Safe, Reliable Cars for Teens

Posted on by Forest in General, Opinion, Saving Money & Finances

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I am sure you all remember hitting that age when you was finally allowed to drive. Luckily in USA Drivers Ed is usually a part of school so many teenagers get the ability to obtain their freedom pretty much as soon as they legally can. However when your little baby is suddenly allowed to be in control of a potentially lethal weapon it’s a huge burden on any parent. That is why safe, reliable cars for teens are a priority if at all possible.

The problem with cars is that they are also not cheap to maintain or keep running and often it’s tempting to just buy a beater but the reality is that any old beater may not be safe so this might not be a good option without a solid foundation of research.

Safe, Reliable Cars for Teens in 2010

It’s pretty simple really that the newer (and often most expensive) cars are the most safe. Any of the well known manufacturers models of this year are likely to exceed safety tests of models that are just 5 years old but it’s unlikely many families can shel out for a brand new car for their kids.

Consumer reports did an excellent article looking at More Affordable Options for Teens but to be honest the prices for these safe cars still seem pretty high to me!

Anyway the cheapest cars they deemed safe were the 2006.5-2007 Kia Optima EX at a range of $7,500-$9,850, the 2002-2004 Toyota Camry at a range of $8,250-$10,900 and the 2005 Saab 9-3 Linear at around $9,150 (a luxury car that could be expensive on repairs). At a minimum of $7,500 that is still breaking the bank for many.

If you really can’t push to these prices (and I suggest you afford loans and definitely do not let your teen get a loan for a car, this could ruin their young adult years!) then I think sticking with popular well maintained Toyota’s and Nissan’s are a good idea. I know that Toyota had a bad recent record but historically they come up as pretty safe cars. Volkswagen’s are also well known for their build quality as well as Audi’s. Both of these companies have cars available on the market at affordable prices if you hunt around.

Just be careful and do your research. Safety is very important. What cars have you found to be safe and reliable for teens or anyone?