In honour of International Students' Day, we've compiled a list of ten cars that we think are perfect for students. Our basic criteria for a good student car includes a reasonable amount of safety, a low price, fuel efficiency and compact dimensions. The ten cars we have selected include new and used options and will all make for a fantastic introduction to the motoring world. The list is compiled alphabetically and is as follows:
Related: The 10 cheapest new cars you can buy today
1. Ford Figo
The recently discontinued Figo is a fantastic used car buy, offering space, efficiency and low servicing costs. There were over 400 to choose from on AutoTrader at the time of writing.
2. Hyundai Grand i10
There's an updated Grand i10 within the market, but all models that bear the Grand i10 moniker are worth a look for students, with low running costs, reasonable safety and a good deal of space. There were over 500 examples listed on AutoTrader at the time of writing!
3. Kia Picanto
The Picanto is among the very best budget cars you can buy! The small Kia is exceptionally frugal and cheap to maintain, and if you buy one of the higher-specified models, it's safe too! There were over 800 listed for sale on AutoTrader at the time of writing, making you spoilt for choice!
4. Nissan Magnite
For students who require a bit more space, a pre-owned Magnite will offer a capacious boot while still being cheap at the pumps! There were over 350 Magnites listed for sale at the time of writing!
5.Mazda2
The Mazda2 is the most premium of products on our list today, offering superb build quality, a reputation for reliability and low running costs. It may be better to shop used here, and there were over 200 listed for sale on AutoTrader at the time of writing!
6.Suzuki Baleno/Toyota Starlet
The first set of Suzuki/Toyota siblings are the Baleno and Starlet, which are mechanically identical products that offer space, peppy performance and frugality that make them excellent first cars! There were nearly 250 Balenos and over 500 Starlets listed on AutoTrader at the time of writing.
7. Suzuki Celerio/Toyota Vitz
The Celerio/Vitz twins have made an indelible mark on the local automotive scene as affordable, efficient and fuss-free forms of mobility. There were nearly 150 Celerios and around 250 Vitz on the AutoTrader platform.
8. Suzuki Swift
The Swift registers among the best-selling passenger cars in the local market every month, for good reason. The small Suzuki manages to be stylish, light on fuel and practical! There were over 1000 for sale on AutoTrader at the time of writing.
9.Volkswagen Polo Vivo
The locally-produced Polo Vivo is a favourite, ranking in the top 5 best-selling passenger cars over the past decade, with tens of thousands on local roads. This comes down to a combination of cheap servicing, a solid reputation for reliability and availability of parts. There were over 2 700 listed for sale at the time of writing!
10. Volkswagen up!
You'd be hard-pressed to find a better-made budget car than the now-discontinued up! Combine its premium feel with an incredibly efficient engine and tiny dimensions, and this epitomises the ideal student car! There were less than 100 of these micromachines listed for sale on our site at the time of writing.
