Ideally, carbon emissions less than 150 g/km (keeps the tax under £125 a year)
Insurance group 7 or less
Best possible fuel efficiency
Drivers airbag minimum, the safer the better
2k purchase price..

We did like the idea of getting her a little Jimmy BUT having driven them - and looked in to running costs / purchase costs id like some other ideas ! what do you buy your kids ?

 

My sisters first was a 2.0 HDi 206.

She promptly crashed it. So the rents bought her a 1.4 version of the same. It seems to tick all the requisite boxes and I'm sure you could get one for 2k now.

 

humm 206 could be an idea !

 

I had a couple of 1.4 VW Polos and they seemed very solid (especially after crashing into a tree). They are very long lasting and my cousin still runs my R-reg Polo around with no problems. Not sure what emissions they are though.

 

Why not buy a bag of horse manure & set light to it instead?

 

Fiat Punto 1.2.

 

A previous generation Clio is a safe car, ENCAP 4 Star IIRC. There are plenty around and, having owned one, not bad to drive either. I'm not too sure on the emisions side of things, but as they were in direct competion with the 206, they should be broadly speaking comparable.

 

my partner is still running around in a 1.6 Astra Club (98-04 model)

it's safe enough, very reliable (has NEVER broken down in six years) has aircon and is safe and predictable to drive, Toyos £30 a corner etc
tax is higher but they made a 1.4 I think

worth next to nothing now and given the prospective new driver WILL prang it, I'd go for something budget like this rather than anything shiny

 

That's indeed the reason tiny-engined Corsas & Punti are popular with the yoof.

 

Could you not get a Yaris/Micra for £2k now? I'd rather go Japanese than French anyday.