Best cars for learner drivers
If you’re learning to drive, you’ll need a car that is going to be cheap-to-run and easy to drive, so what are the best options?
The Cazoo editorial team
Published on 02 December 2025 | 1 min read
Learning to drive is an exciting part of growing up, with thousands of new drivers hitting the roads every year.
In order to learn the basics of a car, driving something small, agile and easy to manoeuvre is a great way of building up your skills and becoming a confident and responsible driver.
There are many hurdles to climb when you’re a new driver with insurance being one of the most costly parts of running a car, while there are lots of second-hand vehicles out there that make for the perfect cars to learn in, which are available through Cazoo.
If you’re learning to drive, what are the best cars to do it in? We’ve compiled a list of the best cars for learner drivers.
Dacia Sandero
Cheap, reliable and lots of space. That’s what the Dacia Sandero has to offer, while representing extraordinary value for money.
It may not be the most exciting choice out there, but the Sandero is a great car to learn to drive in as all of the controls are nice and light and all-around visibility is excellent, due to the large side windows.
Running costs are affordable too, with the 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol averaging a claimed 53mpg and it sits in a rather low insurance group four.
Used prices stand at £7,995 for a 45,000-mile example from 2022, making the Sandero one of the cheapest cars on this list.
Search for used Dacia Sandero on Cazoo
Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta is a great car for those who are learning to drive as all of its controls are nice and light.
Also, the Fiesta is a great car to drive and all models are very cheap to run with its standard 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine. Ford claims that the car can achieve up to 68mpg on the combined cycle and the insurance is a respectable group 10, meaning it should be affordable to run.
There is also a choice of three and five-door body styles, and you can even get a sporty ST-Line model, which adds a body kit, sports suspension and larger alloy wheels.
Second-hand prices start at £9,000 for a 45,000-mile 2022 example, and £11,300 for a flagship Titanium X car.
Search for used Ford Fiesta on Cazoo
Hyundai i10
The i10 has always been a very popular choice among new drivers on account of its low running costs and easy-to-drive characteristics.
The latest i10 is by far the most grown-up yet, with lots of standard equipment and an impressive amount of interior space.
It’s available with frugal 1.0-litre and 1.25-litre petrol engines, which both return claimed fuel figures of 62mpg and sit in insurance groups four and five, respectively.
Used prices start at £9,000 for a 1.0-litre car, and £12,000 for a low-mileage 1.2-litre model.
Search for used Hyundai i10 on Cazoo
Mazda2
The Mazda2 has become a rather forgotten choice among first-time drivers, but it should be taken more seriously as it's an excellent all-around choice.
This little Mazda is superb to drive, and all the controls are easy to operate and have a very mechanical feel to them - exactly what a new driver wants.
There is loads of standard kit, and if you go for one of the models with larger alloy wheels, it also looks the part too.
The latest model is equipped with a 1.5-litre petrol engine that boasts mild-hybrid technology to give it a claimed fuel consumption figure of 53mpg.
Used prices stand at around £10,000 for a 2021 car that’s covered just 25,000 miles, making this Mazda a very tempting proposition.
Search for used Mazda2 on Cazoo
Seat Ibiza
Fancy something a bit sportier? Then, how about the Seat Ibiza? This Spanish offering is a great-looking supermini that’s easy to drive and is very cheap to run.
Underneath its skin, you’ll find the same recipe found on the Skoda Fabia and Volkswagen Polo, which means it comes with a choice of turbocharged petrol engines and provides a rather grown-up driving experience, while retaining low running costs and cheap insurance.
It comes as standard with five doors, and the FR model sits on beefier wheels, sports seats and sports suspension.
Second-hand prices start at £7,000 for a four-year-old car with 48,000 miles on the clock, and FR models start at £9,000 with low mileage.
Search for used Seat Ibiza on Cazoo
Toyota Aygo
The Toyota Aygo is a fun, frugal and cheap-to-run city car that has all the ingredients for the perfect car to learn to drive in.
All the controls are nice and light, and because it’s a Toyota, it comes with reliability and dependability built in.
The 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine can return more than 60mpg on the combined cycle and with CO2 emissions of just 99g/km, it’s also cheap to tax.
Prices on the used market for a 2019 car with low mileage can be yours for just £7,500, making the Aygo a great-value city car for learner drivers.
Search for used Toyota Aygo on Cazoo
Volkswagen Up!
The Up! is the same car underneath as the Skoda Citigo and Seat Mii, which means it comes with a peppy little 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and there is a choice of three and five-door body styles.
The Up! is a cheap-to-run, funky and fresh little city car that is perfect for those learning to drive with light controls, a smooth five-speed manual gearbox and ultra-low running costs.
What’s more, there are several Up! trim levels which offer a little bit more individuality, to make your car stand out on the road.
Used prices start from around £7,500 for a 2019 Beats example that’s covered 47,000 miles.
Search for used Volkswagen Up! on Cazoo
