Which are the ten best cars for British women?
Driving is basically an essential skill. While it is possible to make do without a car in some cities, it really limits the available options. For women, a car is an expression of freedom and independence. Buying a car is usually a case of "when" and "which" rather then "if". To make that decision easier, we have compiled a top 10 list to start things off.
No. 10: Audi A3
I have to admit to bias. My daughter borrows my mother's A3 from time to time, because she's not comfortable driving my old Rover 75 and the insurance cost is high anyway. She usually insures it for just a day via this 1 day car insurance site and it's much cheaper than insuring my old banger so when she can afford it she reckons she'll buy one.
The Audi A3 is an excellent choice for professional women commuting to the city on a daily basis. It is very fuel-efficient both for long journeys and for navigating city streets. The car is capable of communicating digitally with all of your devices which adds more tools to mitigate the boredom of the daily drive thanks to music, podcasts or other entertainment options.
Audis are not cheap but they are, generally, superbly built. The basic A3 uses lightweight parts which gives it a very satisfying nimbleness. This makes it equally at home navigating a crowded city street as cruising down the motorway.
This is almost a 'design your own' type of car, however. Apart from the usual choice of engines, styles and trims you have a choice of three different suspension settings plus an adaptive damper system that can give you an even softer ride. There's a choice of wheel sizes too. The larger 18 inch alloy rims can iron out minor road bumps but on the downside can create a bit of road noise. This is not as noticeable with the 16 inch and 17 inch rims. Generally though this is a very quiet car internally, with both engine and wind noises at very low levels.
Diesel and petrol engines are available of course; but there is also, now, a hybrid which can work electronically up to about 80 mph, before the engine needs to cut in. Coupled with the superb soundproofing, and the near silent engine, this car can provide a quiet and peaceful ride. The hybrid can be switched to 'engine only' mode; this could allow you to use the engine down the motorway, and then switch to electrical power to go into the city.
Internally the finish can only be described as first-class. There are a host of high-tech extras you can buy but be careful, like the car they are not cheap; and the car is well on the way to being self driving (if that ever really comes to pass) with adaptive cruise control, a parking assist system, and active lane assist.
This is a top-quality car, from a manufacturer with a first-class reputation for reliability. Expect to pay between about £22,500 and about £39,500.