Making first cars happen for UK families
Buying a first car for a young driver used to be simple. Now it's overwhelming.
Insurance costs £2,008 on average. Safety standards have changed. Cars tax rules are complex. Dealers list thousands of cars and most don't work for young drivers.
Carbi is here to fix this. We match parents with safe, affordable first cars from trusted dealers. Currently in waitlist phase, launching soon in Edinburgh then wherever else demand takes us.
Why first car buying got complicated
Insurance went mad
A 17-year-old driver now pays £2,008 annually on average (January 2026). In many cases, the premium is higher than the value of the car. Insurance groups matter.
Safety standards evolved
Small cars built from 2009 became safer than old "tanks" from the 1990s thanks to Euro NCAP ratings. These are a reliable way to know if a car is safe.
The used car market exploded
Autotrader shows over 400,000 listings and not all cars are advertised there. Scrolling for weeks is normal. Most cars advertised aren't suitable for young drivers.
Carbi feedback from parents of young drivers
We ran a pilot last year helping 50 families cut through this. The feedback was clear: parents want someone to do the legwork and just tell them which car to buy.
"I avoided spending lots of time looking at cars"
"I found a car quickly within budget"
"Very helpful, fast and personalised"
How Carbi works
We've evaluated all the young driver friendly cars using Euro NCAP safety data, insurance group ratings as well as real feedback from car owners and parents. We only recommend cars that meet strict criteria:
- ✓Insurance groups 1-10 only. If your teen is the main driver, anything above group 10 is unaffordable to insure.
- ✓Post-2009 Euro NCAP standards. Modern small cars are safer than old big cars. We don't recommend cars built before the safety revolution.
- ✓Trusted dealers rated 4.6+ stars. Every dealer is verified via Google Reviews. If any customer has a bad experience, they're removed from our list.
1. Tell us what matters
Budget, location, insurance requirements, teen priorities. Takes 2 minutes.
2. We do the legwork
Checking our network of 4.6+ star dealers for low insurance group cars that match your situation.
3. Get your match
We introduce you to the dealer who has the right car. You arrange a viewing and decide if it's the one.
Don't want to wait?
Start making progress now with The First Car Roadmap. A simple 5-step guide to choosing your teen’s first car without the overwhelm. Inside you'll learn:
- How insurance really works (and how to pay less)
- Whether a shared or dedicated car makes sense for your family
- What a realistic budget looks like beyond the sticker price
- Why modern small cars are safer than you think
- How to negotiate with your teen without blowing the budget
Download it now and use it while you're on the waitlist.
Frequently asked questions
Carbi is a car recommendation service for parents of young drivers in the UK. We match you with safe, affordable first cars from trusted local dealers rated 4.6+ stars. Currently in waitlist phase, launching in Edinburgh and expanding based on demand.
Finding a first car has become far more complicated than it needs to be. Parents have to juggle insurance groups, safety ratings, tax, reliability and budget while short on time. Carbi exists to cut through the noise and help parents confidently choose a safe, reliable first car that makes sense for their family.
Autotrader is good if you already know exactly what you want and has over 400,000 cars to choose from. Carbi is 100% focussed on young driver suitabible cars (low insurance groups, and modern safety standards). Plus, not all dealers list all their cars on Autotrader because it's expensive.
Nothing while we're in waitlist phase. In the future, we might charge a small fee to car buyers or dealers. For now, you pay the dealer for the car and that's it.
You fill in a short form with your location and basic requirements. We'll notify you when carbi launches in your area.
Download the First Car Roadmap. It'll get you started and make the whole process less stressful.
Yes. Every dealer must have at least 4.6 stars in online reviews. If any customer reports a bad experience with a dealer we recommended, they're removed from our network.
We're launching in Edinburgh in Q2 2026, with expansion elsewhere based on waitlist demand. Join the waitlist to help us prioritise your area.