Which of these would be a good starter car?

Hi, my girlfriend who is 22 has recently got her first provisional licence and completed her mandatory 12 lessons. Any advice on a good starter car for her, for under €1,000 if possible? Taking into account tax and insurance costs I've been looking at Cinquecentos, Micras, Polos and the Daewoo Lanos as they're 1.0-litre or under. Any of these worth considering, orany that should definitely be avoided?

Thanks

Ciaran Mc Cashin (Drogheda)

Apr 2012 Filed under: learner

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Expert answer

Hi Ciaran,

You can't go too far wrong with a good Nissan Micra or Volkswagen Polo, even at that price. They are reasonable to insure, pretty reliable and the Micra in particular is great on fuel. We'd stay away from the Daewoo Lanos and though the Fiat Cinquecento is bursting with character they can be troublesome. Others to consider are the Suzuki Swift and Volkswagen Lupo.

Come back to us with a shortlist if you want and we can help further.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Adviser
@Shane_O_D