Safe Cars For Teens II

Last year I wrote an article listing safety criteria and features that are key to choosing a car for the new and inexperienced driver.  While those points are still valid, I wanted to revisit the 10 models I suggested with regard to price. 

Given the global economic crisis and the overwhelming problems of the auto industry, I updated the average retail pricing information in my original blog.  I was surprised that any drops in prices from the 2005 models I reviewed to the 2006 prices were not as dramatic as I would have envisioned, with only a few exceptions. 

You may read the original, full article posted elsewhere in my blog, which not only provides critical decision-making criteria for your purchase, but gives links to the government crash and rollover testing and rating sites, where you can make your own safety evaluation of the potential vehicle purchase.

These were the same 10 models from the prior article, which consistently do well in all of the tests and consumer ratings for safety and reliability, as well as popularity with teens for looks and features like handling, sound systems, and opportunities to customize with cosmetic upgrades. We put together this list based on the results of the safety crash tests done annually by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and for the affordability of the vehicle’s cost as a 2- or 3-year old pre-owned vehicle (2006 coming off of manufacturer lease). Most are recommended in the 4-cylinder model (sounds sluggish, but they are actually quite peppy and handle well). If your teen is paying the bills he or she will appreciate the fuel savings of the 4-cylinder choice! The benefit of a car less than 5 years old is that most desired safety features are now standard.

1. Honda Civic – Honda consistently tops these lists of safety and reliability. The 4-door model received 4 and 5 star ratings. The 4-door Civic can easily be found with a 4-cylinder engine. Comfortable, reliable, sporty-looking, and affordable (which is a relative term). Honda is a mid-ranged priced vehicle as compared with the others on this list. Current average retail for the 4-door EX model is approx $15,000.
2. Honda Accord – Also available with a 4-cylinder engine, a perennially well-rated car for safety and reliability in both the 2- and 4-door models. Sporty looks have improved considerably over the years. Current average retail for the 4-door EX is approx. $16,500
3. Toyota Corolla – The 4-door model is well-rated and affordable with an average retail price of $11,500. The Toyota Avalon (also 4-door model) is also well-rated but cost about $5,000 or more than the Corolla.
4. Mazda 6 Hatchback – with Side Airbags, this is also a highly rated model for safety. The hatchback gives it a sporty look with a bit of interior room. Usually costs slightly less than the Honda Civic, in the average range of $14,000
5. Acura TSX 4-door with side airbags – 5-star driver front and side crash test, 4-star rollover test (2-wheel drive model). A higher-priced choice, at about $18,900.
6. Scion tC – very roomy coupe, 160-hp 4-cylinder, with other standard features like sunroof, 17-inch allow wheels and many safety features. A 3-door hatchback. Well rated, and reasonably priced. A Toyota product in the $14,900 range.
7. Volvo S40 – Volvo has always enjoyed a reputation for safety. On par with the Hondas for pricing.  Average retail is currently about $14,500. 
8. Pontiac G6 – the 4-door model is well-rated for mid-size cars. A 4-cyl model was newly available in 2006. Average retail cost is currently around $11,000.
9. Subaru Forester AWD – well-rated SUV, 4-cylinder turbo. The 2006 model is hard to find.  If you can, it should run approximately $15,000 retail.
10. Honda Pilot – Highly safety-rated, with Honda reliability. Good visibility, roomy interior without excessive exterior size. But a bit pricy for a first vehicle at approximately $18,000 current retail.

All of the vehicles that we chose to include on this list are the 2006 models, and none have any crash or rollover ratings less than 4 stars, which we feel is an important criteria for the inexperienced driver.

You can also print the NHTSA annual publication “Buying a Safer Car” which provides great detail about each model tested for that year, including safety features (the 2006 brochure is still available). This will give you a condensed list on which to make notes at home with your teen while narrowing down your search for the perfect vehicle for your needs.

Buying your teen a car can be a fun family experience.  Just don’t lose sight of the important safety factors and make an emotional decision.  Automobile crashes are the leading cause of death amoung teenagers.  So choose wisely and drive down that statistic. 

Happy Motoring!

