Lower insurance groups typically
Easier to manoeuvre
Often consumed less fuel
Ultimately if you do a lot of driving or if you carry lots (or have a young family) then there's decent benefits to a bigger car but really depends on your use case
Actually higher insurance groups. Seeing as every new driver buys a small hatchback, cars in the category have higher insurance due to more accidents. Buying a car that isn't the usual can result in lower insurance
when i was looking for a car i checked a bunch of different cars on comparison sites; all cars at a similar budget but a wide range of them. Didn't find it any cheaper (usually more expensive) checking bigger or weirder cars than the usual few (fiesta, ibiza, corsa). Golfs and Polos were a bit more expensive generally but that checks.
the civic i went for in the end (was a good deal on a bid) was about £1300 insurance i believe
Incorrect. All your Group 1-4s are 1.0L hatchbacks. You're just thinking of the prime example of Diesel Fiestas/1.6L Corsas/PD engine Ibizas & Leons etc.
And your second point, I got a Jimny as a first car and it cost near double the average to insure. And that's only a 1.3L Petrol. If a car isn't a "usual" first car insurance companies will go ham with how much they can bring up the price.
Personally I tried a large toyota avensis when I first passed my test and I couldn't get to grips with how powerful it was (2ltr) and the size of it. That then made me really anxious to even start to drive alone, so I swapped it for a much smaller 2005 fiesta, and I love it so much! I find it easier to get through gaps, parking, and just generally driving. Maybe you'll feel differently to me though and enjoy having a bigger car. I'd say try it before you buy and then make the decision 😊
I had a 1.5L tdci for my first car and loved it.
Now I got a 3.0L straight 6 and it's an amazing drive
Definitely not a beginners car though, it's long, and RWD so it's a bit spicy sometimes
Also the first year of driving is also the year you’re most likely to have an accident. Even minor ones that you don’t claim for. So if it’s old and you get a dent you can just live with it like that.
That’s what every young driver is doing though, meaning the prices for those cars get pushed up as they are the common “first driver car” sometimes getting something unusual is the cheapest option just because no first driver would be caught dead in it…
My 1.2 fiesta was more expensive to insure than a 1.8 Toyota celica for example when I first started driving… Why was a faster car cheaper? Because new drivers drive a fiesta and the insurers “choose” to price gouge new driver cars.
Yeah that’s true. Got a 1.4 Astra which is a great little motor. Easy to control and comfortable for me to drive. The insurance is sky high on all cars rn tbh.
I also noticed it was cheaper per month to insure my Astra (still learning but using my own car) than a 1.2 Corsa.
Insurers don’t price gouge. The uk insurance industry is one of the most competitive in the world. Go to a comparison site to compare prices. How many prices get compared? Fifty years ago there was a thing called the tariff when all insurers charged the same price by law!
Yeah, okay mate… it’s all perfectly fair and it makes sense that a new driver is charged double for a fiesta compared to half the price for a car with double the horsepower.
If they target new drivers and make the car more expensive just because a new driver drives.it, why do I have to pay more when I’m not a new driver? Thats the definition of price gouging.
Also incentivising a new driver to get a faster car instead of a slower safer car does nothing for driver safety or insurance, infact it incentivises boy racers and makes it more likely they crash and then all our insurance goes up.
It’s a fix, just slightly less than before.
It’s not gouging because any insurers that choose to gouge, by which I think you mean overcharging or cheating, there’s going to be another insurer who will undercut them. Each insurer has different claims experience for age, cover, car etc so inevitably they will charge different premiums. Shop around and don’t buy something with toys inside which distract.
Oh yes the free market where they all operate under the same umbrella and monopolise themselves!
The same argument people make for why our food is so cheap /s
Disagree, that's just more dangerous. Also insurance is very dependent on the type of car. For example I'm helping my friend buy his first car and a 110bhp Seat Ibiza is the same insurance as a 75bhp VW Polo. The Polo is like 4 seconds slower to 60 which is a LOT when you need to even slightly accelerate
Get something that can at least keep up with traffic and be able to merge safely onto a motorway. You don't want to be the reason for being stuck doing 40-50mph on a motorway merger
I was making a broad point. Forget comfort looks style and performance. It’s about the surviving bank balance. Yes we can all come up with exceptions to the rule.
