The best first cars under £5,000

Buying your first car is exciting, but the price on the windscreen is only part of the cost. For most new drivers, insurance is the biggest bill – so the right first car is one that's cheap to insure, cheap to run and reliable enough that you're not paying for repairs every few months.

What to look for

Small engine: a 1.0–1.2 litre petrol keeps insurance and fuel costs down. Low insurance group: the lower the group, the cheaper your premium is likely to be. Euro 4 or later petrol: in practice, most petrol cars from around 2006 onwards meet the ULEZ standard, so you won't pay the daily charge in London – always check the registration on TfL's checker. Full history and a clean HPI check: this protects you from cars with outstanding finance or a write-off record.

Our favourite first cars

Ford Fiesta – the UK's best-selling small car for years, easy to drive and cheap to fix. The 1.0 EcoBoost engine is especially economical. Vauxhall Corsa – simple, affordable and very cheap to insure in lower trims. Toyota AYGO – tiny running costs and Toyota reliability; the MultiMode automatic version suits automatic-only licences. Peugeot 208 – comfortable and well-equipped, with very frugal PureTech engines. Hyundai i10 – newer than most cars at this price, easy to park and cheap to run.

Manual or automatic?

If you passed your test in an automatic, you can only drive automatics – and London traffic makes them popular anyway. Cars like the Toyota AYGO MultiMode, Ford Fiesta Powershift and Hyundai i10 automatic are all affordable automatic first cars.

Buying from AUTEX Motors

Every car we sell is HPI clear, goes through a 150-point inspection and comes with a 3-month warranty. We're happy to talk you through running costs, and we can help you get insurance and road tax sorted so you can drive away on the day. Viewings are by appointment in Northolt – call or WhatsApp 07379 197842.