top of page

DoneDeal Blog   ›  DoneDeal Insight

What is the ideal first car to buy?

Buying your first car can blend excitement with frustration. You are most likely just finished all of your driving lessons and have applied for your license. Exciting. But you have most likely thralled through For Sale guides and spoken to your family and friends about which car you should and shouldn’t buy. Everyone has an opinion. Frustrating. Well, as always, we are here to help.

We take a look at the Top 7 cars you should consider for your first ever motor purchase. Best of luck with the car shopping!


Citigo

Source: Sköda Media


Cost; New: €11,800 Engine size: 1.0 Insurance costs: The Skoda Citigo is placed in the low-end of Insurance companies’ cost guides due to its small engine size. Of course, as it with all of these Insurance gauges, so many other variables have to be taken into consideration. The Citigo is a very comfortable drive. Slow on the uptake, it is an ideal first car, especially if you live in a city. It’s handling is superb. The engine is annoyingly loud for some unexplained reason.


Kia Rio

Source: Kia Press Office


Cost, New: €16,000 Engine size: 1.25 Insurance costs: This will set you back a little more than the Citigo and is in the third band of insurance costs. The Rio has a gorgeous interior for such a small vehicle and that will probably win you over. It handles well too, though not as neatly as the Citigo above. Suspension is not great however, and you will feel it.


Volkswagen Polo GTI

Source: Volkswagen Newsroom


Cost, New: €15,400 Engine size: 1.0 Insurance costs: This will be in a similar bracket, albeit slightly dearer, than the Citigo. This is a comfortable as a small car gets but be wary that the engine is quite sluggish, especially for a Volkswagen. Aside from that one negative, it’s quality and reliability are top notch. It’s a more refined car than others on this list and should be highly considered.


Hyundai i10

Source: Hyundai News


Cost, New: €13,000 Engine size: 1.0 Insurance costs: It’s in the low band, which makes this an ideal first car. Hyundai are aiming for ‘best in class’ with this new version of the i10. The styling is right on point with ample interior space. The dashboard can be loved or loathed, depending on personal taste. The car’s handling can’t be considered strong but it does house a refined engine which ensures a very smooth driving experience.


Ford Fiesta

Source: Ford Media


Cost, New: €12,000 Engine size: 1.25 Insurance costs: The Fiesta Hatchback is not the dearest car on the list, but insurance-wise it is. Sorry! Let’s get the downsides out of the way. Some of the trimmings are very cheap looking it must be said. And it’s not a very versatile vehicle. But it is hugely fun to drive and handles as good as any of the cars on this list. The comfort levels of the Fiesta beats everything else in its class.


Peugeot 208

Source: Peugeot Media


Cost, New: €14,800 Engine size: 1.0 Insurance costs: Again, this is in the first band when it comes to insurance so should be cheaper than most depending on your personal details of course. The 208 is one of the classiest cabins in the small car class. There is no question about that. It has a great look both internally and externally and has been brought on even more by great dashboard technology. It may not be the best city drive and handling is poor. But if you want cool, this is should be your option.


Toyota Aygo City

Source: Toyota


Cost, New: €13,400 Engine size: 1.0 Insurance costs: On the lower side of insurance costs for the 1.0l version. It’s never a coincidence that Toyota top these lists, no matter what the class. But the Aygo City is cheap to run, is a flawless city drive and has stunning new touchscreen infotainment system. All you need is at your fingertips. If there is a downside then it could well be space in the back and in the boot, but the room could be described as average, at worst. And don’t forget, no car brand holds their value quite like a toyota, so it would be a wise investment.

Comments


Featured Car Reviews

Connect With Us

facebook-icon@2x.png
twitter-icon@2x.png
instagram-donedeal icon.png
youtube-donedeal icon.png

Our Products

Greenlight

Find Greenlight owner verified cars to purchase with confidence!

Manufacturer Approved

Find cars that have been quality checked and approved by their manufacturer.

Warranty

Find Cars with warranties on DoneDeal - so that you can have peace of mind after purchase.

Car Finance

Apply for finance, directly from the car listing on DoneDeal, for Quick and easy finance approval.

You might also like

Find on DoneDeal

185c647d-7be6-484b-97be-c8e0b08b4df5_FOR

New Car Showroom

Browse for New Cars with our enriched search experience.

Find On DoneDeal-Trusted Dealer Cars.jpg

Trusted Dealer Vehicles

Find vehicles sold by trusted

dealers in Ireland.

Find On DoneDeal-Electric Cars.jpg

Find Electric Cars

Discover a wide range of

Electric Cars on DoneDeal.

Recent Insights

bottom of page