Moving and have a few car questions.

Still in the USA and negotiating my wife's 3 year relocation contract to Scotland (coast SW of Glasgow)

• Approximately how much would insurance be if we're both Americans on American drivers licenses for at least the first 6 months?  We're looking at leasing a vehicle.  They're currently giving us a £500/mo stipend for transportation and I'm worried that we won't be able to get a family saloon/sedan car (~£300/mo) and insurance plus the occasional train ride for that price.
• Are there even companies that would insure us as two Americans without UK drivers licenses? Should we be pushing them to provide us with a car/insurance and smaller stipend for trains/busses?
• Does it make more sense to look at a 4-door hatchback instead of a saloon/sedan? Is insurance cheaper?  My wife has a "thing" against "station wagons" we'd likely have to overcome with a hatchback.
• Everyone's warned us about the driving test, but nobody has given any specifics.  Is there somewhere (forum post or web site) with a good list of the differences in driving between the US and the UK?  We both already drive stick shifts (well, my wife drives an automatic most of the time because they don't sell Honda Odysessys in the USA in stick).
• Assuming that we get everything else sorted out, will it be a problem leasing a car with a very specific end date that's not an even year value?  Ideally we'd drop the car back right before we get on our flight

Can't help you with anything other than some driving advice.

Driving in the UK at first is disconcerting because you're driving on the wrong side of the road, the wrong side of the car and on narrow streets while driving a car that shifts the exact same way but with the opposite hand.

It's a bit trippy.

As to why the tests are difficult... The UK theory test is exhaustive, there is a question bank of 500 questions and it covers a lot of ground. They ask questions in the UK way which may or may not make sense to you. I'm having a lot of trouble with it and I was always good at tests back in the US. I would suggest downloading the Theory test app on your phone and using it.

The UK practical driving test, again, is exhaustive. They require a very specific way of driving to pass the test, of which you will need to take a few driving lessons to learn as it's a heckuva lot different than how I ever drove stick back in the States. If you're planning on leaving after a few years, you guys might just want to do automatics as it will be easier.

And it would probably be easier to find a hatchback over here. Sedans/Saloons are much less popular. And, just as an FYI, they call cars over here 5 doors (4 door hatch) and 3 doors (2 door hatch). And the 3 or 5 door cars are NOT station wagons, those are called estates over here. 3 and 5 door cars are considered young and hip cars, where the sedans are more old people cars. I know, it's way different from the US.

You won't be able to lease a car with no UK credit.  Your US credit is moot here.  You definitely NEED the company to provide a vehicle.

You'll likely find that the move will cost you a lot of money no matter how much they give you.  £500 might be enough to cover vehicle costs but highly unlikely to cover ALL transport costs.

I wouldn't get hung up on vehicle styles for a short term contract.  And this is coming from someone who since moving to the UK has had a 350z, M5, and a Mercedes.  But I'd rather lose less money each month in a corporate assignment than drive a fun car - and I like a fun car!

Lyonaria covered the test differences well.  I passed first try with about 10 hours of lessons.  It's all about learning to pass the test.  It'll probably cost approximately $1,000 each to get a UK license after you factor everything in.  Possibly less as the GBP is so low now.

All I'd like to add is that 5 door hatchbacks are great but whatever you do, don't get a 3 door. You would really miss having doors 3 and 4. 

in no particular order-

you won't be able to lease a car as you won't have credit here.  your only options are to rent or buy.  I suggest buying a cheap smallish older car to learn on and then find what you like and or need here.  it's just not the same as in the states.  my wife loves her bmw in the states but hates the exact model here as it's not practical enough.  tough to park, expensive to ensure, hard to navigate little roads etc.  she much prefers my beater vw polo.

insurance is easy enough to get as long as you have a UK mailing address but it will be pricey.  you basically have no driving history so your like a 16 year old girl in there eyes.  Cars are all over the place on prices.  My 04 polo is 1300 a year, my 06 bmw is 1800, 99 lexus is 800 and my 08 focus is 900.  looking at my list the polo should be the cheapest as it's only valued at around 500 but it's one of the more expensive.
Admiral is who I went with for insurance.  There are others out there but they were the easiest to deal with.   insurance is based on so many wild factors I can't even get into it here.  in a nut she'll the smaller the motor the cheaper the car will be to run.  Road tax can be a pretty big hit at first if your not careful with engine size.  Year of the car can play into it too.

Driving test is tricky but doable.  me and my wife passed both of out theory tests first time.  it just takes alot of time.  like a couple weeks to get your provisional, then probably a couple more weeks to find an instructor with an open slot to teach you, then a couple more weeks to find an open sitting to take the theory test then in my case 3 months to get an open slot to take the driving test.  I was about 6 months in just waiting in lines basically.

