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News: 2008 Top 10 Cars for Teens

By Aaron Gold, About.com

Putting your teen on wheels is a tough decision, but I think it's a good idea: A car can expand a student's educational horizons, allowing her to take advantage of opportunities like off-site classes and internships. And it's a great lesson in responsibility: Kids who pay their car's running costs have good incentive to drive carefully (if they break it or crash it, they walk).

Safety was a top criteria for cars on this list -- car crashes kill about 3,500 teen drivers every year in the US -- but I also looked for cars that are reliable, affordable, and easy to drive. Here, in alphabetical order, are my top picks.

1. Ford Focus---- I like the Ford Focus because it's cheap, cute, and fun to drive, plus it offers the innovative SYNC system, which allows drivers to control their iPod and cell phones with voice commands, and will even read text messages out loud --meaning the driver can keep his or her eyes on the road where they belong. The Focus comes with a full complement of airbags as standard. Antilock brakes and electronic stability control come bundled together for $745; this is an absolute must-have package for young drivers. Teens will probably gravitate towards the sporty two-door Focus coupe; unlike most compact coupes, it offers just as much back seat and trunk space as the four-door version.

2. Honda Civic---- I've always said that you can't go wrong with a Civic: It's extremely fuel efficient, will last forever if well cared for, and boasts an admirable commitment to safety: Antilock brakes, front-seat side airbags and side curtain airbags are standard on all models, and as of 2009 electronic stability control is optional on EX-L and Hybrid versions. The Civic has a body shell designed to withstand an impact with a heavier vehicle, with two-doors receiving extra bracing for side impacts. Civic is available as a jazzy coupe or sensible sedan; the budget-friendly LX and DX-VP models offer the best value-for-money. NOTE: For young drivers, the hot-rod Civic Si version should be avoided -- it's a speeding ticket waiting to happen.

3. Honda Fit---- The 2009 Honda Fit is a new addition to this list. Besides being practical, fuel-efficient, easy to drive, and really cool to look at, the 2009 Fit is strong on safety: Six airbags and antilock brakes come standard, and, like the Civic, the Fit's body shell is specifically designed to survive a collision with a bigger, heavier vehicle. The Fit can be had with electronic stability control (ESC; Honda calls it VSA) and navigation; they aren't cheap, but the first is a must-have and the second is a good-to-have for inexperienced drivers. For budding young stick-shifters, the Fit has an excellent manual transmission. NOTE: 2007 and '08 Fits do not offer ESC or the tougher body shell, so stick to '09 models for young drivers.

4. Nissan Versa---- Several excellent subcompacts have hit the market recently, and the Nissan Versa is one of my favorites for two reasons: Lots of space and great value-for-money. The former comes in handy for hauling a semester's worth of stuff away to college as well as for hauling friends to off-campus excursions. The latter comes in handy if the kids are paying for the car themselves (or if the parents are weighed down by tuition costs) -- Versas start well under $14,000, and that includes air conditioning. NOTE: Though the Versa comes with six airbags as standard, antilock brakes are not standard -- they're a cheap ($250) option, and I wouldn't buy a Versa (or any car) without them.

5. Pontiac Vibe---- The Pontiac Vibe is a great car for people of all ages, but it's especially well suited to young drivers because it comes standard with with six airbags, antilock brakes, and electronic stability control. The Vibe is even available with all-wheel-drive, which offers better accident-avoidance behavior as well as superior traction in rain and snow (and on dry roads, too). The Vibe is good looking, easy to park, and it has plenty of room to bring along friends -- plus its hard-plastic-lined cargo bay makes it a great cargo hauler.

6. Saturn Astra---- I like the Astra -- particularly the 3-door -- because it combines racy looks with modest hardware. The Astra's 1.8 liter engine has enough power to merge onto the freeway safely, though not enough for Saturday-night drag racing. The Astra's suspension is tuned for the rigors of curvy European roads, meaning it's nimble in accident-avoidance maneuvers. It comes with six airbags and antilock brakes as standard equipment; electronic stability control is a $495 option on base-model Astras and standard on the 3-door. And Saturn's no-haggle pricing policy makes for a painless dealer experience. All in all, the Astra is a great compromise between what teens want and what parents can feel comfortable with.

7. Smart Fortwo---- Research shows that the number of teen passengers in a car increases the chances of an accident -- so a two-seater like the Smart Fortwo makes sense. Statistics aside, the Fortwo is a smart choice (pun intended) -- it's inexpensive, good on gas, easy to drive, and comes packed with standard safety features, including front and side airbags, antilock brakes, and electronic stability control. Its 70 horsepower engine has enough power for merging onto the freeway but not enough to get young drivers into serious trouble. And it's so unique (and cute) that it's bound to do wonders for your kid's popularity. NOTE: If you live where it's windy, the Smart Fortwo isn't the best choice, as it gets blown around by crosswinds more than most small cars.

8. Subaru Impreza 2.5i---- The Subaru Impreza 2.5i first made this list in 2008 because it was (and still is) the only car in its class to offer standard all-wheel-drive (AWD), an important and oft-overlooked safety feature that helps the car grip the road whether the pavement is wet or dry. For 2009, Subaru has made the Impreza 2.5i even more appealing by making electronic stability control standard. Obviously, AWD and ESC are not substitutes for careful driving, but they drastically reduce your teen driver's chances of losing control in an emergency. NOTE: The Impreza 2.5i should not be confused with the Impreza WRX, STI, and 2.5 GT; these are fast, high-performance cars designed for older, more experienced drivers.

9. Suzuki SX4---- The SX4 first earned a place on this list because it was the least-expensive car to offer all-wheel-drive as standard. Suzuki has since expanded the SX4 lineup and now offers both front- and all-wheel-drive versions, but as of 2009 they have also expanded the availability of electronic stability control -- it's standard on the hatchbacks and optional on the sedans. And front-wheel-drive models include a standard navigation system. (Me, I'd go for the all-wheel-drive version; it's still remarkably inexpensive.) I like it because it's roomy and lots of fun to drive, although it's not as fuel-efficient as most cars this small.

10. Toyota Corolla---- If conservative clothes are more your teen's style, the Corolla is a good choice; its grown-up image will serve its driver well through high school, college, the job hunt, and the beginnings of a career. Fuel economy is excellent and the new 2009 version comes with six airbags and antilock brakes as standard, while electronic stability control -- a life-saving technology if there ever was one -- is a bargain at $250.

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