Polo vs Corsa
What is the ultimate first car?
It's getting to the summer months and it is the time when everyone wants to be able to drive. Whether it is for road trips across the country with friends or just to have the newly discovered freedom, driving is a qualification most people want to have. Unless you are born into a family of mechanics or car junkies, it might be difficult for you to figure out what direction to go in when buying your first car. When taking into all the different factors into consideration needed when buying a car, for example, tax, insurance brackets, miles per gallon, as well as the overall cost of the car it can get quite overwhelming.
After sitting down and working out what cars are the most suitable for new drivers, we managed to narrow it down to two ideal cars perfect for first-time drivers. When compiling this list, some of the important factors we took into consideration are:
-Price, this includes the overall piece, tax and insurance bracket.
-Reliability, what are the common problems and stronger points to each car.
-Size and space, the size of a car can make all the difference!
-Gadgets and gizmos, what are the cars unique selling points.
You might wonder how we narrowed it down to just two cars when there are so many other popular first cars on the market. Cars like ‘Fiat 500’, any one of the triplets of ‘Citroen C1’ ‘Peugeot 107’ and ‘Toyota Aygo’ or a Mini are typical first cars. These cars didn’t make it into the final two because they have elements which wouldn’t fit a universal market. When asking members of the public which car they’d pick out of the two we gave them, many men didn’t pick the Fiat 500 due to the feminine look and style of the car. Likewise, for the Mini, many people mentioned how the style of the mini is a lot more feminine than that of a Ford Focus or the larger Peugeot cars.
Here's our break down of both cars:
Firstly, we will take a look at the Polo. The Polo is made by the car manufacturers Volkswagen and are one of the most popular cars on the roads in the UK. Alongside the Vauxhall Corsa. Since Polos started being produced in 1975, and they have come a long way in relation to space, size, technology and the way they drive.
There are so many types of Polo out there with so many different specs and they come in all different shapes and sizes. When it comes to first cars, the 2013 onwards models of Polo are the perfect fit. This is because it's not too new where it is going to cost a lot but, still has all the best technology you can have in a car of its age. On this plus side, getting an older car helps reduce the price of insurance, and anything that reduces insurance cost for a new driver is a big help!
First on our list is price. Price for these cars varies on colour, engine size and the different body kits available. The standard engine size for a 2013 Polo is 1Liter (L). However, they go up to 1.4L petrol. A 1L is the smallest possible which gives the perfect amount of power for a new time driver. For first time buyers, buying a lower engine size will massively help in lowering the cost of insurance. Downgrading to a 1L petrol car from the 1.6l diesel tank you learned to drive in might seem daunting but in no time, you'll be driving around in your first car. For this age car with low engine size and low mileage from a mainstream garage, you'd be looking at a price of around £7000. That sounds incredibly expensive for a first car, and you're not wrong it is expensive. However, shopping around the internet and looking at buying from private sellers, will help to reduce this price by a couple of thousand. This moves the price to around £2500-£4000, which is a great price for this car.
The size of this car is the perfect size for a first car. It's not the largest car in the world by any means but it has a large boot and five seats making it perfect to fit lots of friends in. The 2013 Polo commonly comes in a five-door meaning it has back doors so people don’t have to climb over the seats. This adds length to the car making it larger overall.
Most cars will have a problem that can be seen in any car of that type. The Polo is a very durable car, as it is made for commuting and long motorway drives, making it very reliable. As for common problems with the car, many Volkswagens are known to have gearbox problems later in their lives. If you plan on buying a Polo with higher mileage, make sure to check out the gearbox.
As this is a 2013 car, this means it isn’t old in relation to the technology and gadgets inside the car. This model comes with a built-in Bluetooth where you can connect your phone to make the necessary phone calls easier. Driving while using a phone is illegal no matter what car you own! It also has AUX media outlets, as well as a CD player. Electronic window, air conditioning and automatic headlights are some of the cooler features of the car. The interior of the car is smart, keeping the modern look with black and grey stripes throughout the car.
Now we move on the Polos competitor, the Vauxhall Corsa. For the purpose of a first car, any Corsa between the years of 2006 and 2014 are the best models. Like the Polo, the Corsa is a popular car due to the British manufacturer Vauxhall. The Corsa is described as a ‘small car that is a big deal’ as it really packs a punch as to what you can do with a small car. When it comes to the price, to buy a Corsa, the engine size doesn’t make much of a difference. Unlike the Polo, the common engine size for the popular Corsa’s is 1.2L, making it closer to the car you will have learned to drive in. This means the car will have a larger fuel tank making the mileage per gallon a little worse than a 1L petrol of any make of car. The typical price for a Corsa ranges from £1000-£3000 when buying from either private seller or mainstream garages. When looking for a Corsa, it is quite easy to find a diamond in the rough by finding a car with low mileage for its age.
In relation to reliability, the Corsa is up there with one of the most reliable cars on Britain's roads. Like the Polo, they are commonly used for commuting and make a good family car due to the five seats. When it comes to recurring problems between Corsa’s, brake pads seem to wear on them quickly. This shouldn’t worry you as brakes are checked every year in a car M.O.T.
For an older car, the Corsa isn’t shy about technology. The 2006-2014 Corsa has some technology that 2013 onwards Polos don't have. This includes adjustable mirrors and steering wheel radio control. The steering wheel radio control allows the driver to change channel or track on a CD with having to touch the radio or take their eyes off the wheel. Other than that, the Corsa will have air-conditioning and electric windows like the Polo. The interior of the Corsa is very stylish with padded seats all covered in a simple grey material.
When it comes to working out what is best for your first car, the biggest difference between both cars is the price difference. The price comparison between the two might make a stand out winner, as the price to buy a Corsa is considerably less than that for a Polo. However, it is important to take the age difference of each car into consideration. For an older car, for example, a 2006 Corsa, £2000 might be on the higher side. People will play this price for this car, as they know they are reliable. Both cars are in the same tax bracket, making the yearly tax cost around £130.
Of these two, if a stylish newer car with up to date technology is more what you're looking for then we’d suggest the Polo. However, if a cheaper little run around car that you can always rely on is what you want, the Corsa is the better bet!
