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Here’s a list of the best University cars that you can buy in 2023.
If you’re heading off to University, you may be thinking about getting a car to help you better get around your town while also giving you the freedom to go on road trips or late-night runs to Mcdonald’s drive-throughs.
For many University students, the car you get at this point may be your first-ever car, so you’ll have to think about what makes a car good for this circumstance. Finance and practicality will likely be factors in choosing a car, and you may also want a car that’s easy to drive, as first-year University students may have little driving experience.
There are definitely certain cars that are best suited to students. Here at Car Adviser, we’ve identified some of the top options and details on what makes them so much better than others.
These are the top 10 best student cars you can buy in 2023:
When selecting the right car for a student, there are a few different factors the vehicle needs to hit to be a suitable option for the driver’s lifestyle. For the most part, a car that’s going to be great for a student will be cheap.
University is notoriously expensive, meaning that many students will be strapped for cash during this period, so it’s best to get a cheap, inexpensive car to run with low insurance costs.
For most, this will mean that students will look exclusively at the used car market when finding a suitable vehicle. When buying second-hand, you must complete all the appropriate inspections to ensure that the car is of good quality and safe to drive.
It can be good to try and get a car that’s close to having 12 months of its MOT remaining, as it will mean that you won’t have to pay for an MOT inspection so soon after getting the car. You can check any vehicle’s MOT history here on Car Adviser.
As well as being cheap, it’s also a good idea to try and get a car that’s easy to drive. As most first-year University students will likely be fairly new drivers, it is beneficial to get easy-to-drive and safe vehicles that reduce your likelihood of getting into accidents.
It’s also worth getting a type of car that suits your University’s environment. Most campuses will be located in town or city centres, meaning it’ll be best to get agile and nippy cars better suited to this type of driving.
Larger saloons and estate cars will likely not be the best options here, with hatchbacks being the favourite body type among students.
Considering these factors, the following options will all be cars that can be found relatively cheaply either online or at dealerships. They will also suit urban environments more and will be options that will be cheap to run, collectively making them the best cars for uni students.
The Honda Civic is an excellent option for students looking for a cheap car, as this can easily be picked up on the second-hand market for under £1,500, with some still having under 100,000 miles on the clock. With a striking and youthful look, this car is nimble and easy to drive, making it well-suited for inexperienced drivers.
Despite being small, it’s got much more space than a supermini, which provides a good level of practicality that can be a nice bonus. These cars are typically very reliable, which is great when buying second-hand, as they’re likely to be in very good condition.
The issue with the Honda Civic is that its fuel economy could be better, especially if you wind up with the 1.8-litre version. Although you’ll get better performance, this option will eat away at your fuel.
Pros
Cons
If you’re a University student that’s also a new driver, you’ll be well suited to a Toyota Yaris. This is because the car can make you feel confident behind the wheel, thanks to it being compact, easy to control, and light. The car has great visibility when in the driving seat, making manoeuvres much simpler.
The engine is only 1.3 litres, which gives you good fuel economy but can feel a bit weak, especially if you’re a more confident driver.
The Toyota Yaris is known to last, though, especially if you keep up with its servicing. This means that the car can be an option if you’re looking for a vehicle to last you way beyond when you’re done with uni.
It is small, though, which means that it sacrifices practicality, with it failing to offer a great deal of boot room, or passenger space, especially as it’s only a two-door model.
Pros
Cons
The Kia Picanto is a great option for students looking to get their first car. One of the main reasons is that the Kia is a reliable car built to last, meaning that it’s robust and is unlikely to suffer any significant mechanical issues during your ownership.
Plus, because Kia manufactures it, you’ll also get an industry-leading seven-year warranty if you buy it new, meaning it will last you well beyond the University.
It is a small car but does offer 4 door options, meaning that it can become an option if you’re planning any road trips with your student friends. It’s not a fancy-looking car, especially if you get a version from before 2007, but it’s functional and can get you from A to B easily.
Like many other cars of this size, it’s easy to control and drive, but it also has the advantage of being a cheap option which can suit many students.
Pros
Cons
The Renault Clio is a trendy car for students because it’s stylish and has a fairly low price on the used car market. It’s not just a nice car to look at, though, as it’s a well-performing car that drives smoothly while offering a comfortable ride.
It’s fairly cheap to run, as it has good gas mileage and a small fuel tank, helping to keep it low cost when using it. As a hatchback, it offers a good level of room and practicality, with the front seats benefiting from good legroom.
If it’s still too small for you, though, you can also get an estate version, allowing you to fit in more equipment. This makes it a good option if you’re going to a University that’s far from your accommodation.
Pros
Cons
The Toyota Aygo is the perfect car if you’re a student wanting a car that’s easy to drive more than it is practical. The car is small, with virtually no rear seat options, meaning it can only work as a vehicle used exclusively by a single individual.
The car is easy to manoeuvre and is great for inexperienced drivers, excelling in urban environments. It can be cramped for longer journeys and has a really weak engine.
That said, the smaller engine means that it will be cheaper to tax. The boot space is small, too, meaning that you’ll likely need to store items on your passenger seat as you battle for space.
A drawback of the Aygo is that it’s virtually identical to the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107, with both of them being options that you can likely get for cheaper.
