The excitement of just passing your driving test is often tempered with the harsh realisation that buying and owning a car at a young age is quite possibly one of the most expensive transactions you will make in your early years.

The cost of the car, coupled with the insurance, and very often the worry that going for a cheap runaround will leave you exposed to large repair bills. However, the average car lasts 14 years and there are many models of car which are perfectly suited for a first buy, particularly at the budget end of the market.

What Car? have used their expertise in the automotive car market to look at all the factors of owning a first car and come up with a definitive list of vehicles which should be achievable for the newly passed driver.

Top of the list according to What Car? Is the Kia Picanto, which is in Insurance Group One and has the extremely attractive option of having Kia’s market-leading seven-year warranty. “Proof that good things come in small packages,” says the What Car? review. “Despite the Kia Picanto’s very low cost, you still get a posh, well-equipped interior that feels a cut above most city cars.

At number two in the top ten list is the most expensive option, but those who know their motoring onions will understand that the Volkswagen Polo delivers value and is a sound investment. You’re likely to pay just over £10k for a used model but according to What Car? “What you get for that money is one of the most comfortable small cars available, with a ride that remains remarkably composed over even the nastiest craters.”

And if the Polo is a little beyond your budget, you can still sit yourself in a Volkswagen by looking Up, the German brand’s supermini, which completes the top three. Even though it looks small from the outside, it feels much larger within, and being a VW also feels a little luxurious. “It rides very comfortably and its interior is as classy as you’ll find in a city car,” says the What Car? Review.

What Car? Best Used Cars For Learner Drivers

1. Kia Picanto

2. Volkswagen Polo

3. Volkswagen Up

4. Hyundai i10

5. Nissan Micra

6. Seat Ibiza

7. Skoda Fabia

8. Citroen C1

9. Vauxhall Corsa

10. Renault Twingo

Sell or part ex your car today