Best First Cars in Australia

As a learner driver, your very first car should be an affordable, reliable and safe vehicle. You might gravitate towards a certain model initially, but it’s important to consider what you really need in the best first car.  

Young drivers and first-car buyers may feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of new cars and used cars available in the new Australian car market and used market.

Before buying your first new car, you should consider:  

• Cost - How does this impact your budget?

• Age - Are you going to purchase a new or used car?  

• Size - How big is the car you want to purchase?

• Safety features - What type of safety equipment is in your car?

• Car Maintenance - How much will it cost to service your car?

• Fuel Efficiency - Fuel consumption fuel economy

• Car running costs - What is the total cost needed to run your car?

• ANCAP safety rating - What star ANCAP rating does my car have?

• Car insurance costs - Do you want to insure your car for market value or an agreed value?

Before buying your first car you should also consider which road safety features are most important to you. While safety equipment like seatbelts and airbags are compulsory safety features, the introduction of new safety vehicle technologies will provide significant road safety benefits to all road users.

Some of these new safety features may include:

• Rear cross traffic alert - Helps you back out of spaces with approaching traffic (like in a car park)

• Autonomous emergency braking - Uses radars to measure the distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you, and will react if this distance is shortened suddenly.

• Rear parking sensors - Detect objects behind your car while reversing.

• Blind spot monitoring - Scans external mirrors blind spots behind your vehicle and alert you to any potentially dangerous lane changes.

Newer safety features will depend on the make and model of your new car.

If you’re a young driver with a licence then there are some learner driver restrictions you must stick to. Learner drivers can not drive a V8 or any high-powered vehicle in the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. You may want to take this into consideration when looking for your first car.

Here is our list of some of the best first cars in Australia for new drivers.

Known as one of the most popular cars in Australia for learner drivers, the Suzuki Swift is compact, reasonably priced and a constant on our roads. 

The Swift is one of the most fuel-efficient cars on sale in Australia and has a fuel range of up to 804 km. This make and model starts at $23,490 before on-road costs. [1] 

The Suzuki Swift has a five-star ANCAP safety rating and was tested in 2017. 

This rating does not apply to GL variants (base), including the GL Navigator, GL Navigator with Safety Pack, GLX, GLX Turbo, RS, Sport and Hybrid (NZ variants). 

Pros

• Manoeuvrable and easy to park

• Excellent fuel economy

• Proven reliability

   

Cons

• Interior is uninspired  

• Could use more storage areas

• Small in size 

Read full reviews of the Suzuki Swift from our friends at Chasing Cars. 

This sporty hybrid performs better than expected with a petrol-electric hybrid system.

This Toyota Camry has a fuel range of up to 1,063 km and starts from $39,190. [2]

The Toyota Camry has a five-star ANCAP safety rating and was tested in 2017. 

Pros

• Affordable to buy 

• Includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto  

• Spacious back seat and boot 

   

Cons

• No heated seats  

• Low-resolution infotainment graphics 

• The cabin presentation is still dull 

Read the full review of the Toyota Camry SX Hybrid 2022 from our friends at Chasing Cars.

As Toyota’s smallest and most fuel-efficient SUV, the Toyota Yaris Cross joins the latest generation of hybrid vehicles. 

The Toyota Yaris Cross is one of the most efficient and affordable cars and has a fuel range of up to 777 km. This make and model starts at $26,990 before on-road costs. [1]

The Toyota Yaris Cross has a five-star ANCAP safety rating and was tested in 2021. 

Pros

• Brilliant fuel economy 

• Includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

• Interesting styling 

   

Cons

• Loud petrol engine

• Uncomfortable seating position

• Hard cabin plastics

Read the full review of the Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid from our friends at Chasing Cars.

After 12 generations of small cars, Toyota has finally added the Corolla Cross SUV to its lineup. 

This make and model has an average fuel range of 977 km and starts from $33,000. [3][4]

The Toyota Corolla Cross has a five-star ANCAP safety rating and was tested in 2022. 

Pros

• A nice small family-size car

• Inexpensive servicing 

• Seamless hybrid experience 

Cons

• This make and model is more expensive

• Some issues with hybrid drivability 

• Outdated design 

Read the full review of the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid from our friends at Chasing Cars. 

Mazda’s second generation CX-5 gets its first proper visual makeover and even more upgrades. 

This make and model has an average fuel range of 707 km and starts from $35,390. [5][6]

The Mazda CX-5 has a five-star ANCAP safety rating and was tested in 2017. 

Pros

• More comfortable front seats 

• Great model differentiation

• All-round ability 

   

Cons

• Running costs are not great 

• 10,000 km intervals between servicing

• Lacks fuel efficiency 

Read the full review of the Mazda CX-5 from our friends at Chasing Cars.

For learner drivers, a five-star ANCAP safety rating is very important because it shows that a particular vehicle has the highest level of safety for passengers and pedestrians in the event of a crash.

Additional car running costs like fuel, servicing and tyres and car insurance can become costly over time. If you want to maintain low running costs then this will depend on where you live, in a major city or a regional area, the type of car you own and overall inflation. With inflation, the value of cars will also rise, leading to higher car insurance premiums.