Are you a petrolhead? Are you looking to take your first steps onto the motoring ladder? If so, our list of the best first cars should be your bible.

Well maybe not the bible. But certainly something to study to ensure that your first motor offers plenty of driver involvement, is stylish enough to play your music in and is cheap to insure.

Unlike other lists you might find on Google, ours is for used cars. In other words, stuff you can actually afford to buy.

We’ve pored over the classifieds and run more insurance quotes than we care to remember to put together this definitive guide.

Each car has a unique selling point to mark it out from the other slabs of metal in your average car park. From stylish superminis to hot hatches, there’s a good option here for everyone.

And if you have a bit more money to play with, try our best used cars for enthusiasts article.

Best first cars