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Here’s a list of the best University cars that you can buy in 2024.
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 2024:
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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As one of Britain’s best-selling cars, the Corsa is an option that makes sense for those about to go to University. It’s perfect for inexperienced drivers, as it’s easy to control and also comes with plenty of safety features; in fact, you may have learned how to drive in this car.
It’s a reasonably cheap option despite looking like an upmarket vehicle and offers great value for money. Most models feature great extras and features, such as DAB radio, CarPlay, and alloy wheels.
No matter which type of engine you get, the Corsa has great fuel economy, offering at least 51 miles per gallon, helping to keep running costs low.
The only issue with the Corsa is that it could be a more comfortable ride and can get a bit bumpy, thanks to the stiff suspension.
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The Polo is a very well-regarded car and has a reputation for being reliable, well-built and supremely comfortable. This makes it an excellent choice for students looking for their first car, as it’s unlikely to experience any issues, helping to keep maintenance costs low.
There are many different types of Polo, with options including the sportier version that suits more confident drivers or low-engine models that are easy to control although not as nippy.
You can also fold down the rear seats to create a lot of extra space for equipment, making it a smaller car that offers a good deal of practicality and functionality. If you’re looking for a vehicle to help you effectively move your stuff into your accommodation, this is a great option, thanks to the extra space.
It can be easy to go over budget when buying a Polo, though, so you may have to sacrifice some specs to ensure you can get one that’s in your price range. If you can afford it, it’s one of the best cars for uni students.
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Often used as a car favoured by driving instructors, the Citroen C3 is a brilliant car for inexperienced drivers. This is because it has light controls, handles as you would expect, and a good amount of acceleration and bite.
The car is also praised for being safe, as it has many features that can prevent accidents and protect you if you are in a collision.
Being a supermini, it’s a small car, making it great for city driving. The car has some deficiencies, such as its poor-quality suspension, which will have you bouncing frantically over small potholes and road irregularities. It’s also not the smoothest drive, with it shuddering around at faster speeds.
It is cheap, though; when used as a car for short trips, it should do the job for students.
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Despite not being a massive car, which makes it an excellent option for students driving in congested cities or towns, the Fabia is still very spacious and comfortable to drive and commute in. It has the right level of practicality that students will be looking for, as it offers decent boot space that can fit shopping and University equipment.
It’s a cheap car to insure; however, there are some slightly less expensive superminis that you can get that provide a similar standard of quality.
Although more costly than others, you’re not overspending, as the Fabia has great driving performance and agility, making it a fun and easy car to drive and manoeuvre.
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The i10 Hatchback is an excellent little option for students looking for a small city car that doesn’t feel cramped or small.
The Hatchback version of the i10 is 40mm longer between the wheels, which may not sound like much, but it does a lot in making the cabin feel spacious and light.
Despite being a compact car, the boot is fairly sizeable and is actually the largest compared to other small city cars. If you are getting a brand new version, you can expect some pretty nifty features such as inbuilt sat-nav and wireless phone charging.
The running costs of the i10 are also a great option, as it can manage 55mpg, meaning that you won’t be wasting that much cash on refilling it.
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When driving as a student during term time, most of your journeys will likely be darting around town to get to campus and other locations near each other. For most, motorway driving will be rare, meaning it may be best to get cars suited to town driving.
This means that smaller, fast-accelerating cars that are agile and easy to control will be your best option. Cars like this include hot hatchbacks, regular hatchbacks, and potentially Micro-SUVs if you're a student looking for more space.
Avoid saloons or estate cars as they can be long and harder to complete manoeuvres in, which could be challenging for many University students due to being fairly new to driving.
As students will likely have to be frugal with their money during term time, it pays to try and reduce the running costs of your car. You can reduce your spending by trying to get a car with good fuel mileage. Being able to go further with less fuel will result in you refuelling less often, saving you money in the long run.
You can also try driving economically by accelerating smoothly and avoiding sharp braking and steering. Doing this will also make your car go further on less fuel.
To save money on expenses like insurance, try to get a car that's considered safer than others. Certain cars with high-performance states will be more expensive to insure because they're more likely to get into accidents.
