Low-price entry level cars from car-makers like Kia may be attractive to a lot of young drivers. They're inexpensive (as low as $11,395 for a Kia Rio) and you still get that new car smell.
You may be able get more value and more safety in a used car but unfortunately, given the frequency of accidents involving new drivers, not enough attention is given to vehicle safety.
According to The New York Times, "A survey released in June by the Insurance Institute found that vehicles bought in anticipation of adding a new driver to the family were more likely to be of sizes and types considered less safe than vehicles already owned."
Experts recommend buying an older mid-size vehicle rather than a newer compact or, heaven forbid, an SUV or van. Studies have shown that the more passengers there are in a car, the more likely a new driver is to crash it.
The most important thing is to stand up to your kid and be the parent. Of course, few kids will feel cool driving a Volvo station wagon (the only kind of car my mother would let me drive), but trading coolness for safety is a deal parents have to be willing to make.
For more information, check out Consumer Reports' guide to Cars for Teen Drivers.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-01-2007 @ 9:02PM
Don Martin said...
I can understand why Consumer Reports excluded vehicles with 0-60 times over 11 seconds, but I think there's something to be said for giving a new, young driver an eight to ten year old domestic pick-up truck. They don't accommodate many passengers and they're crash-worthy. Their visibility is generally superior to most passenger cars both in terms of the driver being able to see and in terms of being seen by other drivers.
The only downside is the fuel economy. Though a well-maintained F-150, Chevy 1500, or Ram 1500 should all do mid to high teens MPG if driven carefully. Furthermore, if you make the kid responsible for his own gasoline money, you'll have a nice limiting factor to discourage unnecessary driving during his formative years as a vehicle operator.
10-01-2007 @ 9:02PM
tommy said...
i am a used car dealer with two sons of driving age. i really do know what i am talking about. do not give in to your kid and buy the wrong car. stick to your guns and get a 4 cylinder ranger pickup with a manual transmission. tuff vehicle that is slow, underpowered, very economical and cheap, and when, not if they have a wreck, there is not a car full of kids to sue you. since it has a manual transmission, the kid actually has to pay attention to the driving process. He cant be playing with the radio, talking on his cell or drinking his starbucks coffee because he has to shift. also, a manual transmission is much cheaper to repair than an automatic and much cheaper for the initial purchase and generally, a lot more dependable. a focus is another good one to get for your kid. civics are great but cost way to much to buy used. stay away from anything built in europe. the repair cost are way to high and believe me, your kid is going to have ten times the repairs your own car requires.
10-01-2007 @ 9:58PM
donbo said...
THE BEST BUY FOR THE MONEY AND GAS MILEAGE IS THE PONTIAC VIBE