First-car recommendations from the Drive team

With Toyota, and now Volkswagen, exiting the sub-$30,000 passenger car bracket, some default first-car recommendations are now potentially too pricey for some.

Even first-car staples like the Mazda 2, MG 3, Hyundai i30, and Suzuki Swift are more expensive than ever, which raises the question: What should a first-time car buyer go for?

Without many options left in the sub-$20,000 bracket, and even options in the under $30,000 price band quickly diminishing, the answer - at least according to Toyota - might be to buy used, which presents its own unique hurdles.

Well, Drive’s Nused cars – or near-new used cars – all still feature a factory warranty, giving buyers peace of mind without spending the full whack on a box-fresh model, alleviating at least some reliability concerns.

I'd immediately drop that on a Jimny again. Aside from being the most amusing, unsafe and uncomfortable car I have ever owned, it was also a great investment and I would have another in a heartbeat.

I wouldn't be able to hop into a GLX at this price point so I would miss a few features but I guess it'll do. But given the hard price cap, I would just have to have it wrapped later because white is not my Jimny vibe. 

Call me boring, call me responsible, but there's no denying a Toyota Corolla is in a class of its own when it comes to relatively cheap cars with little to no issues. What makes this more tempting is insurance prices are on the budget end of the price spectrum and I imagine many in this price bracket are just looking for an easy and comfortable point A to point B car. 

With sedan/hatchback and petrol/hybrid combinations, there are a lot of options in the Drive Nused Marketplace that caters to a broad range of budgets for buyers! 

The Mazda 3 is my recommendation because it was my first car, and I struggle to fault it – the lethargic 2.0-litre engine in my car aside. It has been mechanically dependable, it drives well, and it has more than enough tech and safety features for a young driver, even if you choose a 2020 or 2021 model.

That’s why I have selected the top-of-the-range 2.5-litre G25 Astina hatch built in 2022 with around 80,000 kilometres on its odometer from a dealer in NSW, which scrapes under the $30,000 limit. Black wouldn't be my preferred choice, however. 

Nused examples of the lower-spec G25 Evolve were available at the time of writing with fewer kilometres, with this variant still well-equipped and worth considering, especially if you find one with the Vision Technology option package adding a 360-camera and front sensors, among other features.

Given that no two buyers are the same I've come up with three options for Nused first car buys on a $30K budget.

First up, the sensible choice: With cheap running costs and a compact exterior that's easy to manage in city streets (and university car parks), the 2020-2022 Toyota Yaris Cross makes great sense as a first car. Importantly for parents who might be fretting, a 2021 five-star ANCAP safety rating should provide some additional peace of mind.

The premium choice: Striking a sensible balance between premium feel and ongoing costs, the Mazda 3 offers sharp styling and enjoyable dynamics. A $30,000 price limit buys usually one of the lower grades, like a Pure or Evolve, but keep your eyes peeled and a Touring or Astina might just make it under  the sub-$30K mark too. Most cars will have been 2020 to 2022 builds, but 2023 stock might show up too.

The fun choice: First drivers can be enthusiast drivers too, and anyone looking for a fun steer won't go wrong with the Fiesta ST. You may have to be patient, but cars with warranty are available within budget. With the Fiesta's discontinuation in Australia during 2022, you won't find later examples, but 2021/2022 cars are great buying if you can get your hands on one. 

The Mazda CX-5 might seem like an odd first-car choice given it's a family SUV, but its cheap to maintain, cheap to run, and affordable – all key points for your first set of wheels.

More importantly, if anyone's first years in adulthood are anything like mine, they will need a vehicle that is practical for multiple house moves and carting around friends on road trips.

The CX-5 is also safe, handles well, and even though its an SUV, its a good starting point to high-riding models as it doesn't feature the bounciness and pronounced body roll that can be associated with such vehicles.

The just-succeeded 2018 to 2025 iteration of the evergreen small car Kia Cerato is a great all-rounder as a first-car purchase.

It’s spacious inside, easy to drive, reasonably well equipped, and came new with a seven-year warranty – so even older examples may still have some of that assurance period left.

A dealer in Victoria has listed an ex-demo 2024 Cerato Sport hatch for $29,990 drive-away, which slots in under the budget yet offers niceties like a 10-inch touchscreen and alloy wheels that make it feel less like a rental car.

When we are asked, 'what sort of car young drivers should buy', given that they are statistically more susceptible to road trauma, we always suggest to buy the safest car you can afford.

When the Mazda CX-30 was released and first tested by ANCAP, it had and achieved one of the highest scores on record for occupant protection safety.

Plus, it's a nice car. You've got a lot of modern tech, you've got a a lot of practicality, it is an easy car to live with, but adding that level of known safety and strength to it is something that rests easy as a parent buying a car for a young driver.

Plus Mazda service and Mazda reliability is a big, strong part as well.

OK, the Suzuki Swift might be an obvious first-car choice, but the sportiest version with a rorty turbocharged engine?

Yes, purely because a manual Suzuki Swift Sport can teach you about body control, handling, and driving dynamics thanks to its taught, tight chassis control.

Plus, as a front-wheel-drive model, it can be hard to really get it unstuck.

And the Suzuki Swift Sport isn't even all that potent, with just 103kW/230Nm from its 1.4-litre engine, meaning even an MG 3 Hybrid is more powerful.

Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.

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