These are the five ultimate Aussie P-plate icons

Ah, the years of P-plate initiation you must endure to earn the ‘privilege’ of a full driver’s license.

Considering the already-expensive license fees and the cost of fuel in this country you needed a really cheap car, but it didn’t matter, because the freedom it afforded you was the stuff of legend.

To this day, many of these '90s and early '00s icons now pollute Maccas' car parks at 11pm, or are seen being filled up with exactly $13.85 of the worst-possible quality fuel at the pump.

Necessary accessories include an XL 7/11 Slurpee cup from last summer and an odour that isn’t easily identifiable coming from under the seat somewhere. Servicing? Not unless a parent paid for it.

Sound familiar? Maybe you know a ledge still driving one. Here are five of the ultimate P-plate rollers.

1999 Hyundai Excel Sprint

There's a lot wrong here, but this car built Hyundai’s legend in this country. As crap as they are, with the dash that cracked in the sun, the lack of a tacho even in manual models and possibly the LONGEST GODDAMN THROW IN ANY MANUAL CAR EVER, the Excel sprint was practical and reliable.

It’s also as close to a top model as you can get, and featuring a twin-cam (woahhhhh) engine. Sporty looks are betrayed by a godawful seating position. Will run on virtually nothing (and often does).

P-plate rating: What’s that smell?

ALSO CONSIDER

Daewoo Lanos

+ Best-seller in Ukraine
- GM bits will probably fall off

2000 Mitsubishi Lancer GLi

You’re a considerate individual, so you bought a four-door (also, unrelated: The coupe was a bit expensive). Now you’re the go-to designated driver. On the bright side, this car looks ‘amazing’ with cheap aftermarket rims and a glued-on spoiler. Often lacking here is a tacho (in automatic guise) again.

Four mates onboard means the 1.8-litre isn’t impressing anyone, even with a cannon exhaust.

P-plate rating: Sober until after the Maccas run.

ALSO CONSIDER

Mitsubishi Magna

+ Nobody will ever complain about legroom again
- Grandpa spec, even with sporty bits

1999 Honda Civic GLi

VTEC hasn’t kicked in yet, you’ll have to go a much more expensive VTi for that. It looks sporty-as, and this time has a low seating position and surprisingly tight suspension to go with the look. You’ll also get a tacho as standard, even on the GLi. In sedan guise you’d be the hero your group needed, but not the one a surprisingly high 8+ litres to 100km meant they could afford.

Common accessories include a service station air freshener that smells like urinal cakes and a hefty scratch on the rear guard.

P-plate rating: You owe me fuel money from last time, dude.

ALSO CONSIDER

BMW 318i

+ So awesome and sporty
- When you’re not broken down

1999 Subaru Impreza GX

You’re the enthusiast of the group. Everyone admires your car’s solid handling, AWD and decent power. Something smells like burning though, and you’ve ignored it for about three months… Might have something to do with the imitation WRX spoiler and alloys you bought with the money that was meant for a service…

Coming standard are possibly the worst set of speakers in the business, which you only just found out after buying a really expensive $139 JVC head unit. You’ll have to save up again for a decent set. Hope that burning smell doesn’t mean anything.

P-plate rating: Hectic brus.

ALSO CONSIDER

Toyota Corolla Ascent

+ You really can ignore the burning smell
- So boring

1998 Holden Commodore Berlina (VT)

This is definitely a hand me down from a parent/grandparent. You’d sell it and get another one of the quality offerings on this list, but your parents yak on about how it’s ‘safe’ and ‘has airbags’. 

You tell people you keep it because they paid for your rego this year, but secretly you know they’re right after having a near-death experience or two in your mate's 1999 Hyundai Excel.

Expect never to get off the hook for any trips that involve a freeway.

P-plate rating: Bro, you bringing your Commodore up the coast?

ALSO CONSIDER

Ford Falcon (AU)

+ Do sick dougheys with torquey SOHC engine
- Explaining to your parents why you need a new transmission

Do you have an ultimate P-plater story with one of these? Tell us about it in the comments.