In 7th grade, my best friend’s parents let him buy a car with money that he saved up. A ‘64 Belvedere with a V8, purchased for $300. Ran great. He lived on a dead-end street, and we would drive it up and down the street after school. That was the most fun that I can recall from childhood.
I was driving, by age 14. Dad would roll up his jacket to boost me *higher* on the seat so I could see over the dash.
Any farm kid drives much sooner.
When our oldest was 8 we bought an old Scout for $75 and they drove it around the farm.
Around here a lot of kids had cars because they lived several miles from the bus stop and they just drove there, parked the car , got on the bus and then drove it back home every afternoon.