The best and cheapest cars to buy for university students revealed - including Citroen, Toyota and Kia

A study by Choose My Car has taken insurance groups, tax costs and average miles per gallon into account.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Students in Leeds and throughout West Yorkshire have recently received their A Level results and for many the next step is University.

With many students deciding to study away from their hometown, a number will plan to travel to and from their new surroundings via car - which with the current cost of petrol and diesel could prove expensive.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

One of the UK’s leading used car buying services Choose My Car has produced a list of five of the best cars for university students that are also the cheapest to run.

Choose My Car looked at vehicles which had a purchase price of under £5,000, whilst also taking into account insurance group, tax costs and average miles per gallon.

In a statement, the company’s founder Nick Zapolski said: “This might not be a popular opinion among 17-21 year olds, but the reality is that first cars need to be small and not very powerful.

“Insurance costs can be prohibitive for young people, and with the price of fuel at all time highs, bigger engines are out of the question.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Little cars have many advantages, and the lack of power might help some parents sleep easier at night! Our list names five cars that are well worth looking at if you’re thinking of buying a first car, so check them out!”

The best and cheapest cars for university students

The following are the top five best and cheapest cars to run for university students in 2022:

  • Citroen C1

The Citroen C1 may be small, but it’s packing a punch in the design stakes. The C1 was launched back in 2005. Doesn’t hurt that it’s in insurance group 1, and does 61 miles to the gallon.

  • Toyota Aygo

The Aygo made its way into the world in 2005. It has been described as “cute”, “compact”, and “easy to drive” - but it is also cheap to run. The only downside is that it’s in insurance group three, but it makes up for that with a good miles per gallon of 61, cheap tax, and small running costs.

  • Hyundai i10

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It might be less stylish than some, but the Hyundai is still a worthy contender that was launched in 2007. It is reliable, cheap to run, and comfortable to drive. All versions come with the following features: four airbags, ABS, air con and an RDS radio.

  • Skoda Citigo

The Citigo was launched in 2011 and has the best miles per gallon on the list. It is available as a three or five-door hatchback and falls into insurance group 2, but boasts a whopping 64 mpg. It’s compact.

  • Kia Picanto

The Picanto has the second best mpg in the list with a staggering 62, and also falls into insurance group 2. It launched in 2003 and was upgraded in 2007, which included a new light style. It is not only cheap to run and easy to drive, but also comfortable for passengers, too.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.