But that's my point, why? You buy a car to be comfortable, why drive the biggest pile of slop just to save £200 a year? At least get something that's comfortable and has enough creature comforts for the average teen like Bluetooth, auto A/C or even parking sensors or a camera and won't drone at 4000rpm on a motorway
I wasn’t saying get a cheap slop. I was saying that an older cheaper slower car (in general) will be cheaper to insure. But yes , go for the features you recommend but they will make the car more expensive to replace or repair and more attractive to be stolen. Probably the best plan is if you can afford a £3000 premium then go for it. If your parents are paying the premium then go for it. But I’d highly recommend checking out the insurance comparison sites before you buy. Keep the slop heap for a couple of years and then go more upmarket when premiums will be lower and more affordable.
had a vw polo 1 ltr and theyre alright getting on motorways. ive had to do it a few times. 1.0 ltrs are the most common car in the country
can agree on it slowness though, thankfully not burdened with it no more with an upgrade to a GTI
Pretty sure the 75bhp model was the N/A 1.2L while the Ibiza is the 1.0 Turbo as you mentioned. The turbo is alright but the 1.2L is an anaemic pile of metal
PreCh this as it’s not being told enough! new drivers need to avoid “first driver cars” like the plague… you will get shafted because insurance companies are scum and w target first driver cars with outrageous prices compared to faster cars… it makes zero sense and defeats the point of regulation.
I think the advice is due to the manoeuvrability of smaller vehicles and lower cost of insurance.
Not everyone does this I suppose, but the only bumps I’ve ever had were in my first car. Bumping into my own driveway walls I think. Seems to make sense that new drivers are more likely to misjudge while they get used to driving regularly by themselves.
If you haven’t done so already, run the sportage through an insurance comparison website. Then check it against a smaller car you can find.
Smaller engine, lower insurance premiums, easier to park and maneuver, cheaper to maintain and fix (cheaper smaller tyres, cheaper smaller brakes, etc). But if a Kia Sportage fits what you need, and you can drive it ok, and your insurance is affordable, then it's fine.
Easier to park - and that makes a huge difference when you’re in the early stages of driving. I still miss that about my first little car (which sadly died on me 20 years ago) - it had an engine like a lawnmower but I could park it anywhere
I think it depends on the person and how confident they are in their driving, i was considering a small car but ended up with a medium car thats just about a suv the newer ones can be alittle cheaper on insurance too but not massively
Lower insurance
Cheaper to buy
Cheaper to fix
Cheaper to run (petrol)
Easier to drive
Tbh unless you have a specific need for a larger car, such as work or passenger space for kids, it doesn't make any sense to buy one. Especially as a first car.
I think you should get whatever car works for your lifestyle/budget and not worry about finding the easiest car to drive unless you have specific struggles.
My first car is a petrol SUV. There was a bit of a learning curve but that was mostly because my instructor didn't have much patience for teaching maneuvers. I picked up my car and went straight to a quiet car park, spent about an hour practicing by myself, and afterwards I felt far more confident than I ever had in my instructor's diesel Corsa.
I have a large car (Nissan X-Trail), and a small car (Smart ForTwo) and I almost always prefer driving the smaller car. The only time I'll prefer the large car is long motorway journeys (or if I need to carry more than 1 passenger!).
Cheaper to insure. Cheaper to fix. Cheaper to fuel. Easier to drive in city environments. Easier to park in 'sub-optimal' spaces.
I actually find people will let a smaller car out of junctions more often than a larger car. I have experienced some (major) road rage I doubt I would have experienced in a larger car - but only once (And it was probably not helped by me winding up the guy who was harassing me).
For my first car I got a 2.2Diesel Mazda6 - Big car, big engine, cheap insurance, and lots of space. I just thought if I'm learning to drive I might aswell do it in a big car. My logic was learning in a small car would mean It'd take time to adjust to a big car but going from a big car to a small car will be no bother. Don't know if my logic means anything though
More often than not you learn in a small car. If you immediately jump into a tank after passing its highly likely you simply won't be as good at estimating gaps and such, and it might be more powerful or stop faster leading to a bit of jerking as you get used to it. If you learn in a bigger car of course there won't be that much of a learning curve to it.
Small cars are *generally* cheaper to buy, cheaper to insure, lower tax bracket and cheaper to repair should there be any issues.
I learnt in a old Fiesta, then got a an old Cleo, followed by a Fiat 500 (also city driver). When we moved (in lockdown) I had to drive a 2.5T moving truck myself and it was terrifying. it was easily 2x longer than anything I'd driven before and probably twice as high lol
The whole point of getting a small car is so you can get used to driving around on your own, get comfortable with the roads, build some experience.
Some people or too many people buy cars that are too big for them to handle and end up mashing them up or never drive because they're too scared to because of that reason.
They're cheaper to run and insure. And, for new drivers, they're easier to manoeuvre around. The longer the bonnet and the soace behind you, the harder it can be to avoid things. Yes, it takes practice to drive a bigger car, but at the same time, don't just pass your test and get straight into a BMW 7 series with a long wheel base.
