First cars for teenagers

In consideration of the safety, economical,best gas milage for a 4 cyl. other than a 2004 or 05 Saab 9-3 or a honda civic sedan are there others that meet this criteria?

Of those 2, get the Civic

Corollas are still a rock solid bet, if a Corolla is cool enough for your teenagers…

You list safety ahead of economy, so while Civic and Corolla are excellent cars, they are not going to stand up too well in an altercation with a truck or big SUV. The number of air bags or “crash test stars” a car has don’t mean much if the car is crushed by a vehicle weighing three times as much.

The Saab would be the better choice for safety. Several of our friends have put their kids in older Mercedes or BMWs for for safety reasons. There are great bargains to be had in 10+ year old Mercedes, but the reason that the resale value is low is because repairs are so costly. It helps to have a good mechanic that you can trust who specializes in the make you get.

On a first car, get something that you will insure for liability only and assume it is a throwaway if they wreck it. Wait at least 3 years before putting them in a car that merits full coverage insurance.

Yes, but there are too many to list here. You’re narrowing your focus too much. Shop around. There are LOTS of nice used cars that will safely and economically carry your teenage driver9s).

Mid size car with side airbags - Camry, Accord, Sonata, etc, etc.

Which is cooler…A Corolla or the Bus??? Most teenagers will choose the Corolla.

Large Safe-Size Car With Airbags-
GM, Chrysler, Ford, etcetera, etcetera.

America, what a country!

I think the safest car for a teenage driver is one the teenage driver has to save and pay for himself. Your teenager will be more careful with something he or she has had to pay for and/or fix. Your teenager is probably more internet savvy than you (no offense, but if you have a teenager, he/she grew up with the web), so ask your kid to do online research with you or for you and go over the info together.

Good luck.

Ford Crown Vic[Mercury marquis] for safety
Let the driver buy and pay for the gas, insurance, and maintance

I agree with the throwaway idea idea.

And, don’t let your kid “pimp up” the car with noticable added on exterior gadgets like huge rear stabilizer fins or lower the suspension noticably or the car will become a “cop magnet” and the kid will get tickets up the wazoo. (DAMHIKT)

Here in Massachusetts, altering a car’s suspension height by greater than two inches from the manufacturer’s original height is illegal.

I’d suggest starting the search with a Consumer Reports Used Car Buyers’ Guide from the local bookstore.

No Joke!

I’m not a big Ford fan. However, when you look at data for what insurance companies pay out for injuries in different car models, You are correct about the safety of big cars, including these! Comparing the cost of gas, insurance, and maitenance with the safety of your children, with their whole life ahead of them, it’s a “No-Brainer!” I could never live with myself putting a child at risk to save a buck or climb the status ladder if tradgedy struck! When forced with the decision to choose between being a parent and a friend, I will choose parent every time with my kids.

America, what a country!

agreed. Though they’ll probably look up cars like the Lancer Evo or WRX STi for the wiz factor. But, as long as they know their money is going towards the car, let them pick it out, do not offer any financial help with the purchase. No job = no car

Forget “cool”…Let them buy their own “cool”. Any 4-cyl pick-up truck. Practical, reliable transportation. Lowest cost per mile to own and operate. Cheapest insurance. Insist on a stick shift.

I strongly agree on gas and maintenance, but my dad paid my insurance until I was 21 strictly for self-defense reasons. He did not trust that I would keep my insurance up once I left home, and he did not want my liability getting back to him. I do the same with my kids until they are 21 and the car is in their name.

Crashed my parent’s Corolla 7 years ago. I turned the wheel but that thing just plowed forward into someone’s bumper. Definitely can’t recommend that except maybe the XRS.

Tercel, Celica, and the 1st gen Scions all have communicative controls and will likely steer away from accidents. The last generation Tercel, with manual transmission and steering, is the most economical of them all. It is a very sweet car to drive and doesn’t have the power to do much damage.

Note that anything that’s easy on the gas will NOT be carrying around enough “armor” for head butting.

I Do The Same With Paying Their Insurance
I titled my 20 year-old son’s car in his name and I pay the insurance. He gets discounts for taking a good driver course and good grades discount. I upped the liabiltiy and also added a Personal Liability Umbrella Policy to our insurance.

Full-Size Chevrolets, Pontiacs, and Buicks Get 29-30 MPG HWY
Do the math with a calculator comparing cars. Then factor in just exactly how much an injury or death is worth. Look at the difference and decide.

P.S. Don’t forget to check insurance costs before buying. Some of the cars mentioned here have insurance cost ratings of “better than average” and “much better than average,” including injuries. Why would this be? These cars are safer and less costly to insure. Check it out for yourself.

Of those two the Saab will have significantly lower insurance premiums (it is below average). In terms of safety the Saab hands down. The Saab also offer excellent fuel mileage if you get the Linear model.