You’ve got an open road ahead of you, but what you haven’t got is some new wheels to take you on your journey.

The process of buying your first car can be a real minefield – you’ll probably be looking at used models, so there’s the issue of balancing issues of cost, safety and also allowing for a little bit of fun along the way.

Luckily, the experts at Auto Express have done some of the hard work for you and listed the best cars for new drivers.

They’ve taken into account points such as how easy each car is to drive, the levels of safety kit, on-board tech and whether it feels manageable (and fun) on the road.

Here’s some of the best models to look out for:

1. Volkswagen up!

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Auto Express thinks that the Volkswagen up! is such a good small car that they awarded it the title of City Car of the Year for four years in a row from 2017 to 2020 – it’s a great choice as a first car.

What makes the up! so appealing is its low price and insurance, with the exception of the hot GTI model. 

The only engine offered in the standard petrol models is a 1.0-litre three-cylinder which produces 64bhp.

Being so small, the up! Is easy to manage on the road and actually rather fun, too.

There’s even the option of the fully electric VW e-up! if you’d prefer a zero-emission car. 

2. Hyundai i10

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The Hyundai i10 isn’t the modest exciting car to look at, but it’s certainly an improvement on the previous model.

​​There’s lots of standard safety kit, but you’ll pay a premium for the better-equipped Premium or N-Line trims.

Insurance again should be affordable – and you get Hyundai’s five-year/unlimited-mileage warranty as standard. 

3. Volkswagen Polo

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The Volkswagen Polo has a big-car feel about it and is a great choice as a first car. 

Yes, it’s bigger than the up!, but it should still be easy to navigate through town and park up without any trouble.

The entry ‘Life’ trim offers plenty of features, including alloy wheels, automatic headlights, a DAB radio, electronic stability control and rain-sensing automatic wipers.

4. Kia Picanto

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Kia has developed the Picanto into quite a sporty-looking little car. It offers lots of fun, but is still a very sensible choice.

Good levels of kit include electric front windows, USB inputs, auto lights and hill start assist, while it shouldn’t be expensive to run.

Low insurance is a winner, but the Korean manufacturer’s seven-year/100,000 mile warranty is definitely a reassuring bonus. 

5. Skoda Fabia

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The Fabia is another car that offers plenty of practicality, equipment and low running costs, and it’s also pretty cheap to buy.

If you go for the base ‘S’ trim you will still get air-conditioning, lane-keeping assist, autonomous emergency braking, and a DAB radio with USB-C and Bluetooth connectivity.

For the rest of the terrific top ten list, visit autoexpress.co.uk