6 economical and safe first-car options for students

The keys to your first car is a major step towards independence, but it can also be the beginning of big costs if you don’t do your homework. While it might be tempting to go for a new car, it is often wiser to choose a pre-owned vehicle as you’ll avoid steep early depreciation. Here are six cars to get you started: The Polo Vivo is South Africa’s bestselling passenger car for a reason.

Recent models score exceptionally high in safety tests (up to 94% adult occupant protection in some assessments). Light, zippy, and a favourite among students, the Swift combines fun driving with impressive safety (around 86% in tests) and rock-bottom running costs. Stylish, feature-packed, and one of the most affordable options, the Picanto is a city car that punches above its weight in safety and reliability.

The reliable Toyota badge on a proven platform (rebadged Suzuki) known for bulletproof durability and low ownership hassles. A step up in size and sophistication from smaller hatches, the i20 is stylish, feature-rich, and a strong contender in the Polo class.