Top 10 P-Plater Friendly Cars 2025

While prices seem to be rising virtually across the board, there are still a wide range of P-Plate-friendly options for new drivers that tick the all-important boxes of price, equipment, fuel economy and safety with an affordable price tag.

Let's take a quick glance over what makes a car a good option for P-Platers and then list out ten of our favourites currently on the market here in Australia in 2025.

What Makes a Car P-Plater Friendly?

While there’s a long list of things that separate the great from the good when it comes to a P-Plate-friendly car, we'd argue these are the most important things.

• Safety - this is a priority, especially if you're a newcomer behind the wheel. Opting for a car with solid safety credentials, a strong build quality and stacks of ADAS features is a great way to stay safe behind the wheel

• Fuel Economy - opting for a fuel-efficient car, whether it's a hybrid or a small capacity petrol engine is a great way to reduce your running costs as you clock up the kilometres

• Price - as a first-time buyer, price is obviously a key concern when it comes to both the initial purchase price and insurance costs over time

• Warranty & Ownership Costs - finding a car with a long warranty and affordable capped-price servicing is a great way to instil confidence and lessen the burden on your wallet over a long period of time

• Visibility - when you’re new to the road, you'll quickly realise that safe, active driving is a never-ending world of mirror and head checks, so opting for a car with great all-round visibility is essential to gauge your surroundings and make smart moves on the road.

• Practicality - ideally, you want a P-plate friendly car to be small enough that it's an easy process to park while offering enough interior cabin space for your friends, family and cargo in the boot.

Ten of our Favourite P-Plater Friendly Cars in 2025

Let's take a look at ten picks, including some newcomers to the market in 2025, that stack up as a great option for P-Platers.

Suzuki Fronx

Suzuki's all-new Fronx is a compact SUV that makes a strong impression for buyers looking for a value pick with particularly affordable running costs.

It’s far from a powerhouse which means it’s super fuel efficient and relatively easy to avoid any speeding tickets, while Suzuki’s clever interior packaging means there's plenty of room in the second row and a decent boot.

• Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol

• Fuel Economy: 4.9L per 100km

• Boot Space: 304L

• Infotainment: 9.0-inch display with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

• ANCAP Safety Rating: Unrated

• Warranty: Five-year/unlimited kilometre

MG ZS

The MG ZS is impossible to ignore if you're after a small SUV with an extremely long features list, a practical cabin layout and a great warranty program.

The 1.5-litre engine isn’t hugely powerful, which means your fuel use is likely to stay in a healthy position, with MG’s interior layout presenting a stack of rear legroom and tonnes of boot spaces, while the company's ten-year conditional warranty certainly inspires confidence and sweetens the deal for P-Platers hitting the road for the first time.

Read our full MG ZS review here to find out which is the pick of the bunch and whether you should upgrade to the hybrid version.

• Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol

• Fuel Economy: 6.7L per 100km

• Boot Space: 443 - 1,457L

• Infotainment Size: 10.25-inch with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

• ANCAP Safety Rating: Four-star (tested 2024)

• Warranty: Conditional ten-year/200,000 kilometre

Hyundai i30 Sedan

For P-Platers looking to step away from the usual compact SUV crowd, the Hyundai i30 Sedan range provides excellent on-road dynamics and strong interior practicality chops… there's even the option of a well-priced hybrid version to cut down on your fuel bills.

The i30 Sedan is a breeze to drive around town and remains equally as confident on a mix of country roads thanks to a competent, Australian-tuned suspension package, while a sharply-priced and well-equipped range combined with that excellent interior layout makes it impossible to ignore.

We've reviewed the Hyundai i30 Sedan Hybrid to see just how fuel efficient it really is- check it out, here.

• Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol

• Fuel Economy: 6.1L per 100km

• Boot Space: 474L

• Infotainment Size: 8.0-inches with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

• ANCAP Safety Rating: Unrated

• Warranty: Seven-year conditional warranty

Mazda CX-3

Mazda's CX-3 has long been a fan favourites for new drivers and P-Platers alike thanks to a great set of table manners and a pint-sized footprint that makes it an incredibly easy package to drive through town and park virtually anywhere.

While it's not hugely spacious in the second row, the CX-3 rewards the driver with a great little 2.0-litre engine, excellent handling and an attractive cockpit design that makes it a go-to option for new drivers.

