Having spent her entire life in big cities, my wife never bothered learning to drive. Now I’ve pretty much told her that she can have a baby once she passes her test, she’s going hell for leather to become a driver.

I know from bitter experience that she stands a much better chance of becoming a good driver more quickly if she has her own car to practice with rather than just doing a couple of hours a week with her instructor. So we’re on the hunt for a car for her.

She’ll want it to...

Be a nice colour
Have iPod connectivity
Be small enough to park easily/not intimidate her
Not cost a lot to run

I want it to...

Be reliable
Have a good amount of safety features
Not cost a lot to run/maintain
Have 5 doors
Not be so girly that I have to wear a bag on my head when I have to drive it

Budget is £2k.

Ideally I’d like to her to have something Golf-sized as it’d would make me feel more comfortable knowing she’s in a slightly bigger (and by correlation, safer) car if she does run into trouble. In reality, I don’t think she’ll feel confident in anything bigger than a Polo-sized car.

Any suggestions from you learned folk?

A Fiat Coupe?




Oh, just re-read the post.

Skoda fabia...

cheap to buy cheap to run...built like a tank with 5 doors! Buy a cheap head unit for the ipod...all of the above - exactly what I got the mrs and shes ran it for a year and only needed a couple of small things. Passed mot last week

Good call on the Skoda Fabia. I also bought one of these for the Mrs a few years ago. I got the 1.9 Tdi which does 55mpg, is cheap to run, and in elegance trim comes with a few toys like heated seats etc.

You know, the Skoda does tick the boxes!

Not too bad? > This type of car?

The Skoda is a good shout and a car I didn't think would be in our price range.

I've been looking in admiration at the Octavia VRS estate for myself lately. Could we really have his and hers Skodas though?

Not unless you want to look like my Mum and Dad (My mum was 82 yesterday...)

Stay Fiat, go for a Panda?