With over a fifth of new motorists (21%) finding the cost of learning to drive challenging, we wanted to find out just how much financial help was required to get on the road in 2025.
We interviewed 730 new drivers, all of whom had passed their test in the last five years, to understand how they navigated the costs associated with learning to drive and buying their first car.
This is what we found:
Is learning to drive too expensive in 2025?
It’s no secret that learning to drive can be pricey.
With hopeful drivers now spending close to £2,000 on average, it’s easy to see why a quarter of motorists surveyed (26%) felt the process had become too expensive, with almost a third (30%) worried that it might now be cost-prohibitive. *
When it came to how motorists funded learning to drive, we found that two-fifths (39%) needed to save up before they started having driving lessons. Many young drivers relied on help from loved ones, with 21% admitting that without financial support, they would have been unable to afford to learn to drive.
Even with financial support, one-in-five drivers chose to take a break while learning to drive due to the cost.
How much help do motorists get when paying for driving lessons?
Driving lessons tend to be the biggest expense motorists face when preparing for their test.
According to the DVSA, it takes 45 hours of lessons and 22 hours of additional practice on average before learner drivers are ready to book their practical driving test – meaning motorists will need to spend upwards of a thousand pounds on driving lessons and learner insurance. **
While a huge sum of money, our research revealed that not all motorists have to cover this cost alone. A fifth of newly qualified drivers (21%) received financial help from their families when paying for driving lessons, with 17% having all their lessons paid for.
We found that almost a quarter of drivers (23%) also had their learner driver insurance paid for them, meaning they could practice for their test without needing to pay an additional cost.
Are learner drivers paying for their own tests?
With driving theory tests costing £23 and practical tests costing between £62 and £75, motorists who pass on their first try can expect to spend upwards of £85 on formal driving tests.
While this is one of the cheapest costs associated with learning to drive, we found that 21% of learner drivers felt tests were too expensive and wanted to know how motorists navigated the cost.
According to our research:
- 19% had help paying for their theory test, with 15% having it paid for them in full
- 19% had help paying for their practical driving test, with 14% having it paid for by family or loved ones
Do people get help when buying their first car?
Once motorists pass their test, many are keen to get straight on the road.
One-in-10 drivers we surveyed (12%) reported having saved up in advance to buy their first car as soon as they passed, while 9% reported driving a loved one's car before they got their own vehicle.
According to our research, newly qualified drivers were more likely to get financial support when buying their first car than at any other point when learning to drive. Over a quarter (27%) reported getting some level of contribution from their family – with 17% being gifted their first car.
When it came to the type of cars motorists were most likely to get after passing their test, we found that most newly qualified drivers (53%) opted for a used car, with 19% choosing a nearly new vehicle that would offer them a more recent reg plate car with lower mileage.
With this in mind, we’ve partnered with Aman Sanghera from Clearview Driving School to share our thoughts on the best cars for first-time drivers:
Methodology
Motorpoint enlisted SurveyGoo to survey 730 drivers who had passed their test in the last five years about their experience of getting on the road. Data collected in July 2025. All statistics and findings have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Full data available on request.
* According to research carried out by The Guardian in May 2025.
** https://www.gov.uk/driving-lessons-learning-to-drive/taking-driving-lessons
