Good First Cars That Aren't Oppressively Boring

First cars usually need to be affordable and practical, but they can also be fun to drive too. Don't stress about buying your first car with these ideas.

Khodrocar - It's true that you probably shouldn't blow a ton of money on your very first car. But practical, safe and affordable doesn't mean you can't have fun.

Volkswagen Golf GTI

Few cars offer a mix of approachable performance, practicality, and fun like the Volkswagen GTI. It's a daily driver that's as fun as many of the best sports cars on the market. The fifth-generation (Mk5) GTI is a particular sweet spot with its 200-hp turbocharged four-cylinder and choice of manual or dual-clutch automatic transmissions. It's quick, but not too quick for an inexperienced driver.

Honda Civic Si

Everyone knows that the Honda Civic offers practical, efficient, reliable transportation for the masses, but many of them are genuinely fun to drive too. That's especially true for the Civic Si. Every generation Civic Si is manual-only, and it's a great car for learning to drive stick. Two-hundred horsepower from a naturally aspirated four-cylinder in this eighth-generation Si keeps things fun too.

Mini Cooper

Minis aren't as "mini" as they used to be, but if you're a new driver, that's a good thing. There's modern safety equipment and more space to put your stuff and carry people around. But Minis are still quirky, so if you want to stand out—and what young driver doesn't?—it's a great choice.

Hyundai Veloster

Like the Mini, the Veloster stands out in a crowd. It may not have the historical significance like the Mini does, but it's still a fun car to drive, and you can't beat that 10-year warranty. We wouldn't recommend the top-spec Veloster N for new drivers, but the mid-range R-Spec is a good starting-off point.

Mazda3

It may not be as exciting as the Miata, but the Mazda3 is seriously fun for what it is: a practical, economical, reliable hatch with plenty of space and a surprisingly nice interior. So if you want a Miata but need room for more than yourself and one person, the Mazda3 is the car for you.

Subaru BRZ / Toyota 86

Want a fun balanced sports car, but don't like the Miata? Luckily for you, Subaru and Toyota have just the car. The two companies collaborated to build the BRZ and 86 (formerly the Scion FR-S), a lightweight, rear-wheel drive coupe that produces plenty of smiles behind the wheel.