How To Choose The Perfect Car: A Guide For Learner Drivers

You will no doubt be thinking about what car to buy as you learn to drive. Many people prefer to use the cars their instructors drive, and buy a car after passing their tests.

If you’re one of those learner drivers, you might be wondering which car is best for you. It’s important to choose the perfect car for your needs, rather than your “dream car.”

What’s the difference, I hear you ask? The perfect car is one that ticks all the boxes as far as your needs are concerned. Whereas a dream car might be something like a Ferrari! So, just how do you find “the” perfect car? Today’s handy guide will give you a run-down on what you need to consider:

Image Credit: wikipedia.org

Visibility

The car you choose should be one that offers good all-around visibility. Things like door pillars get in the way of an otherwise panoramic view. As a new driver, you’ll still be getting to grips with things like spatial awareness.

In general, the bigger the car you choose, the harder it is to determine your proximity to other people. That’s why a smaller car like the Vauxhall Corsa pictured above is a better choice for learners.

Hazard perception

It talked about driving theory test tips, and one section was on hazard perception. It mentioned that people learn better about hazard perception in a real-life scenario.

When you drive a car, you need to have all the tools at your disposal to spot hazards before you approach them. One way that I just mentioned is to have a car with good all-around visibility.

Another is to drive a vehicle that has parking sensors. Hazard perception isn’t just about spotting people or cars on the road. It’s also about watching out for people or animals near to you as you park as well!

Some of today’s cars even have adaptive cruise control. That means when you’re on the motorway; the car will slow down if it reaches the vehicle in front too quickly. If you’re planning to do a lot of motorway driving once you pass your test, it’s a handy feature.

Image Credit: wikipedia.org

Insurance

One thing that puts many new drivers off getting a car is the cost of insurance. It’s crucial that you select a vehicle that offers a reasonable price for premiums.

That means avoiding sports cars and those that have a high insurance risk. City cars and small hatchbacks are usually the cheapest cars to insure. You might not know it, but it’s possible to get cheaper car insurance if you get a telematics box installed. In a nutshell, it’s a GPS device that tracks your driving style and speeds. It also records when your car gets driven and where.

If you’re a safe driver, and you tend to avoid rush-hour driving, your premiums will be cheaper. But, if you drive everywhere like a speed demon, expect them to skyrocket!

I hope these tips have given you some help for your future car.