the long drive starting vehicle tier list
perfect starter tier: this pertains to the diesel version of the golf, otherwise it would go into practical tier. these diesel cars are the perfect starters because there's 20+ liters of diesel in the basement, meaning you're set for a long time and won't have to worry about finding gas.
practical tier: these cars have a decent power output, with the wagon variants having a lot of space. the 2102 is probably the best example of a practical starter car as it's a very solid choice and can be used long-term. the beetle has an extra .5 liters of gas in the tank, meaning you can get just a little bit farther.
rough start tier: these cars take some investment. the piece of trash known as the dacia is infamous, the motorcycle is at least fun to drive, and the rest of the cars can have a much better engine installed.
useless tier: these are the worst cars to get saddled with and are best restarted on. the trabant is the single worst car in the game because A) it's air-cooled, meaning the only engine upgrade is the beetle which you might not find for a long time, and B) it's a 2 stroke meaning more maintenance and tedious refueling, and C) it has the weakest car engine in the game. the trabant can't climb hills, and i've had multiple beginnings where i was completely unable to play because the start had a huge hill the trabant couldn't climb. as for the moped, its existence is completely invalidated by the motorcycle.
doesn't spawn tier: self-explanatory. these cannot spawn as starter vehicles.