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Best Car for a new teenage driver

599 messages,  Last post on Mar 15, 2013 at 1:49 PM

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#1 of 599 Best Car for a new teen driver - $20k limit by alp8

Aug 09, 2006 (10:04 am)

So what would you folks put your 16-year old teen (female) into?
 
I am not all that concerned about mpg, as she will not be driving it much - just back and forth to school, and to soccer practice (local). I guess it's possible she could put 20 miles/day on it, but that is on the high side. And it's likely that in a year or so, she will be shuttling her younger sister around, a bit.
 
I would like it to have AWD, as we have a place in the mountains and she may need to drive it up there in the winter.
 
I am leaning toward a small wagon, but I want it to be safe, as we live in California which means a fair share of freeway driving.
 
Yes, I am willing to buy used, and I don't necessarily expect her to take this vehicle to college. I can hand this one down to her younger sister and get her a different, higher MPG vehicle for college, if she even needs a car for college. (I didn't have one, and it wasn't a disaster.)
 
Oh, and let's keep the dollar limit at $20k.
 
Used Volvo V50?
Really used Volvo V70?
 
Am curious if any of you would recommend an SUV, as I believe teens should not drive SUVs as I don't believe they are likely to know how to handle them. I think the rollover risk is less in a convertible. We use a particularly dangerous section of freeway, notorious for overturns, so I'd like to miminize the potential for that.

#2 of 599 Re: Best Car for a new teen driver - $20k limit [alp8] by bumpy

Aug 09, 2006 (11:32 am)

Replying to: alp8 (Aug 09, 2006 10:04 am)
Impreza wagon, if you can find one. Or an AWD Toyota Matrix or Pontiac Vibe. Any of those would be good, not prone to tipping, and modest enough to keep her out of trouble.

#3 of 599 Re: Best Car for a new teen driver - $20k limit [bumpy] by prosa

Aug 09, 2006 (12:46 pm)

Replying to: bumpy (Aug 09, 2006 11:32 am)
I second the vote for an Impreza wagon (more commonly called the Outback Sport). It has Subaru's proven AWD system, excellent IIHS crash-test ratings, and you can get one for under $20K out the door.

#4 of 599 Re: Best Car for a new teen driver - $20k limit [alp8] by odie6l

Aug 09, 2006 (1:44 pm)

Replying to: alp8 (Aug 09, 2006 10:04 am)
I would say a '97-'00 Jeep Wrangler with both tops. This way you are looking at a vehicle that can take a little punishment and has 4WD. If I was going for a vehicle that was not 4WD I would go for a Del Sol or something along the line with only 2 seats.
 
Odie
Odie's Carspace

#5 of 599 Re: Best Car for a new teen driver - $20k limit [odie6l] by alp8

Aug 09, 2006 (3:19 pm)

Replying to: odie6l (Aug 09, 2006 1:44 pm)
odie: Please give your reasoning behind a two-seater (I think I agree with it, by the way)
 
I was thinking of an old Volvo V70 (XC70?) wagon, with the rear seats taken out.
 
"Why?" people might ask.
 
I am guessing Odie has the answer.

#6 of 599 Re: Best Car for a new teen driver - $20k limit [alp8] by odie6l

Aug 09, 2006 (8:07 pm)

Replying to: alp8 (Aug 09, 2006 3:19 pm)
The reason for the 2 seater would be less people you could put into the car = less people hurt in an accident.
Also most of the 2 seaters from the late 90's you could get with-out much power to it = less chance of speeding + better MPG.
 
Odie
Odie's Carspace

#7 of 599 Re: Best Car for a new teen driver - $20k limit [odie6l] by alp8

Aug 09, 2006 (8:25 pm)

Replying to: odie6l (Aug 09, 2006 8:07 pm)
no, that's not the reason
 
come on, odie!!!
 
teenagers are tremendously impaired by having more passengers in the car. Hell, I can barely drive when I have 4 teenagers in the car. Teens are actually very safe drivers when they are in the car, alone.
 
but thank you for your ideas!!!
 
My daughter is a pretty sensible kid, so I think she'll be a fairly conservative driver. We'll see once we really get out there.

#8 of 599 Re: Best Car for a new teen driver - $20k limit [bumpy] by alp8

Aug 09, 2006 (10:13 pm)

Replying to: bumpy (Aug 09, 2006 11:32 am)
I like the Impreza suggestion

#9 of 599 Pontiac Vibe by mirth

Aug 10, 2006 (9:26 am)

Basically a Toyota but cheaper and a lot of cargo room.

#10 of 599 alp8 by michaell

Aug 10, 2006 (10:00 am)

Hmm, interesting question. I've got an 18 year old daughter who is heading off to college next week and we bought her a Saturn ION 2 equipped with ABS and traction control.
 
Not sure that you need AWD if you only head to the mountains a few times a year. We live in Colorado and probably see more days of bad weather in a single winter than she will experience in several years - traction control, coupled with plowed roads, should be more than enough. That way, the other 360 days a year, you don't have the weight penalty of the AWD dragging down mileage.
 
But, I do like the idea of the Vibe .. test drove one with some friends a few years ago and was pleasantly surprised with how much room there was inside.

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