I would advise in buying a good used car and get a feel for everything then look for a better car.  I actually issue my transferring employees beater cars when they arrive as 9 times out of 10 they will crash them somehow.  it's mostly wheel or suspension damage but it was getting to expensive with nice cars to repair.  It a big change driving on the other side of the road and getting used to all the UK road systems.   

Driving test:  I agree with lyonaria.  Get an app to help you study for the theory test.  The subject matter covered is extensive, and you'll want to take some time to really be sure you're familiar with all of it, because you don't know which questions they'll ask when you get into the test center on the day.  Also, find a preparation system that has interactive video clips for the hazard perception test, so you can practice clicking them at the right time to get the most points.  I cannot stress this enough.  You need to know what that portion of the test is before you show up to take it, or you could end up with no points at all.

The practical is just really fussy.  You have to learn how they want you to handle the car, and you have to do it exactly their way, every time.  Also, shifting with the left hand is weird.  If you will test in a manual, you'll want lessons just to get used to being on the wrong side of the road, car, and shifter.  Everything is backwards, and it takes the brain a while to acclimate to it.  And, while you're practicing that, you might as well get an instructor to tell you what you need to know to pass the test.  Oh!  And at your practical, there are a few car safety/maintenance check questions they will ask you.  Learn those.

I passed my theory and practical on my first tries, after buying an app to help me study for the practical and taking 6 hours of driving lessons.  My costs to get a full license in the UK were:

£43 - provisional license fee
£12 - theory test and hazard perception prep software
£23 - theory test
£62 - practical test
£152 - driving instructor (lessons + test day)

So, £292, total.  I don't think it can be done for less than that, honestly.

I actually issue my transferring employees beater cars when they arrive as 9 times out of 10 they will crash them somehow.  it's mostly wheel or suspension damage but it was getting to expensive with nice cars to repair.  It a big change driving on the other side of the road and getting used to all the UK road systems.

hahha!  Oh dear.  So, during my really long "visit" with my now-husband, I bought a car from a friend of his... it was a "dream car" for my husband and I, and when his friend decided he was bored of it, I leapt at the chance to be able to buy it.  I have driven it twice.  The wheels used to have nice powdercoat on them.  Now they mostly do.    So, basically, I bought my husband a car.

I will drive it some day, but not 'til I'm more comfortable with driving in general.  For now, I'll stick to marring the wheels of compact eBay beaters.

Don't worry about it, that kind of stuff is normal here in tiny road land.  Wait till you see how people key your car for parking legally in front of their house. 

Don't worry about it, that kind of stuff is normal here in tiny road land.  Wait till you see how people key your car for parking legally in front of their house.

One of the reasons we had to buy our house in Wales is because "off-street parking" was prominent on our list of deal-breakers.  My husband really likes the car I bought "us", and he wanted to know it would be safe from random stuff.  As we house-hunted and sometimes struggled to find parking just to view the house, I became increasingly aware of how important dedicated parking can be.

British people can moan for hours about parking. 

I think it's justified, though.  Parking can be a challenge in some places.  It's so strange how much wide open space there can be between villages, and then you get to a village and everything is just right on top of each other, and there's no room for cars.  Though I suppose cars weren't really a thing when these villages were being built.

Maybe you are seeing the "Green Belt" , which is an area of land surrounding a town or village which is not supposed to be built on. It's supposed to stop the entire country from turning into one giant urban sprawl.  Sounds like a good idea until you want to buy a house.

Maybe you are seeing the "Green Belt" , which is an area of land surrounding a town or village which is not supposed to be built on. It's supposed to stop the entire country from turning into one giant urban sprawl.  Sounds like a good idea until you want to buy a house.

Yes and yes!  I have struggled with this since I first came here for a visit in 2012.  On the one hand, when driving around the countryside, I'm constantly struck by how beautiful it all is.  I mean, it's sometimes breathtaking.  On the other hand, housing crisis.  I know how lucky my husband and I are (with our agonizingly slow internet and utility room for a kitchen, but we have off-street parking... and the workshop).

I really don't know what the housing solution is.

It's no wonder you think it's so beautiful, you live where I go on holiday.  My boy wants to go to a Pokémon go event in Chester.  I had to tell him no even though I would have really enjoyed a road trip to Wales.

We only moved here in November ...  But for our wedding trip, kicked off by my in-person FLR(M) in Cardiff, we went on a camping holiday.  We made our way north through Powys, then around to the Lake District, then back down into Snowdonia, before heading home to Salisbury.  A year or so later, we took another camping holiday, following the Welsh coast (we absolutely love the area around Barmouth).  That holiday was a reconnaissance mission, looking for places where we would be happy to live, so we could narrow our house hunting.  We settled for where we are now because we had thought there would be better job prospects near Swansea, and being at the end of the M4 would make commuting easier if that is necessary (and it is!).  Since moving, he has found exactly 4 jobs suitable for our circumstances.  And, naturally, the competition is fierce.  But some day.  Or, at the least, we'll get done with the income requirement next year so he can just take any job that pays the bills.