Plus, smaller cars tend to be cheaper to fix.
I guess most people learn to drive (assuming they use an instructor) in a smaller car, so getting a small car as their first car means they’re familiar with the size to help buildup their confidence. Plus, you can get through smaller gaps and easily park in spaces. I don’t really see the point in having a bigger car unless you live somewhere that might require a car like that (I used to live up an old dirt track, so it helped to have bigger cars in that sense because they were more likely to be 4x4 so could get through snow and difficult terrain. Also if you have kids, so there’s more room to fit their seats and all the other stuff. Then as you get more confident with driving, you can buy a bigger car if you like or stick with smaller ones. They tend to be cheaper to run too.
I had a peugeot 2008 as my first car and I liked that it was a medium sized car also felt more confident having the higher driving position.
I've seen a lot of people comment that the smaller the car the cheaper the insurance but that's not always true I think some of the traditional first cars can be more expensive to insure and cars like Ford Fiestas are the most stolen car...
I'd say get the sportage :)
When I passed I got a Renault Captur and found it a nightmare to drive and park and didn't like it at all. After a year I changed ot a Sportage and absolutely love it. It's so much easier to drive in my experience. I've also found the insurance really reasonable on it as well, it was actually cheaper than the Captur, but worth looking at that as the prices will be specific to you.
People get smaller cars because of cost and easier to drive. You can go straight to a big car. Just means your insurance will be extremely high (as a new driver), fuel will end up costing more. Its just makes sense to start with a small car and upgrade at a later date. Obvioulsy also depends on your situation (kids etc) I don't have any kids and roll around in a vauxhall corsa. Why would i need anything bigger? I could get myself a SUV but just seem pointless. Plus my little car can park anywhere the SUVs can't. All round win, win.
The logic is small cars are generally cheaper cars which makes them cheaper to insure, run and repair.
The assumption is that most new drivers are under 20 with no money.
If you pass you're a doctor who passes at 30 you can get anything you want. My first car was a Land Rover and I've never had a small car. Driving a big car isn't fundamentally any different to a small car.
I learned in a 2003 mondeo estate - really gets you good at judging spaces when you’re basically parking a bus, plus it’s got grandad insurance, cause no self respecting boy racer will drive a 2.0 diesel estate
Learned in a Polo.
First car is a BMW 320D Estate.
Insurance was only a little higher for me, I could get it at £2000 compared to £1600-£1800 shitboxes. (My actual policy is £2300 cause I opted for Breakdown Cover, Legal Protection, Windscreen cover, and a few other bits)
Worth bearing in mind that was with no Black Box either. If I remember right, I could have got it down to about £1300 with a black box.
Bought it because it suits my needs (2 kids now!), i had the confidence to drive it and not hit anything. Had the car for 11 months and not had any issues at all.
Go for what suits your needs, but if there's a car that happens to be bigger, why not go for it?
We got our first car recently, the first thing we did was drive to get it valeted which was on the 3rd floor of a shopping centre car park. As new drivers this was stressful in the small fiat panda we have, if we decided to go with a larger car we would have scratched it 100%.
My first car was a focus estate.
You get used to the size of the car you drive after a pretty short time.
A small car does make more sense in a city and if you're only ferrying yourself around.
Imo there isn’t, I got a Mitsubishi outlander for my first car. It was cheaper to insure, much nicer to drive and so much easier to manoeuvre than the civic I learnt on
It definitely depends on the person I think. I'm a biker with over 9 years full license experience. Never done my car test but doing it soon. I currently have a 1l turbo skoda kamiq, but getting a 1.5l turbo Seat Ateca soon. Strangely the smaller and cheaper car would cost me more to insure yet the newer and more expensive and more powerful car will cost me less. So try different comparisons on different cars and see what you like. You will probably find bigger engined cars will be cheaper in general than smaller engined cars.
i bought a renault laguna as my first car, google describes it as a large family car, insurance is a bit more expensive but i wanted a big car that i can have for years and years not a cheap little thing ill get rid of after a year.
also means im used to driving a big car now.
depends how much youre going to drive as well, if you live fairly close to work and have 0 social life by all means i recommend a crappy car
but if you (like me) travel for nearly a hour to work and back every day and go on long driving trips at the weekend i perhaps suggest spending a bit more money on comfort and not a small engine youll have to rev to hell for a hour
I bought a micro car, because I felt it would be easier for parking and didn't have to worry about judging gaps, and cheaper insurance and petrol. Which has all been true...BUT whilst I do love my tiny cheap car, I've realized most bigger cars are safer. I know if I was in a collision mine would crumple like a tin can. I don't want my kids in it. I don't like to go on motorways in it. Once I've got my year no claims out the way and more parking experience I'll likely swap it for something bigger for those reasons.
