For some of us, our first experience of driving on a public road will be with a parent or family member, possibly at the wheel of their pride and joy. But for many, the first time we’ll turn the key – or, more likely these days, push the start button – will be in our driving instructor’s car.
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Driving schools typically use cheap, small, low-powered superminis such as the Vauxhall Corsa. But there are a few exceptions to the rule – I’ve recently seen instructors using a powerful hot hatch in the form of the BMW M135i, and the MINI Countryman, a bulky SUV.
To understand the reasoning behind these seemingly odd choices and provide some insight for new drivers, we spoke to Allen Beck. He’s the owner of AB Driving Services in Northern Ireland and he has used several Hyundai i20 N hot hatches as learner cars. “It was a car I’d wanted for a long time after having an i30 N,” he told us. “I’d used diesels before, but the biting point and less forgiving nature of the i20 N help learners develop into better drivers.”
Other features of the i20 N that aren’t as common in your typical supermini include various driving modes, which Beck says his learners can dabble with to get a better understanding of a car’s overall dynamics.
