Which car to choose for a novice driver: rating

Every driver remembers their first experience behind the wheel. If the car is too powerful or too expensive, it causes additional psychological pressure and anxiety.

Therefore, used cars are more often recommended for new drivers – moderately powerful, but very docile on the road. Autocar has collected a dozen compact cars that will be a good friend to those who are just getting their first driving experience.

Mini Cooper

One of the most iconic cars in the world looks like a Christmas toy, which means it will always make a novice driver feel optimistic. But that's not the main thing about it. The Mini Cooper has a wide range of engines for different needs, which are reliable. But when buying a used car, listen to the gearbox – it is the weak point of the model.

Toyota Yaris T-Sport

Another car with a non-standard appearance is on this list. The T Sport was built on a solid foundation and after its appearance gained fame as one of the top cars in the class. Under the hood, the model has a 1.5-liter gasoline atmospheric engine, the power of which will not come as a shock to a beginner. But it will not disappoint on the road either. Please note that the model has only a manual transmission.

Fiat Panda 100HP

Following the principles of building hot hatchbacks, Fiat transplanted the 1.4-liter overhead camshaft engine from the then-new Grande Punto into its neat city car and squeezed an additional 5 hp out of it, giving it a total output of 99 hp. But keep in mind the condition of the car. Repairing a Panda is a complicated and expensive business, so it's important to buy a serviceable car right away.

Suzuki Swift Sport

This model is one of the most typical hot hatchbacks – like the Peugeot 205 GTi or the Ford Escort XR3i. The Swift Sport has a 1.6-liter engine under its hood that produces 125 hp. It accelerates to 100 km/h in 8.9 seconds and has a top speed of just under 200 km/h. Quite restrained figures, but remember that this car weighs only 1.1 tons, which makes the power-to-weight ratio extremely attractive.

Ford Fiesta Zetec S

Underneath this model's rather handsome exterior lies an excellently controlled chassis that has long been a benchmark in its class. The most common engine available is a 1.6-liter 120 hp gasoline unit that accelerates the car to 100 km/h in just under 10 seconds and is equipped with a quick five-speed transmission. But don't buy a car in poor condition – it will be difficult and expensive to repair.

Citroen C2 VTR

The C2 VTR certainly looks like a hot hatchback. And its performance is also impressive. The early VTRs are equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 108 hp to the front wheels, accelerating to 100 km/h in a decent 10.9 seconds. It may not be the most agile car on the road, but it is quite reliable.

Renault Twingo GT

The Renaultsport Twingo is often called one of the best hot hatchbacks for young people, but it's even better to look at the softer GT. It's a pretty fast car with a turbocharged 1.2-liter gasoline engine that delivers 99 hp to the front wheels. The Twingo GT is a lightweight car weighing 980 kg, so it accelerates with surprising liveliness and handles well despite the soft suspension.

Citroen Saxo VTR

The Citroen Saxo VTR is still one of the best entry points into the world of high-performance cars. It is equipped with an older version of the 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 90 hp. For a car weighing 900 kg, this is quite enough. At the same time, the Saxo VTR is very obedient when cornering, although there were questions about its safety systems at the time of release.

Citroen C1

This Frenchman is not impressive in appearance, but it is called a convenient entry point into the world of cars for beginners. It is not a very fast car with an engine capacity of only 1 liter. However, it demonstrates remarkable agility on the road. And at the same time, it is obedient. Which is very important for the first independent trips behind the wheel.

Volkswagen Up

Designed by former Alfa Romeo chief designer Walter de Silva, the Volkswagen Up is one of those rare cases where a cheap car becomes an object of desire through a clever engineering approach. It has one of the longest wheelbases in its class, and the wheels are extended right into the far corners. This means that the car is very spacious for its size. At the same time, it is also well-equipped. Its 1.0-liter engine works fantastically, despite the low speed.

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