Looking to buy a compact automatic car...
I am looking to buy an automatic small car as my first car. My partner has a small manual Toyota Aygo and we think it would make sense for my car to be bigger/or with a bigger engine anyway so that we can use it for longer journeys and have the Aygo for around the city (Dublin).
We have been looking between years of 2012-2018 at the Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, MINI Cooper, Volkswagen Polo/Golf, Audi A1 and Hyundai i20/i30... but we are stuck and getting more and more confused...
We were leaning towards the Peugeot/Renault because of great prices/low mileage but we don't know what to do.
Any advice/recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Dawn Byrne (Dublin)Dec 2025 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Dawn,
Most people in your position – i.e. a new driver – consider the cost of insurance when choosing their first car. You'll need to keep the engine size down for that reason, though there are plenty of small-engined cars that should still fit the bill. Just keep it in mind and maybe get insurance quotes before you commit to any car.
I would suggest that you're better off going for a slightly larger car if it's to be used regularly for longer journeys as they are generally more comfortable at motorway speeds. From your list, the VW Golf and Hyundai i30 would be good options, but you could also seek out the SEAT Leon, Peugeot 308 or Mazda3.
I've probably given you more to think about there…
Come back to us with a budget in mind and we'll try to find some specific cars for you to consider.
Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Advisor