For a first car, the two things that matter most are how it protects you in a crash and how much it costs to run — everything else is preference, and both of those are things you can look up rather than guess.
Start with the crash-test result
Filter the shortlist by safety before anything else. Look for a strong result from the programme that tested the version sold where you are, and check the test year — protocols get harder, so an old five-star result is not today's five stars.
Modern driver-assistance matters too. Automatic emergency braking is the single feature with the clearest real-world benefit for an inexperienced driver.
Then the running cost
Insurance for a new driver is often larger than the car payment, and it tracks engine size and repair cost. A small, common, modestly powered car is cheap to insure and cheap to fix because parts are everywhere.
Check the combined fuel figure and remember real driving is 10–20% worse. Cheap to buy and thirsty to run is a false economy.
