What should my first car be? Regional QLD, $25k budget, P-plater

Hey everyone,

I’ve lived my whole life in Brisbane where having a car wasn’t really necessary. But I’ve recently landed a job that requires me to get my license and a car, since I’ll be going to sites and moving to a regional area. I took lessons and just got my P1 license within a month (under 25, but got the logbook exemption, only 20 hours of actual driving).

Here’s the thing: I’ve saved up quite a bit and with support from my family, my budget is up to $25k.

A lot of people tell me that for a first car I should stick with an older <$10k second-hand option like a Suzuki Swift, Toyota Yaris, or Corolla. The logic is: they’re cheap, they do the job, and it’s “safer” to have a cheap car while I’m still inexperienced.

But… that advice usually comes from a city perspective. Since I’ll be living regionally, I expect to be driving more often and covering longer distances. I can also imagine myself doing at least one 6-hour road trip back to Brisbane every month to catch up with friends (I’m still a city person at heart and can’t live without it). That makes me wonder if I’d actually be better off getting something newer, safer, and more comfortable for highway travel, maybe even stretching to a 2018+ Camry or similar within my budget.

So my question: should I save money and stick with a cheap used small car, or spend more and go for a newer, bigger, more reliable option like a Camry?

Would love to hear what others did in a similar situation.

Thanks!