Best First Cars for New Drivers
Most new drivers want a safe and reliable vehicle for a first drive. Here are 7 of the best first cars including options from Chevrolet, Nissan, Jeep and more.
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7 minutes
Date
06.01.2023
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New and young drivers generally want a car that’s affordable, reliable, comfortable and easy to park — and preferably has a few of the latest tech gadgets. Fortunately, many cars on the market tick these boxes — and not only smaller cars like hatchbacks. Good SUVs and larger sedan options are available at affordable prices for those who can provide some credit history and are prepared to shop around.
Even if you have no credit (or limited credit), you may still be able to get on the road with a reliable and lovable vehicle. Here are seven of the best first cars for new drivers available as subscription options, as well as leasing or buying.
7 best first cars
Price is a factor when choosing your first car but it shouldn’t be the only factor or it may come back to bite you. No new driver wants a car that’s constantly in for repairs so look out for reliability. And, as a new driver, you’re more susceptible than most to accidents, so safety features are also very important.
Let’s take a look a brief look at the seven best first cars for new drivers.
1. Buick Envision
- Average price: $37,500
- Body style: SUV
- Safety rating from IIHS: Good
The Buick Envision is a compact and affordable SUV that ranks highly for reliability, with a low level of defects, malfunctions and design flaws experienced by owners. With its handsome appearance, good safety rating, great visibility and comfortable driving experience, the Envision gives new drivers the full SUV experience with a smaller body size that is more manageable. Safety features include blind spot monitoring and automatic emergency braking. It’s also got plenty of high-end features like in-car Wi-Fi and Adaptive Cruise Control.
- Many standard safety features
- Good fuel-efficiency
- Holds its resale value well
1. Buick Envision
- Average price: $37,500
- Body style: SUV
- Safety rating from IIHS: Good
The Buick Envision is a compact and affordable SUV that ranks highly for reliability, with a low level of defects, malfunctions and design flaws experienced by owners. With its handsome appearance, good safety rating, great visibility and comfortable driving experience, the Envision gives new drivers the full SUV experience with a smaller body size that is more manageable. Safety features include blind spot monitoring and automatic emergency braking. It’s also got plenty of high-end features like in-car Wi-Fi and Adaptive Cruise Control.
- Many standard safety features
- Good fuel-efficiency
- Holds its resale value well
2. Nissan Kicks
- Average price: $23,000
- Body style: Small SUV/Hatchback
- Safety rating from IIHS: Good
The Nissan Kicks is sometimes called an SUV but the IIHS call it a hatchback. Although it has the general shape of an SUV, its small size makes it manageable for first-time drivers. Certainly, its price is more hatchback than SUV.
The Kicks is a reliable and easy drive with automatic transmission and many great safety features including an anti-theft alarm system, automatic on/off headlights. lane keep assist with lane departure warning, hill start assist, automatic emergency braking with forward collision warning and rear cross-traffic alert. The standard Bluetooth phone connection/music streaming, three USB-A ports and one USB-C port, eight-inch color touchscreen display and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto Capabilities are also attractive tech features for younger drivers.
- Easy to park for new drivers still learning the ropes
- Budget-friendly option
- Fuel-efficient to keep ongoing costs down
2. Nissan Kicks
- Average price: $23,000
- Body style: Small SUV/Hatchback
- Safety rating from IIHS: Good
The Nissan Kicks is sometimes called an SUV but the IIHS call it a hatchback. Although it has the general shape of an SUV, its small size makes it manageable for first-time drivers. Certainly, its price is more hatchback than SUV.
The Kicks is a reliable and easy drive with automatic transmission and many great safety features including an anti-theft alarm system, automatic on/off headlights. lane keep assist with lane departure warning, hill start assist, automatic emergency braking with forward collision warning and rear cross-traffic alert. The standard Bluetooth phone connection/music streaming, three USB-A ports and one USB-C port, eight-inch color touchscreen display and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto Capabilities are also attractive tech features for younger drivers.
- Easy to park for new drivers still learning the ropes
- Budget-friendly option
- Fuel-efficient to keep ongoing costs down
3. Nissan Altima
- Average price: $25,500
- Body style: Sedan
- Safety rating from IIHS: Good (2022 Top Safety Pick+)
The Nissan Altima is a roomy, four-door, all-wheel drive sedan with an attractive starting price and good fuel economy to keep a lid on running costs. Its impressive set of safety features include the Altima Safety Shield 360 system, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and high beam assist, as well as intelligent forward collision warning and intelligent lane intervention. The tech setup includes remote start, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, the NissanConnect app, an 8- or 12.3-inch color display and more.
- Budget-friendly option
- Good fuel efficiency
- Reasonable cargo space
3. Nissan Altima
- Average price: $25,500
- Body style: Sedan
- Safety rating from IIHS: Good (2022 Top Safety Pick+)
The Nissan Altima is a roomy, four-door, all-wheel drive sedan with an attractive starting price and good fuel economy to keep a lid on running costs. Its impressive set of safety features include the Altima Safety Shield 360 system, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and high beam assist, as well as intelligent forward collision warning and intelligent lane intervention. The tech setup includes remote start, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, the NissanConnect app, an 8- or 12.3-inch color display and more.
