New driver - 3 or 5 door?

[worsy]

Time has come to start the search for a car for the youngest. Budget is around £10k and she won't entertain a Corsa (skanky lad car) or a 500 (everyone has them). Have been gravitating towards a Fiesta or maybe a Clio (cheaper for same year).

Question is would you go for a 3 door or a 5 door for new driver?. 3 door I'm thinking less easy to carry mates around but on the flip if she does, not as safe as a 5 door if the worst happens.

Eldest had an Adam so only option was a 3 door and it seemed to restrict her carrying people around.

[Wagonwheel555]

Its handy having a 5 door if you regularly carry passengers or have young kids.

If she has friends who are 6+ foot, squeezing in the back of a 3 door fiesta is do-able but why not just get a 5 door?

Other than styling or perhaps not being able to find one in the exact spec you want, why would you choose a 3 over a 5 door given the choice?

[worsy]

She is 17 so hopefully a little while before young kids

A couple of considerations, the 3 door is a little cheaper and I thought it might dissuade from carrying 4 mates around. I agree the 5 door more practical though.

[anonymous-user]

Personally, as a youngster I would have had the three door every time as they tend to look better. Now that I am middle aged the five door every time, having to get out to let the passengers out is a PITA.

[mattman]

What does she want?
My son wanted a mini when he was 17 - so 3dr was the only option
my daughter wanted a polo, but wanted the 6R, 5 door, any colour but not black and automatic

It saved a lot of issues when searching - although not always the cheapest option!

[Mo28]

When I got my first car not so long ago I always wanted to go 3 door, looks better and reduces the risk of having those friends that take advantage of you having a car.

Forgot to add, you should also take a look at the Citroen DS3

Edited by Mo28 on Wednesday 12th May 14:19

[mattman]

worsy said:

She is 17 so hopefully a little while before young kids

A couple of considerations, the 3 door is a little cheaper and I thought it might dissuade from carrying 4 mates around. I agree the 5 door more practical though.

Seems to be as soon as one of them has a car, doesn't matter how many doors it has, they will find a way to get a free lift!
One of the biggest considerations we had was the insurance costs - amazing how much they can vary even across the same car.

My daughter passed her test this week - we saved £180 be starting her full insurance the next day after passing her test rather than the same day!

[seyre1972]

Op - if I were you - 1st do a sweep of the insurers to see what is cheapest to insure (I did this month prior to purchasing the car)

As Fiesta/Clio maybe while cheaper to buy/more expensive to insure etc.

For us - the 500 worked out cheapest to insure (provisional/Passed test) than the equivalent Fiesta/Citroen C1/Clio/VW Up/Skoda Citigo etc - and while your daughter may think everybody has one - I'm sure she'll appreciate anything at 1st.

3/5 doors - same thinking as you - 3 doors less likely to "carry friends" ...... (@ 17 years of age - I once had 10 of us in a Austin Minivan which only had 2 doors and the backdoors to the van part from School to get to the pub ......) so while it seems logical - it'll be up to her being sensible no matter how many doors the car has .

Minivan of similar age/style

[worsy]

Love that van. Had use of a Landy SWB when I was that age, we had a few in that toO!

Looking at the <100PS versions as that limits the Ins Grp to 10 and balances the longevity of the car for commuting to Uni (if she decides not to go away). Yes the lower powered Fiat 500, VW polo etc are slightly lower on the insurance but arguably a little underpowered for the motorway. Interestingly equivalent power 500 is group 14!

[SpanishTony]

Nothing to add directly for your daughter OP but I remember reading in "raising boys" by Biddulph for boys the statistics for road accidents increase greatly when the driver carries more than one passenger (i.e. that idiot mate in the back seat). So when mine get to that age, I'd be getting a two seater of some description.

[ZX10R NIN]

Show her the 208 they're a smart car come in three & five door (the three door looks better) form, they're also well spec'd, in 110/120 form:

GT Line

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104181...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009203...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105042...

Feline:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103220...

XY

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105012...

DS3 DStyle Nav

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103089...

[LightningBlue]

To me 3 door hatches look cleaner and sportier. Unless the rear doors are hidden as with the Clio or the Alfa Giulietta 5 doors in a hatchback look horrible to my tastes so I find it a shame where the market has gone. Unless carrying kids I can’t understand why a driver would care so much about passenger access they’d buy an uglier car but we’re all different so only your daughter would know what she wanted.

[Regbuser]

Hi,
I helped youngest daughter get a Skoda citigo, a surprisingly good car. She opted for 5 doors.

[worsy]

ZX10R NIN said:

Show her the 208 they're a smart car come in three & five door (the three door looks better) form, they're also well spec'd, in 110/120 form:

GT Line

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104181...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009203...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105042...

Feline:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103220...

XY

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105012...

DS3 DStyle Nav

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103089...

We had looked at the 208 GT line for my eldest but the insurance is very high on it, Grp 17 or 18 from top of my head. The others are fine but under budget. Have to treat the kids the same

[MrGTI6]

Five-doors are obviously more practical, and three-doors are becoming increasingly rare with new cars. The new Polo, Ibiza, Clio, Corsa and Micra are all five-door only. Three-doors look better though.

seyre1972 said:

(@ 17 years of age - I once had 10 of us in a Austin Minivan which only had 2 doors and the backdoors to the van part from School to get to the pub ......)

That beats my record of 7 of us in my (three-door) Saxo, though that was a 100-mile trip! I was the first one to pass my test and it was the only car we had between us. Seemed like a sensible idea at the time...

[ZX10R NIN]

worsy said:

We had looked at the 208 GT line for my eldest but the insurance is very high on it, Grp 17 or 18 from top of my head. The others are fine but under budget. Have to treat the kids the same

No problem they were just to show you models to look for.

If you go for a DS3 Prestige 110 then you should be on budget & they've had the same.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101248...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012137...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103039...

[worsy]

Lovely cars for a first driver but a DS3 110 is Group 23 insurance. Fiesta, Clio, Picanto, Up, i10, Ibiza, Fabia, Polo, Micra, Yaris are all under consideration.

[Om]

worsy said:

Lovely cars for a first driver but a DS3 110 is Group 23 insurance. Fiesta, Clio, Picanto, Up, i10, Ibiza, Fabia, Polo, Micra, Yaris are all under consideration.

Fabia could be a good shout. I have the 1.2 12v (69bhp!). It is solidly built, easy to drive, cheap to run, reliable and perfectly capable of cruising at 70ish pretty comfortably.

As a bonus if ever a car screamed 'post-menopausal driver' it would be the Fabia...

[worsy]

Om said:

worsy said:

Lovely cars for a first driver but a DS3 110 is Group 23 insurance. Fiesta, Clio, Picanto, Up, i10, Ibiza, Fabia, Polo, Micra, Yaris are all under consideration.

Fabia could be a good shout. I have the 1.2 12v (69bhp!). It is solidly built, easy to drive, cheap to run, reliable and perfectly capable of cruising at 70ish pretty comfortably.

As a bonus if ever a car screamed 'post-menopausal driver' it would be the Fabia...

My eldest has the 1.0 TSI - Cracking little car but sadly the youngest will probably want something different