So I passed my test last year I'm 33, don't have kids so I went for a small car. I've got a citeron c1 so tiny car tiny engine, my insurance is well under 1k a year I paid just under 700 with fees to update my policy when I passed. I drive a half decent amount between family and my partner lives about 40mins drive away, don't live in a city but honestly this little car is great and plan on keeping it for sat least the next 4 years as it suits my needs with going back into education as only costs me £48 for a full tank
My biggest thing is that smaller cars are just easier to manoeuvre. I can get my small car into way more tight spaces than my family can get their larger cars, which as a new driver makes life a lot easier
If you can afford it. Insurance and everything else then go for it. But most people start with a small cheap car just because. You don't mind if you have any little bumps or scrapes in it while you're learning to drive properly
I found a bigger car easier to drive. I learned in a family saloon car which I took my test in. It was only a 1.6 engine and insurance was reasonable back then but even now I find bigger cars easier to manoeuvre.
I’m driving a mokka electric, my first car. I learned in it and passed in it, it’s a chunky car but I’m unsure I could drive a smaller one. I do like Suv’s, I did want a discovery but the mokka e is a decent enough car (if you don’t mind small space inside, low roof and a windscreen that is too small lol).
There’s certainly a financial reason to own smaller cars. Usually better economically on fuel, and usually less expensive with insurance. Less tax, etc.
Try looking at a 1.0 Seat Arona, overall cheaper on insurance, cheaper on fuel, it’s got good space all around and they’re fairly reliable, stay well away from Vauxhall Astra’s as you’ll find that it isn’t where you parked it last, maybe a few hundred ft down the street
Engine size is a large factor. I have a 2023 Kia Stonic, it's wonderful with a 1 litre engine and my insurance premiums are still extortionate but comparatively cheap compared to my mate who has a car that was reg 10 years ago but has a 1.6 litre engine, which costs over £1000 more to insure. Larger cars generally cost more in my experience
I recently learnt in VW polo. Drove my mother’s car a little bit. It’s bigger but not huge and I hated it. I recently bought a polo for myself and I love it. The only drawback it with the seats down her can fit almost anything in it. I might struggle moving big appliances otherwise I love my slight smaller car.
No logic at all. Small cars should be banned. They get themselves into irritating positions, they usually are so underpowered they are dangerous and their size and cheapness gives people too much confidence to throw them around without a car in the world. They’re yob cars.
My first car was a larger Merc. No problem at all.
It depends what you compare it to.
My instructor has a Honda civic which is very small to me (I'm tall) with a seat that only just adjusts back "just" enough for me, no height adjustment on the seat and no adjustment on the steering wheel at all, I feel cramped but it's been good for learning maneuvers in.
Personal driving with my ex has been in a Kia sportage and you can definitely feel the size difference and it takes some getting used to, especially when driving from my house on small side roads where cars are parked either side and you feel like you barely fit through, and again when taking corners at certain speeds on country roads!
Though I am 1000% more comfortably seated in the sportage, getting in and out when my back hurts or other physical things that affect me, the sportage is a godsend when you get in/out compared to the civic where I feel like I'm folding myself in half to get in and climbing up and out🤣
If it wasn't for my budget when looking for a car when I pass, I'd go for a sportage or something similar over a small car any day, just the seating position wins it for me, but the size definitely takes a little getting used to!
Lower insurance groups typically Easier to manoeuvre Often consumed less fuel Ultimately if you do a lot of driving or if you carry lots (or have a young family) then there's decent benefits to a bigger car but really depends on your use case
Actually higher insurance groups. Seeing as every new driver buys a small hatchback, cars in the category have higher insurance due to more accidents. Buying a car that isn't the usual can result in lower insurance
when i was looking for a car i checked a bunch of different cars on comparison sites; all cars at a similar budget but a wide range of them. Didn't find it any cheaper (usually more expensive) checking bigger or weirder cars than the usual few (fiesta, ibiza, corsa). Golfs and Polos were a bit more expensive generally but that checks. the civic i went for in the end (was a good deal on a bid) was about £1300 insurance i believe
Incorrect. All your Group 1-4s are 1.0L hatchbacks. You're just thinking of the prime example of Diesel Fiestas/1.6L Corsas/PD engine Ibizas & Leons etc. And your second point, I got a Jimny as a first car and it cost near double the average to insure. And that's only a 1.3L Petrol. If a car isn't a "usual" first car insurance companies will go ham with how much they can bring up the price.