- Budget-friendly option
- Good fuel efficiency
- Reasonable cargo space
4. Chevrolet Blazer
- Average price: $36,500
- Body style: SUV
- Safety rating from IIHS: Good (except headlights)
The Chevrolet Blazer is a crossover SUV and young drivers will love its sporty appearance and ease of driving. A pedestrian detection system aids safety, along with blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure and lane-keeping assistance, and rear-cross traffic alert.
Rear-parking sensors and backup camera remove some of the stress associated with backing up and parallel parking for new drivers. Adaptive cruise control and a start/stop system also help fuel economy. The Blazer also boasts an impressive infotainment system that will be a hit with young drivers — with an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for integrating your devices.
- Powerful engine — but not too much to handle
- A strong braking system for control
- Parking assistance is attractive for new drivers
4. Chevrolet Blazer
- Average price: $36,500
- Body style: SUV
- Safety rating from IIHS: Good (except headlights)
The Chevrolet Blazer is a crossover SUV and young drivers will love its sporty appearance and ease of driving. A pedestrian detection system aids safety, along with blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure and lane-keeping assistance, and rear-cross traffic alert.
Rear-parking sensors and backup camera remove some of the stress associated with backing up and parallel parking for new drivers. Adaptive cruise control and a start/stop system also help fuel economy. The Blazer also boasts an impressive infotainment system that will be a hit with young drivers — with an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for integrating your devices.
- Powerful engine — but not too much to handle
- A strong braking system for control
- Parking assistance is attractive for new drivers
5. Chevrolet Camaro
- Average price: $36,500
- Body style: Sportscar
- Safety rating from IIHS: Good except for roof strength (classified as acceptable)
Another attractive Chevy option for the more adventurous new driver is the Camaro. This is a car for new drivers who love the power and/or want to make a statement without breaking the bank. Sportscars are not usually recommended as good first cars but not every first driver is looking purely for safety and reliability. The speed, power, poor visibility and relatively poor fuel efficiency of the Camaro compared to other models may suggest that it’s for more established drivers but if you’re after a sports car, this is among the most affordable on the market. The safety rating from the IIHS is mainly as good for the Camaro as for other cars featured in this list.
- Good reliability rating (from JD Power)
- Top-notch braking performance
- Retains its resale value
5. Chevrolet Camaro
- Average price: $36,500
- Body style: Sportscar
- Safety rating from IIHS: Good except for roof strength (classified as acceptable)
Another attractive Chevy option for the more adventurous new driver is the Camaro. This is a car for new drivers who love the power and/or want to make a statement without breaking the bank. Sportscars are not usually recommended as good first cars but not every first driver is looking purely for safety and reliability. The speed, power, poor visibility and relatively poor fuel efficiency of the Camaro compared to other models may suggest that it’s for more established drivers but if you’re after a sports car, this is among the most affordable on the market. The safety rating from the IIHS is mainly as good for the Camaro as for other cars featured in this list.
- Good reliability rating (from JD Power)
- Top-notch braking performance
- Retains its resale value
6. Nissan Sentra
- Average price: $21,000
- Body style: Sedan
- Safety rating from IIHS: Good apart from the headlights (the 2022 version was a Top Safety Pick+)
Back to our budget-friendly options and we have the Nissan Sentra. This one is great value as a first car and is suitably compact and easy to drive for those who are still building up their confidence on the roads. Of the cars mentioned in this list, the Sentra is one of the most affordable to run and insure. Despite its value, it doesn’t skimp on safety features, with forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, forward/reverse automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, a surround-view parking system and more.
- Budget-friendly
- Great fuel economy
- Good reliability
6. Nissan Sentra
- Average price: $21,000
- Body style: Sedan
- Safety rating from IIHS: Good apart from the headlights (the 2022 version was a Top Safety Pick+)
Back to our budget-friendly options and we have the Nissan Sentra. This one is great value as a first car and is suitably compact and easy to drive for those who are still building up their confidence on the roads. Of the cars mentioned in this list, the Sentra is one of the most affordable to run and insure. Despite its value, it doesn’t skimp on safety features, with forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, forward/reverse automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, a surround-view parking system and more.
- Budget-friendly
- Great fuel economy
- Good reliability
7. Jeep Wrangler
- Average price: $34,000
- Body style: SUV
- Safety rating from IIHS: Moderate
As a midsize SUV, the Jeep Wrangler is slightly larger than the compact SUV and slightly smaller than the full-size models. It features many of the benefits and comforts of a full-size SUV but with a more manageable body size for a new driver.
