# Fun safe car? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [August 9, 2012, 7:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-safe-car/73998 "2012-08-09T19:56:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![eduk80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@eduk80](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eduk80)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 7:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-safe-car/73998/1 "2012-08-09T19:56:29Z")
My mom needs a new car. This is the first time she’ll buy a car that she only has to think of herself (doesn’t have to agree with my dad, doesn’t have to fit kids). She wants something cute and fun, more than 25mpg and under 20k. I want her to have something safe. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-safe-car/73998/2 "2012-08-09T20:03:03Z")
A Honda Fit Sport would be a good choice, even though it’s very practical, too. The Ford Fiesta and Focus are some of the better-handling choices, as is the Mazda 3. If she could go $25k or so the Scion FR-S/Subaru BR-Z would be GREAT (if she can find one). ---
**Author:** ![vintagestapler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/9f8e36/32.png) [@vintagestapler](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vintagestapler)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 8:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-safe-car/73998/3 "2012-08-09T20:50:45Z")
New Dodge Dart looks nice. Starts at 15k and gets good millage. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-safe-car/73998/4 "2012-08-09T20:53:46Z")
There are a lot of good choices on the market now. I’d suggest you stop by the bookstore, pick up a Consumer Reports New Car Prview, and spend some weekend time with her test driving those that she likes. ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-safe-car/73998/5 "2012-08-09T20:55:41Z")
Have your mother check out the Mazda Miata. It fits the cute and fun requirement and gets decent gas mileage. My sister has had her Miata for almost 20 years. They are reliable. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-safe-car/73998/6 "2012-08-09T21:08:16Z")
Under 20k and new is going to be pretty tough to find unless she gets something that is decidedly not fun. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-safe-car/73998/7 "2012-08-09T21:42:41Z")
I dunno, Shadow, I think “Cute & Fun” should be easy to find for under $20K. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-safe-car/73998/8 "2012-08-09T23:49:33Z")
Yeah true, I suppose, if you’re willing to settle for the base model, the Accent or even the Veloster would fit the bill. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-safe-car/73998/9 "2012-08-11T00:32:59Z")
Chevrolet Cruze LS is well under $20,000, even with an auto transmission. It gets 25/36 city/highway mileage. If she’s willing to be right at $20,000. the LT1 Cruze has a turbocharged 4-cyl that gets even better mileage. ---
**Author:** ![bscar2](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar2/32/2468_2.png) [@bscar2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar2)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-safe-car/73998/10 "2012-08-11T01:50:48Z")
Ditch the 25mppg requirement and you can open up an even wider range of vehicles To expand on texases’ post; if she can go to $25k AND drive a stick, the MazdaSpeed 3 will do quite nicely. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-safe-car/73998/11 "2012-08-11T14:43:00Z")
Keep mom boring and practical. Get her a Corolla in the color of her choice. ---
**Author:** ![JosephEMeehan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@JosephEMeehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JosephEMeehan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-safe-car/73998/12 "2012-08-11T14:54:55Z")
``` Help mom find a car she likes. Safety is 95% driver and 5% car. ```