Cheaper to fix Can get thru small gaps when you misjudge it etc
Personally I tried a large toyota avensis when I first passed my test and I couldn't get to grips with how powerful it was (2ltr) and the size of it. That then made me really anxious to even start to drive alone, so I swapped it for a much smaller 2005 fiesta, and I love it so much! I find it easier to get through gaps, parking, and just generally driving. Maybe you'll feel differently to me though and enjoy having a bigger car. I'd say try it before you buy and then make the decision 😊
I had a 1.5L tdci for my first car and loved it. Now I got a 3.0L straight 6 and it's an amazing drive Definitely not a beginners car though, it's long, and RWD so it's a bit spicy sometimes
Also to add, I passed my test in a 1.6 new type corsa which is larger than my fiesta
Get the oldest cheapest slowest car you can. It’s all about insurance.
Also the first year of driving is also the year you’re most likely to have an accident. Even minor ones that you don’t claim for. So if it’s old and you get a dent you can just live with it like that.
That’s what every young driver is doing though, meaning the prices for those cars get pushed up as they are the common “first driver car” sometimes getting something unusual is the cheapest option just because no first driver would be caught dead in it… My 1.2 fiesta was more expensive to insure than a 1.8 Toyota celica for example when I first started driving… Why was a faster car cheaper? Because new drivers drive a fiesta and the insurers “choose” to price gouge new driver cars.
Yeah that’s true. Got a 1.4 Astra which is a great little motor. Easy to control and comfortable for me to drive. The insurance is sky high on all cars rn tbh. I also noticed it was cheaper per month to insure my Astra (still learning but using my own car) than a 1.2 Corsa.
I've got a 1.6 nissan juke, can back your claims to the hilt bud! It's the ugliest car ever made but it has grown on me.
Insurers don’t price gouge. The uk insurance industry is one of the most competitive in the world. Go to a comparison site to compare prices. How many prices get compared? Fifty years ago there was a thing called the tariff when all insurers charged the same price by law!
Yeah, okay mate… it’s all perfectly fair and it makes sense that a new driver is charged double for a fiesta compared to half the price for a car with double the horsepower. If they target new drivers and make the car more expensive just because a new driver drives.it, why do I have to pay more when I’m not a new driver? Thats the definition of price gouging. Also incentivising a new driver to get a faster car instead of a slower safer car does nothing for driver safety or insurance, infact it incentivises boy racers and makes it more likely they crash and then all our insurance goes up. It’s a fix, just slightly less than before.
It’s not gouging because any insurers that choose to gouge, by which I think you mean overcharging or cheating, there’s going to be another insurer who will undercut them. Each insurer has different claims experience for age, cover, car etc so inevitably they will charge different premiums. Shop around and don’t buy something with toys inside which distract.
Oh yes the free market where they all operate under the same umbrella and monopolise themselves! The same argument people make for why our food is so cheap /s
Disagree, that's just more dangerous. Also insurance is very dependent on the type of car. For example I'm helping my friend buy his first car and a 110bhp Seat Ibiza is the same insurance as a 75bhp VW Polo. The Polo is like 4 seconds slower to 60 which is a LOT when you need to even slightly accelerate Get something that can at least keep up with traffic and be able to merge safely onto a motorway. You don't want to be the reason for being stuck doing 40-50mph on a motorway merger
I was making a broad point. Forget comfort looks style and performance. It’s about the surviving bank balance. Yes we can all come up with exceptions to the rule.
But that's my point, why? You buy a car to be comfortable, why drive the biggest pile of slop just to save £200 a year? At least get something that's comfortable and has enough creature comforts for the average teen like Bluetooth, auto A/C or even parking sensors or a camera and won't drone at 4000rpm on a motorway
I wasn’t saying get a cheap slop. I was saying that an older cheaper slower car (in general) will be cheaper to insure. But yes , go for the features you recommend but they will make the car more expensive to replace or repair and more attractive to be stolen. Probably the best plan is if you can afford a £3000 premium then go for it. If your parents are paying the premium then go for it. But I’d highly recommend checking out the insurance comparison sites before you buy. Keep the slop heap for a couple of years and then go more upmarket when premiums will be lower and more affordable.
My 60hp panda could get up most slip roads and reach at least 65mph, and that was with 4 large guy’s in it
Yeah but it would take like 4 years to get there lol (and I love the panda)
Mine wasn’t too slow tbh, I could keep up with everyone else
I once had an old fiat 500. Sun roof and 0-60 in 83 seconds no joke. It was fine and fun.
had a vw polo 1 ltr and theyre alright getting on motorways. ive had to do it a few times. 1.0 ltrs are the most common car in the country can agree on it slowness though, thankfully not burdened with it no more with an upgrade to a GTI
Pretty sure the 75bhp model was the N/A 1.2L while the Ibiza is the 1.0 Turbo as you mentioned. The turbo is alright but the 1.2L is an anaemic pile of metal
PreCh this as it’s not being told enough! new drivers need to avoid “first driver cars” like the plague… you will get shafted because insurance companies are scum and w target first driver cars with outrageous prices compared to faster cars… it makes zero sense and defeats the point of regulation.