It’s a reliable and easy-to-maintain vehicle, making it well-suited for new drivers who want a hassle-free first car. The infotainment technology includes an eight-inch touchscreen display that can access over 30 apps, including SiriusXM radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Safety features include electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes (ABS), as well as traction control. It also offers high ground clearance and wide tires, easing driving in wet and offroad conditions.
- Head-up display
- Good fuel economy
- Great resale value
7. Jeep Wrangler
- Average price: $34,000
- Body style: SUV
- Safety rating from IIHS: Moderate
As a midsize SUV, the Jeep Wrangler is slightly larger than the compact SUV and slightly smaller than the full-size models. It features many of the benefits and comforts of a full-size SUV but with a more manageable body size for a new driver.
It’s a reliable and easy-to-maintain vehicle, making it well-suited for new drivers who want a hassle-free first car. The infotainment technology includes an eight-inch touchscreen display that can access over 30 apps, including SiriusXM radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Safety features include electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes (ABS), as well as traction control. It also offers high ground clearance and wide tires, easing driving in wet and offroad conditions.
- Head-up display
- Good fuel economy
- Great resale value
7 things to consider when choosing a first car
Here’s a more complete rundown of the aspects of a vehicle you should consider before selecting your first car.
1. Reliability
A reliable car stays out of the workshop and saves money on costly repairs. New cars are more likely to be reliable than older used cars (especially those without a demonstrable service record) but this may come at a higher purchase price. You can ensure reliability by choosing a reliable dealer, leasing company or car subscription company like FINN.
2. Safety features
Inexperienced and teen drivers are more likely than experienced drivers to underestimate dangerous situations and make critical errors that can lead to serious crashes. Safety features should, therefore, be a primary concern when you consider the best car for a new driver.
3. Insurance
Teen drivers pay three times more for car insurance than middle-aged drivers. It’s important, therefore, to choose well and shop around for deals on insurance as well as cars when you’re a first-time buyer — and try to select a car with a good safety record for lower insurance.
4. Ease of driving
Most new drivers want a car that’s easy to drive, park and maintain. Certain features like parking assistance and manageable body size are often high on the list of factors to consider for first-time car buyers.
5. Tech features
Youngsters expect the driving experience to be an extension of their daily lives when it comes to technology. Everything available in the home must be available in the car, which means a good infotainment system and connectivity options.
6. Comfort
All drivers want comfort and while it may be less important for a teen than for a senior driver when it comes to choosing cars, comfy seats, a good driving position, and climate control options are a must.
7. Financing/affordability
Affordability is a major concern for most first-time car buyers. How are you going to finance the purchase, lease or subscription? Sometimes, when buying a car, you may qualify for a pre-approved car loan that will tell you how much you can spend. Much depends on the length of the loan term you can negotiate as well as the interest rates.
For drivers with no credit or limited credit (like many teens and younger drivers), options are more limited but you can still get a car with no credit. Often, a more affordable option than buying a car is a subscription. With no down payment necessary, this saves around $2,000 for starters. You simply select a reliable car at an affordable monthly rate that includes everything.
How to shop for your first car
Buying your first car is a big step and a large financial commitment for most teens and young drivers. Give yourself the best chance of walking away with a car that you love and cherish for many years by following these steps:
- Set a reasonable budget
- Save a sizable down payment
- Check your credit history
- Compare and compile a shortlist of cars
- Secure pre-qualification for financing
- Approach reliable dealers
- Be prepared to negotiate — and walk away
- Resist the upselling strategies of car salespeople
- Get the insurance, registration and other paperwork in order
You can read more about these tips in How to Buy Your First Car.
A car subscription is a viable alternative
The seven cars listed are a great starting point to ensure that your first car is safe, reliable and affordable. Many of them also have enviable driving experiences and the looks to match. If you want to avoid many of the hassles and extra expenses that come with buying a car, you may want to consider a car subscription.
As well as avoiding a down payment, subscriptions are similar to leases in that you pay a fixed monthly fee. However, subscriptions also look after all the added extras like registration, insurance and maintenance. Contracts range from 6-12 months so you can switch cars more regularly than with a leased car.
Easy access to a FINN car subscription offers a low-risk and convenient option with plenty of car choices for new drivers. No long-term commitment is necessary and we’ll deliver your choice of car straight to your doorstep.
A car subscription is a viable alternative
The seven cars listed are a great starting point to ensure that your first car is safe, reliable and affordable. Many of them also have enviable driving experiences and the looks to match. If you want to avoid many of the hassles and extra expenses that come with buying a car, you may want to consider a car subscription.
As well as avoiding a down payment, subscriptions are similar to leases in that you pay a fixed monthly fee. However, subscriptions also look after all the added extras like registration, insurance and maintenance. Contracts range from 6-12 months so you can switch cars more regularly than with a leased car.
Easy access to a FINN car subscription offers a low-risk and convenient option with plenty of car choices for new drivers. No long-term commitment is necessary and we’ll deliver your choice of car straight to your doorstep.