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What to look for in a car that is suitable for a newbie driver

Last updated on February 29th, 2024
  Written by 
Bill Tsouvalas
Bill Tsouvalas is the managing director and a key company spokesperson at Savvy. As a personal finance expert, he often shares his insights on a range of topics, being featured on leading news outlets including News Corp publications such as the Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun, Fairfax Media publications such as the Australian Financial Review, the Seven Network and more. Bill has over 15 years of experience working in the finance industry and founded Savvy in 2010 with a vision to provide affordable and accessible finance options to all Australians. He has built Savvy from a small asset finance brokerage into a financial comparison website which now attracts close to 2 million Aussies per year and was included in the BRW’s Fast 100 in 2015 as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country. He’s passionate about helping Australians make financially savvy decisions and reviews content across the brand to ensure its accuracy. You can follow Bill on LinkedIn.
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Get a car that is easy to drive

Most teens might envision something snazzy with the latest in car technology when you mention that they will be getting a car, but at the end of the day, you want to get them something that will make them spend less time looking down for something and more time keeping their eyes on the road. Features in a car that you can look for is finding a car that has large deep windows that will minimise blind spots. A light steering wheel will also help them become better at parking.

Size does matter

When buying a car, you need to keep in mind how a newbie driver will be able to manoeuvre it during driving and parking. You might be thinking of passing the family car down to your teen, but these are mostly large vehicles that can make it hard for it not to get bumps and scratches, especially for someone who is still learning how to drive. Get a car that will be easy for them to manoeuvre through tight spaces and will help them surpass the fear of parallel parking.

The price tag

When buying a car, you want to get something that is affordable and won’t break the bank. Whether you are financing the car yourself or purchasing it through a car loan you still have to consider the overall costs. This will include things such as; car insurance, which increases with the price tag of the car, running costs and repairs. Car insurers will quote your car based on a few things such as its make, model and to ensure that should anything happen to it, it will be covered accordingly. A cheaper car is more likely to attract an affordable bill.

Although it could be cheap, it needs to be safe

Having a car that is approved by the Australian New Car Assessment Program will give you peace of mind that should your teen be involved in a crash the car that they are in will protect them. Statistics reveal that 33% of teen drivers are most likely to be involved in a crash after 12 months of driving. You can find small cars on their site that come with the highest rating of safety to have peace of mind every time they grab their keys for a night out. The more stars that the car the better it is. If the car you are planning to buy is not in the system you can look for these basic car features that any car should have:

  • Anti-lock braking which will prevent the wheels from locking up and the wheels skidding from hard braking.
  • Electronic stability control which will detect and reduce the loss of traction and improve the vehicle’s stability.
  • A shatterproof glass that will protect both the driver and their occupants in case of a crash.

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This guide provides general information and does not consider your individual needs, finances or objectives. We do not make any recommendation or suggestion about which product is best for you based on your specific situation and we do not compare all companies in the market, or all products offered by all companies. It’s always important to consider whether professional financial, legal or taxation advice is appropriate for you before choosing or purchasing a financial product.

The content on our website is produced by experts in the field of finance and reviewed as part of our editorial guidelines. We endeavour to keep all information across our site updated with accurate information.

Approval for car loans is always subject to our lender’s terms, conditions and qualification criteria. Lenders will undertake a credit check in line with responsible lending obligations to help determine whether you’re in a position to take on the loan you’re applying for.

The interest rate, comparison rate, fees and monthly repayments will depend on factors specific to your profile, such as your financial situation, as well others, such as the loan’s size and your chosen repayment term. Costs such as broker fees, redraw fees or early repayment fees, and cost savings such as fee waivers, aren’t included in the comparison rate but may influence the cost of the loan. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts may result in a different comparison rate.

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