What's a good first car budget?
$8,000–$15,000 used is the sweet spot: modern safety, past the steepest depreciation, cheap to insure. Less works too — mine was a $6k Jetta.
Tools · First-car quiz
What car should you actually buy first?
I've driven most of the cars this quiz recommends. Ten questions, honest picks with a match percentage and the reasoning — not a sponsored list.
1 of 10
What's your budget?
FAQ
First-car questions I get all the time.
Should my first car be manual or automatic?
Curious about manual? Learn on one — it makes you a better driver and it's easier than you think. Just need transportation? Automatic. The quiz handles both.
New or used for a first car?
Used, usually: someone else paid the depreciation and small dents hurt less while you learn. New makes sense if you'll keep it 10+ years.
How does this quiz pick cars?
Ten questions set hard limits (budget, new vs used, transmission, fuel) and preferences. Every pick passes ALL your hard limits — if nothing does, I say so instead of quietly substituting. The match percentage comes from my own scores.
Before you buy