Thank you to everybody. To clarify the reason for not going citigo is I haven’t been overly happy with my 2021 Octavia (not comparable to the citigo as it is all the silly electronics causing me issues!) I have however caused a fairly poor relationship with my dealer and of course sods law dictates if I had an issue with the citigo requiring dealer assistance specifically I would feel a Wally for going back in! (Octavia is leased and going back shortly!). I will have a look at picanto too as they hadn’t crossed my mind. Not sure I want to go to fiesta size for her (she is only tiny!)
I can only go on personal experience, but the absolutely best ever experience my daughter had was with a 2004 petrol manual 1.6 Mazda3. She put 30k miles on it in four years and apart from a failed clutch master cylinder it was ultra reliable. She travelled all over the UK in it on holidays and it never missed a beat. I’ve had similar reliability experiences with the two petrol Mazda6s I’ve owned, and my NB. They were and are all good driving machines too.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend a petrol Mazda. Perhaps a Mazda2 in your price range? My son-in-law has just bought a used 2 and it’s a very nice, fun to drive and well spec’ed little motor.
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I bought a Peugeot 207 1.4 for my daughter to learn in (partly because there’s a really good specialist garage nearby) and it has been great, I even quite enjoy driving it myself, very old school.
One word of warning - the insurance (as a named driver) when she was learning was okay, but as soon as she passed it rocketed. God knows what it will be when my son learns next year.
Don’t write off French cars, they make very good small cars that are designed to be abused!
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Thank you. Yes on a provisional licence he insurance will be a couple of hundred onto my admiral multicar. Using a comparison site and moving her date of birth to make her just turned 17 now gives me some good guidance. Im trying to get quotes under 2k which rules out several Corsa and fiesta etc.
My daughter bought a Toyota Auris 1.6 Icon, 6 speed manual, all the car she will ever need as reliability is excellent, fuel economy excellent, insurance was excellent. Focus sized but plenty of room & because they are looked upon as being somewhat whitegoods can be had for decent money. Hers was a 1 lady owner at £5300 but that was about 2 years ago mind, it is in excellent condition.
I know it’s ruled out already, but I hated that Citigo engine when I test drove one. The rest of the car was great and really well-designed, but the engine felt as if it would shake itself to bits. 3-cyl engines have poor primary balance (specifically, an extreme rocking couple) and VW didn’t bother to do anything about it. Ford use a counterweighted flywheel and some others use a balance shaft.
My lad got a 2014 1.4 Seat Ibiza as his first car.
Insurance was not much different to many of the 1.0 and 1.2 cars.
Running costs were pretty good and it was reliable.
Anything small and Japanese so you (and she) don’t have mechanical hassles at this formative stage. A Jazz or Aygo in manual. Boring but dependable. Honda probably has a tiny bit more ‘character’. Mazda2 fine as well if it’s been undersealed!! Drives nicely but that’s probably not the point.
I had mine from new, a 62 plate. I think after around 1k miles the engine was a really sweet sounding thing (bedded in) and would cruise at 70mph easily on the motorways. Admittedly the economy dropped like a stone if pushed towards 70mph (sweet spot around 60mph to achieve 60+mpg) and tended to run out of puff on medium hills, but my daughter Picanto was exactly the same.
I thought about a Jazz, but it’s even more of a pensioner wagon than a Rover was.
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Not sure I want to go to fiesta size for her (she is only tiny!)
This being so may nake the Swift a good consideration insofar the bonnet is quite short, and the seating fairly high and multi adjustable as is the steering. There’s a reason locally why learning schools use them.
After exhaustive homework and numerous test drives to replace my wife’s 2002 Mx5 Sport, we settled on their top of the range 1.4ltr turbo hybrid which we get delivered ( new build)next month.
So saying Insurance is not an issue being 71 both with clean records. You can get very nice Swifts for far less than 5k…maybe a bit leggy but condition is all. They are as popular with the youthful community are they are with their grandparents. They don’t age really, nor do they seem to dissolve much body wise buit still worth checking the undercrackers as with any Japanese marque in this country.
My daughter got a Fiesta for her first car and loves it (tbh she really wanted an MX-5 but colleagues pointed out it would be hopeless for her work, also anything in the price point would need work; so she got me to buy one for me - she’s had the chance to drive it now). With parents as named drivers insurance was very reasonable even though it’s an ST- lookalike! I’ve told her to take me off the insurance for next year as I will be the problem for premiums (rubbish story; not telling)!
Like any car in this price point, condition and history are probably more important than views on OEM stealers. Any car is essential if you’re outside even the right areas of major conurbations. Hopefully one gets a good’un, even so some budget should be put aside for maintenance and unexpected repairs.
My SO is nowhere near 17 (multiply it by 3 and knock a bit off!) but has booked her driving test and is currently in a quandary over whether to.buy a used car for £5000 with all the risk, or to lease/PCP something. So this is all very interesting to me, although she is doing an auto test and £5000 does not buy a very good automatic car. They tend to retain their price premium from new. I have said no CVTs or DSG dry clutch boxes.
If she leases, a Mazda 2 is top of the list but insurance is not such an issue at her age. I think the Swift is a CVT, and everyone seems to hate CVTs.
Hi.
When she’s ready if she needs any help with insurance at all then please feel free to drop me a line.
Regards,
Dan.
TBH based on my experience for 2 daughters and insurance I’d said either C1, 106 or Aygo - as were the only group1 cars at one point!
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If you want a Citigo but with a different badge and dealer, check out the Seat Mii or VW Up.
We went Picanto for our daughter, as we’ve had multiple Kia’s (inc near identical Picanto 10 years ago) and no issues. She was auto only so less choice \ age for same budget, but plenty out there. Even if out of warranty, the fact they are in warranty for 7years seems to have them looked after for longer!
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I have a 2006 Yaris Mk2, with the same 1.0 3-cylinder engine as the Aygo. It’s bombproof as long as you do the oil changes. Even if you don’t, I’ve read that they can go incredible mileages before they give. I’ve had the Yaris 3 years now, and not had a smidgeon of a mechanical or electrcial issue.
I had the use of a 2012 almost new Aygo back then and really enjoyed it. Fun to drive, though if I were to choose, I’d go for a Citreon C1. C1/107/Aygo… all the same car, built on the same production line…, just minor styling differences. The rear light clusters on the Aygo look like the eyes of a house fly to me.
When I bought the Yaris, it was ether that or a C1/Aygo/107. I chose the Yaris because it was a little more ‘up market’, eg…, better sound proofing, doors that close with a thunk raher than a clang.
As a first car, the Aygo/C1/107 is just about the best I’ve ever seen.
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If she’s style conscious it’s gotta be the Fiat 500! Our daughters love theirs. And the missus liked it so much she bought an Abarth!
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I have an 18yr old son who has a (my) VW Up!
He’s the policyholder under our Admiral multicar insurance and his contribution/premiun in his first year following passing his test was £950.
I was gobsmacked at how low that was for young newly qualified driver. The Up! is the TSI version, group 10 I believe. Cracking little car.
Both my daughters, 7 years apart, I got them a Peugeot 107 and the other a Citroen C1. (Identical barring the badge.
The first one trundled along for 3 yrs in which time she really learned to drive, it was then sold.
The second one is in its 4th year (COVID stopped her taking her test) and it’s still wafting along with no dramas in its time.
Really can’t fault them as a first car.
Also, that hard revved 3 cylinder is actually half a V6 
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