Read our full review of the Mazda CX-3 GT SP here.

• Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol

• Fuel Economy: 6.3L per 100km

• Boot Space: 264 - 1,174L

• Infotainment Size: 8.0-inches with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

• ANCAP Safety Rating: Unrated

• Warranty: Five-year/unlimited kilometre

Kia Picanto

It wouldn't be a definitive list of the best P-Plate-friendly new cars without a mention of the iconic Kia Picanto - arguably the best all-rounder for new drivers on a budget.

For what it lacks in outright size, the Picanto makes up for with its fun-loving handling, extremely user-friendly nature around the urban jungle, surprising practicality inside the cabin, strong fuel efficiency and long warranty coverage.

You can read our full hands-on review of the range-topping Picanto GT-Line here.

• Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol

• Fuel Economy: 5.4 - 6.0L per 100km (auto vs manual)

• Boot Space: 255 - 1,010L

• Infotainment Size: 8.0-inch with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

• ANCAP Safety Rating: Expired four-stars

• Warranty: Seven-year/unlimited kilometre

GWM Haval Jolion

For P-Plate drivers looking for a compact SUV with sharp pricing, tonnes of equipment and enough space in the second row for adults, the GWM Haval Jolion confidently ticks those boxes… and more.

The Jolion is one of the more practical members of the small SUV segment and impresses with its spacious cabin, decent boot space and a very healthy amount of equipment for the price, all of which is backed by a long warranty to sweeten the deal.

• Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

• Fuel Economy: 8.1L per 100km

• Boot Space: 337 - 1,133L

• Infotainment Size: 10.25-inches with wired Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

• ANCAP Safety Rating: Five-star (tested 2022)

• Warranty: Seven-year/unlimited kilometre

Chery Tiggo 4 Pro

The Chery Tiggo 4 Pro range presents arguably the most formidable value proposition in the segment.

It's incredibly well-priced while over-delivering on the features front and presenting a neat, surprisingly practical cabin for such a small package, asserting itself as one of the most affordable options on the market without any major sacrifices for P-plate owners.

• Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol

• Fuel Economy: 7.4L per 100km

• Boot Space: 380 - 1,225L

• Infotainment Size: 10.25-inch inches with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

• ANCAP Safety Rating: Five-star (tested 2024)

• Warranty: Seven-year/unlimited kilometre

Toyota Yaris Cross

The Toyota Yaris Cross is one of your best options if you're looking for a fun, user-friendly and fuel-efficient compact SUV package.

The pint-sized footprint means it's a dream to park while remaining smooth on the open road while sipping just 3.8L per 100km on a combined cycle, making it the most fuel efficient new car option for P-platers looking to trim down their fuel bills.

• Engine: 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol + electric motor hybrid

• Fuel Economy: 3.8L per 100km

• Boot Space: 390L

• Infotainment Size: 8.0-inches with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

• ANCAP Safety Rating: Five-star (tested 2021)

• Warranty: Five-year/unlimited kilometre

Subaru Impreza

The Subaru Impreza is one of the few options in the segment offering the confidence of an all-wheel drive system as standard atop the company's formidable safety tech.

You could throw the Subaru Crosstrek in alongside the Impreza as a great option for new drivers thanks to their four-pawed grip and a tonne of clever safety equipment thrown into every member of the range, including base versions.

You can check out our full review of the Impreza 2.0S here.

• Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol

• Fuel Economy: 7.5L per 100km

• Boot Space: 291 - 883L

• Infotainment Size: 11.6-inches with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

• ANCAP Safety Rating: Five-star (tested 2024)

• Warranty: Five-year/unlimited kilometre

Kia K4

Our list wraps up with the Kia K4, a small sedan package that punches well above its weight when it comes to value, driving refinement and interior space.

The K4 impresses with its sleek, futuristic styling package, excellent rear accommodation, lengthy equipment lists with stacks of ADAS equipment even in the base model and a long warranty that makes it a must-have on any P-Plater's shortlist.

Check out our review of the range-topping K4 GT-Line to see if it's worth the extra money.

• Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol

• Fuel Economy: 7.4L per 100km

• Boot Space: 508L

• Infotainment Size: 12.3-inches with wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

• ANCAP Safety Rating: Five-star (tested 2025) excludes K4 S without safety pack

• Warranty: Seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty

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