What Car? Personal Shopper: best first car for £12,000

Our recommendation: buy new

Both our new and used car choices are fine first cars, especially for someone who is going to spend most of their time in the city. But while the Hyundai i10 is a fine city car and triumphed for a number of years as our City Car of the Year, it's hard to ignore the more spacious and classier Kia Picanto.

While both the i10 and Picanto come with peppy petrol engines, we think the Kia's 1.25-litre unit, with its excellent low-down responses and brisk performance, will suit you well. Add in its gadget-laden interior, space for four passengers and spacious boot and it's a winning combination. You need not worry about it going wrong, either, because Kia offers a market-leading seven-year warranty.

Our recommendation this time, then, is to buy new.

Want us to pick out your perfect car? Email whatcareditorial@haymarket.com with your budget, your current car, your annual mileage and an idea of what you'd like from your next car. Or get in touch with us via Twitter, @whatcar

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