If you have a family member or friend who has been driving for a long time and has a lengthy no-claims period, adding them as a named driver could drastically reduce your insurance costs.
No matter what type of car you buy, there are benefits for both, meaning that one may suit your circumstances better than the other.
When buying new, you'll have a warranty included on your car given to you by the manufacturer. If there are any issues with your car, you can get it fixed or even replaced for free thanks to this warranty. Plus, newer cars are cheaper to insure because they're less likely to break down as they haven't been through the wear and tear that a used car would.
That said, new cars will typically be much more expensive than used cars, and even a used car under a year old will be at least 33% cheaper than a brand-new one. For some models, buying used gives you far more choice in what you can get.
The issue is that buying second-hand increases your risk of getting a low-performance car. However, as long as you ask the right questions and inspect the car thoroughly, you should be able to get a good car for cheap when buying used ones.
As a university student, it's likely that you're new to driving and have only recently passed your test. As a new driver, your insurance costs will be more than most. Many new drivers opt to get a 'black box' installed in their vehicles to combat these costs.
A black box is a device that monitors how you drive and when, collecting data such as your average speeds, smoothness of breaking, and more.
If you drive well while having this black box installed, it can prove that you're a safe driver and help you reduce your insurance costs.
The only downside is that many black box schemes can be restrictive. For example, some of these boxes will require you to drive only at certain times, which may inconvenience busy students.
The amount you need for a student car will depend on your requirements and where you get the car from. It's possible to get a new car suitable for a student for under £10,000, with Dacia known as a good manufacturer for producing high-quality yet cheap vehicles.
If your budget is much lower than this, it is possible to find used cars under £1,500. These cars will likely have many miles clocked and could have a few other slight performance issues.
Only some students will need a car to thrive in the University environment. For example, suppose your University is located in the heart of town, close to your accommodation and local amenities. In that case, you may be fine using public transport or travelling on foot.
However, if you live far away from your campus or your lectures are located away from town, a car might be an excellent option to help you get around quickly.
Plus, driving by car may also be cheaper than getting an annual bus or train pass, so it's essential to consider what kind of transport is most affordable for you.
Parting upwards of £1,000 in one transaction can feel like a lot of money for many students. When buying cars, there are options to do so through finance or leasing, where you pay for your car agreement in monthly instalments, not too dissimilar to a subscription service.
The issue for students is that financing or leasing adds another form of debt, which can be crippling on top of the student debt you'll have to pay. Plus, many students don't have a regular income, meaning that you may not reliability be able to pay your car off monthly.
In addition, as most students starting University will be around 18-19, it's unlikely that you would have built a good enough credit score to get the best car finance deals. This means the only finance plans available will charge you a lot of interest and may not be the most affordable option.
As a student, paying for the car outright in one transaction is best to minimise any further costs.
When buying a car, you'll need a clean license to prove that you can drive the car you've just bought.
Once you've made your purchase, ensure you're given the car's service history and a log book. This will let you know what issues it's had in the past.
You'll also need to ensure that the car is taxed and that you have insurance before legally driving your new student car. The vehicle will also need a valid MOT certificate.
Before agreeing to buy a car, you should run it through a few checks to ensure it's a good deal for you.
One of the first things you should check is to see if it's taxed. This ensures that the car is road legal, and checking it will also bring up various details about the vehicle, such as its model, age, and more. Make sure that this information matches up with the car you're about to buy.
You should also check its MOT status, as this will let you know how long you have until you need to bring it in for an examination. You can check a car's MOT status online by searching for its registration plate.
You should also be able to see the car's service history logbook when viewing it. Be sure to check it yourself to see if the vehicle has been in an accident and potentially even written off in the past.
Also, go on a test drive to see if you're happy with its driving performance and if it suits you.
Suppose you're studying in a city that operates a low-emission zone, such as Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, London, and more. In that case, you will definitely want to get a car that meets these requirements so that you don't have to waste money paying the charges each time you drive.
Each city's requirements are a bit different from the others, so it's important to check if the car you're going to buy is within those restrictions. For the most part, cars manufactured after 2015 will typically have low emissions anyway but do check to ensure that you don't have to overpay. Check out our guide to ULEZ exempt cars.