Good Cars For Teenagers
Teenagers and their parents tend to have different objectives and priorities when it comes to cars, although it’s often not difficult for the two parties to come to a mutually agreeable decision, especially when each party is willing to compromise a little. Most teenagers place considerable importance on a car’s style (sporty), appearance (cool), performance (fast), size (room for friends), and accessories (customization).
The first issue that most young drivers and their parents usually struggle with when deciding on a first car is that of cost, which typically leads to the issue of used-versus-new.
An older car is certainly going to cost less than a brand new model. However, older used cars will generally be less reliable, may develop unexpected repair expenses, have fewer safety features, and not be as attractive as a newer model. On the other hand, insurance cost and taxes can be less.
Many teenagers prefer to buy an inexpensive older used car, such as the ever-popular Honda Car (Civic), and spend money to repair it and customize it to meet their needs. However, these added costs can easily get out of hand and exceed the price of a new car.
Just keep in mind that newer cars tend to have better safety equipment, better reliability, improved gas mileage, and, in some cases, lower insurance rates - because of better safety and reliability. Some older cars have high insurance rates because they are more often stolen (for parts) than new models. Honda Accords from the early 1990s are a good example.
Although most of the following recommendations are for smaller, less expensive vehicles, many teenagers prefer to drive larger vehicles such as SUVs and trucks. We don’t recommend large used SUVs for teens due to the higher skill required to control them in emergency situations, the high cost of operation, and expensive insurance. Even smaller SUVs such as the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and the Nissan Xterra are much less stable than a conventional sedan or coupe.