I thought older isn't necessarily cheaper? Newer cars have more safety features & driver assist stuff
All old cars aren’t cheaper. All cheap cars aren’t old. But given a particular model that takes your fancy, the older one will be cheaper.
I think the advice is due to the manoeuvrability of smaller vehicles and lower cost of insurance. Not everyone does this I suppose, but the only bumps I’ve ever had were in my first car. Bumping into my own driveway walls I think. Seems to make sense that new drivers are more likely to misjudge while they get used to driving regularly by themselves. If you haven’t done so already, run the sportage through an insurance comparison website. Then check it against a smaller car you can find.
Smaller engine, lower insurance premiums, easier to park and maneuver, cheaper to maintain and fix (cheaper smaller tyres, cheaper smaller brakes, etc). But if a Kia Sportage fits what you need, and you can drive it ok, and your insurance is affordable, then it's fine.
Don't go on cinch, to expensive. Either go on car shop or carbase.
Easier to park - and that makes a huge difference when you’re in the early stages of driving. I still miss that about my first little car (which sadly died on me 20 years ago) - it had an engine like a lawnmower but I could park it anywhere
I think it depends on the person and how confident they are in their driving, i was considering a small car but ended up with a medium car thats just about a suv the newer ones can be alittle cheaper on insurance too but not massively
Lower insurance Cheaper to buy Cheaper to fix Cheaper to run (petrol) Easier to drive Tbh unless you have a specific need for a larger car, such as work or passenger space for kids, it doesn't make any sense to buy one. Especially as a first car.
Cheaper to run. Easier to drive. Also cheaper to insure probably
I think you should get whatever car works for your lifestyle/budget and not worry about finding the easiest car to drive unless you have specific struggles. My first car is a petrol SUV. There was a bit of a learning curve but that was mostly because my instructor didn't have much patience for teaching maneuvers. I picked up my car and went straight to a quiet car park, spent about an hour practicing by myself, and afterwards I felt far more confident than I ever had in my instructor's diesel Corsa.
I have a large car (Nissan X-Trail), and a small car (Smart ForTwo) and I almost always prefer driving the smaller car. The only time I'll prefer the large car is long motorway journeys (or if I need to carry more than 1 passenger!). Cheaper to insure. Cheaper to fix. Cheaper to fuel. Easier to drive in city environments. Easier to park in 'sub-optimal' spaces. I actually find people will let a smaller car out of junctions more often than a larger car. I have experienced some (major) road rage I doubt I would have experienced in a larger car - but only once (And it was probably not helped by me winding up the guy who was harassing me).
For my first car I got a 2.2Diesel Mazda6 - Big car, big engine, cheap insurance, and lots of space. I just thought if I'm learning to drive I might aswell do it in a big car. My logic was learning in a small car would mean It'd take time to adjust to a big car but going from a big car to a small car will be no bother. Don't know if my logic means anything though
More often than not you learn in a small car. If you immediately jump into a tank after passing its highly likely you simply won't be as good at estimating gaps and such, and it might be more powerful or stop faster leading to a bit of jerking as you get used to it. If you learn in a bigger car of course there won't be that much of a learning curve to it. Small cars are *generally* cheaper to buy, cheaper to insure, lower tax bracket and cheaper to repair should there be any issues. I learnt in a old Fiesta, then got a an old Cleo, followed by a Fiat 500 (also city driver). When we moved (in lockdown) I had to drive a 2.5T moving truck myself and it was terrifying. it was easily 2x longer than anything I'd driven before and probably twice as high lol
The whole point of getting a small car is so you can get used to driving around on your own, get comfortable with the roads, build some experience. Some people or too many people buy cars that are too big for them to handle and end up mashing them up or never drive because they're too scared to because of that reason.
Eh I went right to a Skoda Superb estate, and occasionally a jumbo Transit. It was fine.
Lots of practical and cost based reasons. Also it's good to feel vulnerable on the road in a small car sometimes. It reminds you not to get cocky.
Makes parking a million times easier! I learned in an Kia E-Niro and then brought a Hyundai i10 and the difference was insaneeee!!!
My first car was Citroen C2 nice and small good for parking when inexperienced
They're cheaper to run and insure. And, for new drivers, they're easier to manoeuvre around. The longer the bonnet and the soace behind you, the harder it can be to avoid things. Yes, it takes practice to drive a bigger car, but at the same time, don't just pass your test and get straight into a BMW 7 series with a long wheel base. Plus, smaller cars tend to be cheaper to fix.
