How to choose your first car?

There comes a moment in life when you decide it's finally time for your first car. It's often a purchase that fills you with excitement and one you'll remember for the rest of your life. So it's worth thinking the decision through properly, so you don't overlook any of the important criteria. What should you take into account to make sure your first set of wheels stays a fond memory?

Finances

Very often you buy your first car at a young age, when money can be a serious constraint. For many people, a first car needs to be cheap not only to buy - the running costs matter too (like fuel spending, which depends on how much your car burns), as do the repairs that sooner or later are bound to happen. Expensive spare parts can be a real headache, especially since you can hardly expect flawless reliability from a budget car. That's why, before you decide, it pays to check not only the price or average fuel consumption of the model you like, but also its reliability and the availability and cost of spare parts. Here the subscription-car concept comes to the rescue of young drivers. With a subscription you don't pay for the whole car, only for its loss in value, and by choosing the right packages you can also protect yourself against unexpected costs.

Safety

The key feature worth paying attention to is, of course, safety. It's far better to give up on the latest gadgets and pick a model with a slightly smaller engine, while making sure the airbags are fully functional and numerous enough to keep you safe in an emergency. It's also worth looking at the results of so-called crash tests - laboratory collision tests designed to check a car's passive safety systems. Thanks to them, you'll learn how well the model you've chosen holds up in road collisions.

Gearbox

For a good start it's worth choosing a car with a manual gearbox - mastering it will make you a better driver and cover you in case you drive someone else's car, since switching from a manual to an automatic is certainly easier than the other way around. Even if you plan to use an automatic in the future, it's still good to know how to handle the manual version too - that skill may one day come in handy in an emergency. The first few years behind a manual should be enough to build habits that last a lifetime.

Size and comfort

For a young driver, comfort while driving certainly matters too, along with good visibility from the driver's seat and a compact body - especially if you'll be moving around the city, where parking is often no easy task. A small car will make a real difference not only when parking but also in everyday driving on crowded city streets. And for an inexperienced driver, that's a very important factor.

Ideas for your first car There are plenty of models on the market worth considering for a first purchase, so here are 5 that in our view are the perfect fit for the job:

- Ford Focus

One of the best-selling cars in the world. Spacious and practical, comfortable to drive, with low spare-part prices and modest fuel consumption, it comes in as many as 3 body styles - though for the start of your motoring adventure the hatchback version is the best pick.

- Toyota Yaris

An affordable city car, renowned for low failure rates and durability. Its compact size makes getting around the city easier, and low fuel consumption (including the hybrid version) means your wallet won't be left completely empty after a visit to the petrol station.

Check out the leasing for Toyota cars.

- Opel Corsa

One of the most popular models among young drivers. Its compact city-car dimensions and low failure rate make it an excellent choice for a first car.

- Renault Clio

It's known for being easy to drive and park thanks to its compact dimensions. There isn't much room inside, but in return you get a model with very low running costs. Renault Clios tend to develop only minor faults that are cheap to fix, and fuel consumption stays low.

- Hyundai i20

A very simple and functional model, and not without reason has it been the driving-test car in many cities for a few years now. Its neat, eye-pleasing shape, great ride comfort and low failure rate make it a strong contender in this category.