanks to a frugal 1.0-litre engine that should easily return over 55mpg – there’s little to complain about if all you need is a dependable, no-frills set of wheels.
All three models are reasonably safe, but be sure to shop around as some used examples will have been fitted with optional active safety features for added peace of mind.
5. Kia Picanto (Mk3)
- Used prices from £5,000
- Production dates: 2017-2023
The Mk3 Kia Picanto has been on sale since 2017, and used examples are starting to drop in price. This means you won’t have to search too far to find a tempting finance deal on this city car.
The Picanto’s basic trim levels are some of the easiest to understand, too. If you exclude the special editions, you simply have the choice of levels 1, 2, or 3 – the higher the number, the higher the spec.
The entry-level Picanto 1 trim features electric front windows, remote central locking, a two-speaker stereo system and steel wheels. We’d recommend opting for the 2, though, as this brings 14-inch alloys, electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors, air-con, powered rear windows, Bluetooth and a four-speaker audio set-up.
6. Renault ZOE (Mk1)
- Used prices from £3,500
- Production dates: 2012-2024
Now that used EV prices are falling, many motorists are starting to make the switch to electric cars. If you want to get a head start, a used Renault ZOE could be the ideal car.
Earlier ZOEs can now be found on the second-hand market for less than £5,000. One thing to be careful of, though, is that a number of these earlier cars have a leased battery back, which means you will have to pay an additional monthly cost. To avoid this extra charge, it might be a better idea to spend a bit more on an example with an owned battery.
Smaller 22kWh ZOEs are the most common at the lower end of the pricing spectrum. These cars possess a single 89bhp motor and should be good for a driving range of around 100 miles realistically. If you’re planning on making frequent long journeys then the ZOE might not be the choice for you, but for shorter urban trips it could be a solid buy – especially when you consider the savings on Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) and low-emission zones.
7. Vauxhall Corsa (Mk4)
- Used prices from £3,000
- Production dates: 2014-2020
A firm favourite of driving schools across the country, the Mk4 Vauxhall Corsa offers a similar level of quality and practicality to the Mk6 Ford Fiesta. It’s not quite as sharp as the Ford, but it’s still good to drive.
Standard equipment is pretty generous, too, and with the entry-level ‘Life’ trim being surprisingly rare, the odds are that you will find a better-equipped Corsa that’s well within your budget. The Excite trim is particularly plush with air-conditioning, Bluetooth connectivity, DAB digital radio, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.
Also, as with the Fiesta, there’s a range of both petrol and diesel engines to choose from. The vast majority find themselves in single-digit insurance groups but, sadly, the better-performing turbocharged petrol units are best avoided, as these can push up the premiums by a considerable amount.
8. Ford Focus (Mk3)
- Used prices from £4,000
- Production dates: 2011-2018
Although most learner drivers tend to opt for smaller models like city cars or superminis, the Ford Focus is a sensible choice for those who need a bit more space. The Mk3 Focus is available as a hatchback or an estate, both of which are family-friendly. Clean, low-mileage examples can now be found for less than £4,000, and you’ll even have the choice of petrol or diesel power.
Inside, all variants of the Mk3 Focus are pretty well equipped. Opting for the Zetec trim will get you a few useful extras, though, including Ford’s QuickClear windscreen tech – this can prove particularly useful on cold mornings. You’ll also get some sporty styling tweaks like alloy wheels.
If you’re hoping for an element of excitement, the Focus is one of the better cars to drive in its class. The hot ST version is the pick of the performance crop, but insuring one of these as a learner driver will almost certainly result in some alarmingly high premiums. Don’t worry, though, as the regular variants still offer decent performance and better handling than a Volkswagen Golf.
9. Toyota Yaris (Mk3)
- Used prices from £4,500
- Production dates: 2011-2020
If you want to keep your carbon footprint low but don’t wish to go fully-electric, the Toyota Yaris Hybrid could prove to be the perfect half-way point.
Although there are also conventionally-fuelled versions of the Mk3, we’ve chosen the hybrid for this list as earlier examples can now be found for under £8,000 and should return well over 55mpg while emitting less than 85g/km of CO2.
There are several different types of hybrid car, and as the Yaris is a full-hybrid – referred to as ‘self-charging’ by Toyota – It never needs plugging in. All you need to worry about is filling it with petrol, something you shouldn’t need to do very often. Regenerative braking automatically puts energy back into the battery as you drive around, so it’s especially effective in urban traffic. Toyota’s hybrid engines are also renowned for their reliability.
10. Fiat Panda (Mk3)
- Used prices from £3,000
- Production dates: 2011-2024
While the petrol-powered Fiat 500 is a firm favourite with many new drivers, the Panda is an even better choice for learners. Both cars share the same underpinnings, but a tidy used Mk3 Panda can easily be found for under £4,000, making it a bit of a bargain.
When Fiat introduced the original Panda in 1979, it was sold as a utilitarian car that was cheap to buy, cheap to run and would quite happily ferry around five passengers and their luggage. The Mk3 is a far more modern car than its ancestor, but the basic principle remains the same. It’s a no-frills city car that should prove easy to live with and even easier to drive.
You don’t have to go without the basics, though, as opting for a Panda in Easy trim will get you comforts such as air-conditioning, a six-speaker MP3 stereo system, and electric windows.
Planning to buy brand new instead? Check out the best first cars for new drivers…