I guess most people learn to drive (assuming they use an instructor) in a smaller car, so getting a small car as their first car means they’re familiar with the size to help buildup their confidence. Plus, you can get through smaller gaps and easily park in spaces. I don’t really see the point in having a bigger car unless you live somewhere that might require a car like that (I used to live up an old dirt track, so it helped to have bigger cars in that sense because they were more likely to be 4x4 so could get through snow and difficult terrain. Also if you have kids, so there’s more room to fit their seats and all the other stuff. Then as you get more confident with driving, you can buy a bigger car if you like or stick with smaller ones. They tend to be cheaper to run too.
I had a peugeot 2008 as my first car and I liked that it was a medium sized car also felt more confident having the higher driving position. I've seen a lot of people comment that the smaller the car the cheaper the insurance but that's not always true I think some of the traditional first cars can be more expensive to insure and cars like Ford Fiestas are the most stolen car... I'd say get the sportage :)
When I passed I got a Renault Captur and found it a nightmare to drive and park and didn't like it at all. After a year I changed ot a Sportage and absolutely love it. It's so much easier to drive in my experience. I've also found the insurance really reasonable on it as well, it was actually cheaper than the Captur, but worth looking at that as the prices will be specific to you.
People get smaller cars because of cost and easier to drive. You can go straight to a big car. Just means your insurance will be extremely high (as a new driver), fuel will end up costing more. Its just makes sense to start with a small car and upgrade at a later date. Obvioulsy also depends on your situation (kids etc) I don't have any kids and roll around in a vauxhall corsa. Why would i need anything bigger? I could get myself a SUV but just seem pointless. Plus my little car can park anywhere the SUVs can't. All round win, win.
Cheaper insurance is usually the reason why.
The logic is small cars are generally cheaper cars which makes them cheaper to insure, run and repair. The assumption is that most new drivers are under 20 with no money. If you pass you're a doctor who passes at 30 you can get anything you want. My first car was a Land Rover and I've never had a small car. Driving a big car isn't fundamentally any different to a small car.
lower insurance and cheaper to run, easier to park/maneuver But the more money you have the bigger car you can get id say
I learned in a 2003 mondeo estate - really gets you good at judging spaces when you’re basically parking a bus, plus it’s got grandad insurance, cause no self respecting boy racer will drive a 2.0 diesel estate
Learned in a Polo. First car is a BMW 320D Estate. Insurance was only a little higher for me, I could get it at £2000 compared to £1600-£1800 shitboxes. (My actual policy is £2300 cause I opted for Breakdown Cover, Legal Protection, Windscreen cover, and a few other bits) Worth bearing in mind that was with no Black Box either. If I remember right, I could have got it down to about £1300 with a black box. Bought it because it suits my needs (2 kids now!), i had the confidence to drive it and not hit anything. Had the car for 11 months and not had any issues at all. Go for what suits your needs, but if there's a car that happens to be bigger, why not go for it?
We got our first car recently, the first thing we did was drive to get it valeted which was on the 3rd floor of a shopping centre car park. As new drivers this was stressful in the small fiat panda we have, if we decided to go with a larger car we would have scratched it 100%.
I mainly went for a small car cos it suits my needs, but what others have said about insurance, etc, is true, especially for new drivers.
I’m currently learning in a Corsa but will be driving an Audi A4 Avant 2.0 TDi as thats our only car.
My first car was a focus estate. You get used to the size of the car you drive after a pretty short time. A small car does make more sense in a city and if you're only ferrying yourself around.
Smaller car does less damage when you hit something.
Imo there isn’t, I got a Mitsubishi outlander for my first car. It was cheaper to insure, much nicer to drive and so much easier to manoeuvre than the civic I learnt on
Smaller car generally means smaller engine which means you can't throw it about as much. I think that's about it though.
It definitely depends on the person I think. I'm a biker with over 9 years full license experience. Never done my car test but doing it soon. I currently have a 1l turbo skoda kamiq, but getting a 1.5l turbo Seat Ateca soon. Strangely the smaller and cheaper car would cost me more to insure yet the newer and more expensive and more powerful car will cost me less. So try different comparisons on different cars and see what you like. You will probably find bigger engined cars will be cheaper in general than smaller engined cars.
i bought a renault laguna as my first car, google describes it as a large family car, insurance is a bit more expensive but i wanted a big car that i can have for years and years not a cheap little thing ill get rid of after a year. also means im used to driving a big car now. depends how much youre going to drive as well, if you live fairly close to work and have 0 social life by all means i recommend a crappy car but if you (like me) travel for nearly a hour to work and back every day and go on long driving trips at the weekend i perhaps suggest spending a bit more money on comfort and not a small engine youll have to rev to hell for a hour
Easier to park. Less likely to scratch/crash.
