'I'm a used car expert and this is the best £7k small motor to buy'

Daily Mirror

19-07-2025

A motoring expert has recommended the best used cars for £7,000 or under which are great value especially for new drivers, with choosing a motor with a small engine with a small power output the key
Buying a first vehicle, especially a used car, can be a tricky business for many customers as it often comes accompanied with high insurance costs for inexperienced drivers. This means choosing a car that has a small engine, small power output, and isn't very large to keep insurance as cheap as possible.
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However, with the cost of living going up and the second car market seeing prices rise, it can be hard to work out which car to buy, even if you have a relatively healthy budget of £7,000.
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This was the problem faced by one motorist who went to AutoExpress for advice on the best car to buy for that price. In response, motoring expert Ryan Birch said it all depended on what one was looking for.
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Whilst he recommended the Seat Mii, the Renault Twingo and the Citroen C1, when it came to practicality he suggested the Spanish Mii.
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He said: 'From behind the wheel, the Mii is hard to beat. It shares a platform with the Volkswagen up! so the handling is crisp and it's surprisingly enjoyable to drive. The Mii is also surprisingly spacious, with more accommodating rear seats than the Citroen and a respectable 251-litre boot.
Ryan added: 'Lower-spec SE models are equipped with alloy wheels, electric front windows, air-conditioning and a leather steering wheel as standard. A DAB radio can also be specified, along with a dashboard-mounted navigation system and Bluetooth connectivity.'
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Whilst the Mii was the practical choice, Ryan didn't rule out the Renault Twingo, praising it for having a good turning circle, robust interior and goo rear seat space.
Meanwhile, the Citroen C1 was given good marks for its distinctive looks, and the fact it was affordable and easy to drive. He caveated: 'Citroen offers a variety of coloured panels and trims to add a dash of personalisation to the cabin of its city car.
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'However, material quality isn't up to the best in the class, and the layout of the controls isn't as intuitive as the SEAT's interior.'
This isn't the first time French cars have been recommended as good first cars. The Daily Express' Christopher Sharp also recommended another French car, the Renault Clio.
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Writing in 2023 about why he recommended the Clio, which he'd named after a tank, Christopher said it's practicality and the fact it had great visibility made it ideal for a new driver getting used to Britain's roads.
He wrote in the Daily Express: ' The little Clio has a high rear end and a wide boot aperture. What this means is that it's easy to get big things in and out of it.
'The car was so capacious and the boot aperture so square that it had more carrying capacity than some SUVs at the time.
'Two of the most important elements of choosing a car for a new driver is that it must be comfortable and easy to drive.
'With soft suspension and light controls, the Clio had these in spades. Despite its 1.2 litre engine, it was an able motorway cruiser with impressive economy for the engine's diminutive size.'