| Ask a teenager what car they want and then ask | | | | Toyota Celica, Chevrolet Camaro (no longer |
| their parents what car they prefer for their child. | | | | manufactured), Pontiac Firebird (no longer |
| You may get some conflicting answers. However, | | | | manufactured), Jeep Wrangler, and Mitsubishi |
| you just might get some surprising agreements | | | | Lancer. These tend to be faster, higher |
| too. | | | | performance cars that have lower safety ratings |
| What teenagers want in a car | | | | and high insurance costs for young drivers. |
| Generally, teenagers tend to place importance on: | | | | Models that are preferred more by parents than |
| - style (look cool, peer approval) | | | | their teenagers include the Honda Accord, Ford |
| - small size (easy to manage, more personal, | | | | Taurus, Toyota Camry, and Nissan Maxima. |
| more economical) | | | | These models are larger, safer (because they are |
| - room for friends (no two-seaters, sedans OK) | | | | larger), reliable, economical, and enjoy reasonable |
| - performance (go fast, peer respect) | | | | insurance rates. |
| - accessorizability (look cooler and go faster) | | | | How about SUVs? |
| What parents of teens want in a car | | | | A number of manufacturers promote small SUVs |
| Parents of driving teenagers, on the other hand, | | | | to teenagers and young adults. These include the |
| place importance on: | | | | Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Escape, Honda Element, |
| - safety (protect kids as much as possible even if | | | | Mazda Tribute, Pontiac Vibe, Toyota RAV4, |
| driving unsafely) | | | | Nissan Xterra, and Toyota Scion. |
| - economy (kids dirve a LOT of miles, and have | | | | The primary concern with SUVs for teenagers is |
| little money) | | | | a greater tendency to roll over in high speed |
| - reliability (kids and parents don't have time or | | | | maneuvers due to a higher center of gravity. |
| money for repairs) | | | | Inexperienced drivers tend to react to |
| - insurance cost (rates are outrageous for kids | | | | emergency situations with sudden moves that |
| anyway) | | | | SUVs don't handle well. |
| Fortunately, the characteristics that teens want | | | | If your teenager absolutely must have an SUV, |
| and those that parents want are not necessarily | | | | opt for a stability control system for added |
| conflicting. A number of car makes and models | | | | safety and peace of mind. |
| satisfy both parties' preferences, possibly with a | | | | Should teens buy new or used? |
| small amount of compromise. | | | | Cost is usually a big consideration in buying a car |
| Which make and model cars are best? | | | | for a teenager. This tends to sway the decision |
| Before we start, it should be mentioned that | | | | toward buying a used car, which can offer more |
| some of the vehicle makes/models we discuss | | | | value for the money. Other costs, such as |
| here are new and some are older models that | | | | insurance, maintenance, and taxes, can also be |
| may be no longer in production, but still available | | | | lower. |
| as used cars. We discuss the merits of buying | | | | However, new cars may offer updated styling, |
| new-versus-used later in this article. | | | | newer accessories, better gas mileage, and |
| The Honda Civic is the hands-down favorite car | | | | advanced safety equipment. |
| for teenagers-- and parents. It is small but easily | | | | Some makes/models of new cars can actually |
| holds four people, economical to buy and operate, | | | | cost less than used cars of the same make |
| extremely reliable, has nice styling and | | | | model if manufacturers are offering promotional |
| performance, and ranks very high on safety | | | | incentives and rebates. So be sure to compare |
| ratings. For those who want to customize its | | | | both new and used before you decide. |
| looks or perfomance, there are hundreds of | | | | How about leasing a new car? |
| companies who offer products and parts for the | | | | Leasing a new car is a way to cut monthly |
| Civic. Insurance costs are relatively low for the | | | | payment expenses, but is not usually a good idea |
| Civic, even for teenage drivers. Used models are | | | | for teenagers. Leasing requires a commitment to |
| reasonably priced and very reliable. | | | | stick out the lease until the end. Since teens' |
| Other favorites of teens that are also | | | | tastes change quickly, terminating a lease early to |
| parent-friendly are Mazda3, Ford Focus, Toyota | | | | satisfy their desire to move to another car can |
| Corolla, and Acura Integra/RSX. These are | | | | be very costly. Leasing also limits the number of |
| compact vehicles with good fuel economy and | | | | driven miles allowed, and the amount of |
| low maintenance costs. | | | | wear-and-tear allowed without extra cost. These |
| Models that are favored by teens, but less by | | | | can often be problems for teen drivers. |
| parents (for good reason) are the Ford Mustang, | | | | |