Best new Car for High School Kid
New and inexperienced drivers are prone to accidents, and responsible parents realize this. For this reason, many parents will seek an inexpensive, reliable used car for their teen drivers. In the case of parking lot dings and slow-moving accidents, and generally in terms of cost, this strategy works well. Newer vehicles, however, fare much better in the life-threatening collisions that are every parent's worst nightmare. Newer vehicles also tend to handle better, and they have more advanced ABS systems that help the car stop and steer in all road conditions.
With collision preparedness and aversion in mind, the next items on the list should be affordability and efficiency. Once you've narrowed the field based on these criteria, take the new driver shopping to decide which vehicle he or she likes best. With all of this in mind, it's important to look at some of the best options out there. This list is presented in no particular order.
Subaru Impreza- The Subaru line almost always receives a 4- or 5-star crash test rating across the board. In addition, Subaru's vehicles are notorious for making it well beyond the 300,000 mile mark, while their standard all-wheel-drive system handles all weather conditions with aplomb. Full details are not yet available on the redesigned 2012 model, coming later this year, but what is known is that the CVT hatchback model is rated at 36 MPG highway, the best rating of any all-wheel-drive vehicle ever sold in the states. Drivers who prefer to shift their own gears can still expect an incredible 33 MPG on the highway. For those who can't wait for the 2012 models to roll out,the 2011is also a great, safe car, with a less-impressive highway fuel economy rating of 27 MPG and a price tag starting at $17,485.
Hyundai Accent- Hyundai is another company that almost always gets 4 or 5 stars in crash tests. Like the Impreza, it comes standard with great brakes and handling, as well as amazing gas mileage. The FWD car is less expensive, though, with a $9,985 base price for the 2011 model. The Accent is also due for a redesign in 2012, and the new model is projected to achieve 40 MPG highway with its 1.6-liter I-4 mated to either a 6-speed automatic or 6-speed manual transmission. Again, the still-current 2011 model is slightly less impressive at 36 MPG highway.
Chevrolet Cruze ECO- This car's not a hybrid, but you wouldn't know it from the numbers. Chevy has shown pretty consistently that it knows how to get great gas mileage out of a vehicle, and this is one of the best so far. The new Cruze ECO gets 42 MPG on the highway from a 138 horsepower 1.4-liter I-4. The 2012 model is available now with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic and a base price for the ECO model of $19,245. The Cruze is a fairly stylish compact car, so many students would be delighted to be seen driving it rather than a less expensive subcompact.
Honda Civic HF and Hybrid - The car that put Japan's second-biggest auto manufacturer on the map is still a strong contender today. The new 2012 Civic continues to offer incredible gas mileage, achieving 41 MPG highway in the efficient non-hybrid HF model and 44 with the more expensive hybrid. Base prices are $19,455 and $24,050, respectively. The Civic has also received high crash test marks and is a favorite among young people.
Ford Fiesta and Focus - Ford has achieved the same thing from two different directions with these cars. The subcompact 2012 Fiesta, which has been popular in Europe for years, achieves 37 MPG highway with a base price tag of $13,200, and Ford offers an additional aerodynamics package on some models that will bump that number up to 40 MPG. The slightly larger and more luxurious 2012 Focus is also capable of 37 MPG with a base price of $16,500. As far as safety goes, the Fiesta received 4- and 5-star ratings, but the passenger-rear showed a high lower-spine acceleration in side-impact crash tests, which would likely cause non-fatal injuries in the event of such a collision. The redesigned 2012 Focus is not yet rated, but the 2010 model with optional side airbags did well, achieving 4 and 5 stars in each category.
All of the above vehicles will keep the average high school student happy and, more importantly, alive. This list focuses on sub-compact to compact cars for the reason of fuel economy as well as safety. Some parents think that putting inexperienced drivers in a large vehicle that would 'win' in a head-on collision is a good idea, but that is not the case. Larger vehicles stand a greater chance of harming others in the event of a collision with other vehicles, as well as suffering from bigger blind spots and a greater potential for rollover. Teach your kids to drive such a vehicle if one is available, but please, for everyone's sake, avoid making it their daily driver. Be sure to get a vehicle that the new driver will be comfortable and alert while driving. Follow these rules, using the above suggestions as a guide, and odds are the young driver in your house will stay happy and alive.
