First car for new driver in mid 30’s

[BigBearr]

I’m looking for some suggestions to help me choose a first car for my wife, who’ll (hopefully) be a new driver in a few months time. Main criteria as follows:

Automatic;
Decent safety rating, as it’ll be carting round our 2yr old son;
Mid SUV size. It needs to have a high driving position and space in the boot for a buggy and our small dog;
Something reliable;
Budget up to £15k but ideally around £10k, as it’ll likely take some abuse and be ruined in a few years;
Reasonable to insure for a new driver, if at all possible.

She’s not massively into cars but does like the look of a Discovery Sport, however, I’ve heard they’re pretty unreliable but happy to be told otherwise!

Thanks in advance

[ZX10R NIN]

With your budget I'd stick to the mainstream models.

Kuga Vignale:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202412107...

ST Line X:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202412117...

CX-3 Sport Nav+:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411296...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501097...

Kadjar Signature S Nav:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501107...

Sportage GT Line S:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501097...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409063...

Stonic 4:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501117...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501218...

Kona Premium GT:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501087...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411206...

[BigBearr]

Thanks very much for the suggestions, really appreciate it. I think you’re right in terms of focussing on the mainstream stuff, although the missus thinks they look a bit dreary…!

[Baldchap]

BigBearr said:

Thanks very much for the suggestions, really appreciate it. I think you’re right in terms of focussing on the mainstream stuff, although the missus thinks they look a bit dreary…!

SUVs are dreary! Estate cars exist and they're cool.

[loskie]

really what she wants and whats best for her needs are two very different things.

For example: A Honda Jazz would fit her needs perfectly.

[A500leroy]

Dacia Duster.

[BERNEV]

If it’s going to be destroyed - a Dacia of any sort. Nobody needs a mid-size SUV for a kid, buggy and small dog. Looks like she wants just to show off sadly if she wants a Disco Sport.

[chip*]

What's the insurance quote (assumed full license) coming out like for your wife in a LR Sport?

[BigBearr]

Baldchap said:

SUVs are dreary! Estate cars exist and they're cool.

On the contrary, In my limited experience. I have an estate at the moment, which I find very dreary. My old SUV was much better. SUV requirement is mainly for elevated driving position for the wife, as she’s not confident in lower cars. My first preference was to give her my car and then put the money towards something a bit more interesting for me. However, I'm concerned she’ll put a few dents and curb all 4 alloys, so anything remotely nice would be wasted on her for the moment…

[Sheepshanks]

loskie said:

really what she wants and whats best for her needs are two very different things.

For example: A Honda Jazz would fit her needs perfectly.

Be a struggle to get a buggy and a small dog in the boot.

In fact I'd look carefully at that in any of the SUVs - a lot of them don't exactly have massive boots and modern baby buggies can be massive.

[ADJimbo]

chip* said:

What's the insurance quote (assumed full license) coming out like for your wife in a LR Sport?

This. They’re fast becoming uninsurable for numerous reasons which I won’t rehearse here. Add a new driver with no NCB into the mix and insuring a LR product could get interesting.

[BigBearr]

ADJimbo said:

This. They’re fast becoming uninsurable for numerous reasons which I won’t rehearse here. Add a new driver with no NCB into the mix and insuring a LR product could get interesting.

I haven’t tried for the wife but when I ran a quote for me and it seemed pretty reasonable.

My father in law has one and I have to say the size would work really well for us. If they didn’t have such a terrible reliability rep I probably would’ve bought one.