Top 5 Cars for Teens

With many graduates heading off to college, your thoughts will no doubt turn to what kind of car is best for you. That is a tough question, indeed. Numerous factors need to be considered when deciding on that first, or even second, car.

While safety should without a doubt be your top question, style also has to come into play with a list like this, along with affordability. Who wants to pull up to college or that first job in Grandma's grocery runner? Besides Grandma, that is. Stylish doesn't have to mean a Ferrari.

As far as the Insurance Institute is concerned, most of their Top 13 picks for 2007 fall into the SUV range of vehicle. This list will avoid those as both too bulky and too expensive for teens. Unless you plan to be living in Alaska, an SUV is overkill anyway. Common lore says that the bigger cars are safest due to having more protection around the occupants. That is a misconception. Many smaller cars rate above many of the bigger cars in crash tests lately. Plus, smaller cars are more fuel-efficient and easier to maneuver.

Volvo is at the top of the list for very good reason. Pick a Volvo, any Volvo, and you can be assured of a high level of safety features as well as little outlay for repairs. This Swedish company has long been the cream of the crop where durability is concerned. You may put out just a bit more for a Volvo initially, but you will save 10 times that through the years by not having to pay for repairs. Now a subsidiary of Ford, Volvo has thankfully retained their high standards even though changing ownership.

Many lists chose the XC90 as the best for teens. That is a great SUV, possibly the best SUV on the market for any age group... but the Volvo's new C30 is a better choice as a first car for teens. It is stylish, compact, very easy on gas, rates extremely high on safety, and will require very little maintenance. The C30 is also a bit less pricey than the XC90, slated to have a base price of about $23,000 when introduced to the American market this year.

If total coolness is your first priority, go with Ford's latest line of Mustangs. The GT model begins at around $19,000 and has plenty of both muscle and flash. The GT has a longer wheelbase than other models, which helps ensure a smoother ride and easier handling, along with lots more legroom. In crash tests, the GT Deluxe Coupe rated a full 5 stars in safety for the driver, passenger, and in rollovers. This Mustang is so incredibly awesome that you don't even have to show the muscle. Just sit there at an idle and bask in the glow of drooling strangers.

No list is complete without the outstanding Mini Cooper. This car scores high in all respects. It is fun to drive, fun to look at, and not very hard on the wallet... not to mention the Cooper has just about every safety feature you could ever ask for in one car. The base version of the Cooper comes with the Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist. That is impressive enough on its own, but that is just the base model... and prices begin at just $16,000. Other models of the Mini Cooper have even more safety options. This is also the easiest car to customize without shelling out an arm and a leg to do so.

If fuel-efficiency is top priority, and there are many reasons it should be, then go for the Honda Civic. Forbes rated the 2006 model as one of the best in MPG, safety, and reliability. The Civic starts at just under $15,000, with fuel economy at 38 hwy/30 city. That makes it one of the most affordable cars on the market. The 2007 model looks to be even better.

Starting at just around $13,000 is the Saturn Ion. This is probably the safest car on the road for under 15k. This cutie scored a whopping 5 stars for all passengers in frontal impact crash tests, and 4 stars in side crash tests. That is amazing for a car that costs so little. The Ion is also a very nice looking car, but if you upgrade to the Ion Quad Coup for as little as another $100, you have yourself one inexpensive and safe little car that will easily turn heads as you drive by. On top of that, the Saturn line has a good reputation as far as durability and repairs go.

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My article appeared in the June/July 2007 issue of Teen Trend Magazine; All rights reserved.