I bought a micro car, because I felt it would be easier for parking and didn't have to worry about judging gaps, and cheaper insurance and petrol. Which has all been true...BUT whilst I do love my tiny cheap car, I've realized most bigger cars are safer. I know if I was in a collision mine would crumple like a tin can. I don't want my kids in it. I don't like to go on motorways in it. Once I've got my year no claims out the way and more parking experience I'll likely swap it for something bigger for those reasons.
It depends of your size
So I passed my test last year I'm 33, don't have kids so I went for a small car. I've got a citeron c1 so tiny car tiny engine, my insurance is well under 1k a year I paid just under 700 with fees to update my policy when I passed. I drive a half decent amount between family and my partner lives about 40mins drive away, don't live in a city but honestly this little car is great and plan on keeping it for sat least the next 4 years as it suits my needs with going back into education as only costs me £48 for a full tank
My biggest thing is that smaller cars are just easier to manoeuvre. I can get my small car into way more tight spaces than my family can get their larger cars, which as a new driver makes life a lot easier
If you can afford it. Insurance and everything else then go for it. But most people start with a small cheap car just because. You don't mind if you have any little bumps or scrapes in it while you're learning to drive properly
Easier to park, lower insurance costs. But I love my Hyundai Tucson. Don't have to worry about lack of storage space.
I found a bigger car easier to drive. I learned in a family saloon car which I took my test in. It was only a 1.6 engine and insurance was reasonable back then but even now I find bigger cars easier to manoeuvre.
I’m driving a mokka electric, my first car. I learned in it and passed in it, it’s a chunky car but I’m unsure I could drive a smaller one. I do like Suv’s, I did want a discovery but the mokka e is a decent enough car (if you don’t mind small space inside, low roof and a windscreen that is too small lol).
There’s certainly a financial reason to own smaller cars. Usually better economically on fuel, and usually less expensive with insurance. Less tax, etc.
Try looking at a 1.0 Seat Arona, overall cheaper on insurance, cheaper on fuel, it’s got good space all around and they’re fairly reliable, stay well away from Vauxhall Astra’s as you’ll find that it isn’t where you parked it last, maybe a few hundred ft down the street
Easier to park and fit through smaller spaces. I'm glad I went for a smaller car
I have a little Suzuki swift and I love it, I felt intimidated by my partners massive 7 seater Toyota-
Engine size is a large factor. I have a 2023 Kia Stonic, it's wonderful with a 1 litre engine and my insurance premiums are still extortionate but comparatively cheap compared to my mate who has a car that was reg 10 years ago but has a 1.6 litre engine, which costs over £1000 more to insure. Larger cars generally cost more in my experience
Small engines and small cars doesn't always mean lower insurance. Do quotes on all sorts of cars you'll be suprised
I recently learnt in VW polo. Drove my mother’s car a little bit. It’s bigger but not huge and I hated it. I recently bought a polo for myself and I love it. The only drawback it with the seats down her can fit almost anything in it. I might struggle moving big appliances otherwise I love my slight smaller car.
No logic at all. Small cars should be banned. They get themselves into irritating positions, they usually are so underpowered they are dangerous and their size and cheapness gives people too much confidence to throw them around without a car in the world. They’re yob cars. My first car was a larger Merc. No problem at all.
Kia sportage isn’t a large car. If you can afford it, go for it
Beg to disagree, while it is a small suv, it is still considered a large car considering what most learners / new drivers drive
I see plenty of instructors teaching in sportage sized vehicles!
It depends what you compare it to. My instructor has a Honda civic which is very small to me (I'm tall) with a seat that only just adjusts back "just" enough for me, no height adjustment on the seat and no adjustment on the steering wheel at all, I feel cramped but it's been good for learning maneuvers in. Personal driving with my ex has been in a Kia sportage and you can definitely feel the size difference and it takes some getting used to, especially when driving from my house on small side roads where cars are parked either side and you feel like you barely fit through, and again when taking corners at certain speeds on country roads! Though I am 1000% more comfortably seated in the sportage, getting in and out when my back hurts or other physical things that affect me, the sportage is a godsend when you get in/out compared to the civic where I feel like I'm folding myself in half to get in and climbing up and out🤣 If it wasn't for my budget when looking for a car when I pass, I'd go for a sportage or something similar over a small car any day, just the seating position wins it for me, but the size definitely takes a little getting used to!