Safe Cars for Teens

Many of our friends and acquaintances purchased new cars for their newly-licensed and very eager teen drivers. And some of those very inexperienced drivers wrecked the new vehicle. Not just a fender-bender, I mean rolled/crunched/wrapped around a tree. Miraculously injuries were minor, except to the wallet of the parent.

There is no way to avoid these accidents except by totally preventing the teen from driving. That, you may know if you have a teen, is not realistic. So you do the next best thing – buy your most precious possession something safe, to maximize the protection of both the driver and any passengers from serious physical harm.

I know that some of you are thinking, if you choose safe, your child will rebel because “safe” does not usually translate into “cool ride”. But you will be surprised to learn that the safest cars for teen drivers are also some of most desirable by the teen and their peers.

Many safety features in vehicles have become standard equipment, not upgraded options, in the past several years. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash-tests hundreds of cars annually to point out weaknesses to the manufacturers and lawmakers, resulting in the mandatory installation of these safety features in all of our vehicles.

So how do you choose the best vehicle for your teen driver? Here are some tips to narrow down the search:

1)     Choose a late-model vehicle – 5-years old or newer. These vehicles are usually equipped with both front and side airbags, anti-lock brakes, options for other safety features, and have higher front/side impact and rollover ratings in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests.

2)   Consider the experience level of your teen, and the overall driving needs. Will your teen drive to school and work? Will he or she also transport others?

• Bigger is not necessarily better! Studies show that the more passengers in the vehicle, the more distracted the driver. A lower-horsepower, mid-size sedan would be the optimum choice over a larger, higher-seating capacity SUV. SUVs are larger, higher and heavier than other vehicles, require longer “stopping distance” and in some cases have a greater propensity to roll over due to a higher center of gravity.
• The temptation to drive faster and engage in dangerous driving habits increase with horsepower, so a sports car would also not be an ideal choice as a first car.
• Convertibles tend to have a larger “blind spot” created by the necessary design of the cloth convertible top. Anything with less visibility is not a great choice for the inexperienced driver.
  The mid-size sedan will allow the teen to transport others appropriately, haul sports or band equipment for school functions, or carry tools and other work-related items comfortably.

3)   Insurance costs – this is going to be an eye-opener for most parents. Different model vehicles and various engine sizes will be assessed differently for the same teen driver by the insurance company. New cars will cost more to insure than used cars. 16-year olds have higher crash rates and fatality crash rates than drivers of any other age (boys are still slightly higher than girls). Ask your agent if there are any insurance discounts if your teen completes a driver-training program. Also inquire if certain safety and theft-deterrent/recovery features on the vehicle will lower your insurance costs.

4)   Warranties – many used vehicles carry the remainder of the factory warranty. Most used cars less than 5-years old will be eligible for an after-market warranty. This reliability will cut down considerably on the expense of repairs and maintenance, as well as increase the safety factor for the teen driver. As for the parents’ costs, did you know that most new cars depreciate 30% or more in the first two years? In the first year, some vehicles lose 15% to 20% of their value. So let someone else take the depreciation “hit” and consider a 2 or 3-year old vehicle.

Now that you have some criteria in mind, let’s look at some models that consistently do well in all of the tests and consumer ratings for safety and reliability, as well as popularity with teens for looks and features like handling, sound systems, and opportunities to customize with cosmetic upgrades. We put together this list based on the results of the safety crash tests done annually by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and for the affordability of the vehicle’s cost as a 2- or 3-year old pre-owned vehicle (2005 and 2006). Most are recommended in the 4-cylinder model (sounds sluggish, but they are actually quite peppy and handle well). If your teen is paying the bills he or she will appreciate the fuel savings of the 4-cylinder choice! Try to choose a car with side airbags if available. At SaferCar.Gov you can look up the NHTSA safety testing results for most vehicles each year. There are many highly rated vehicles each year (but would your teen rather walk than be seen driving a Mercury Grand Marquis? Puleeze!). And the larger vehicles will also be a strain on whoever pays the gas bills.

1. Honda Civic – Honda consistently tops these lists of safety and reliability. The 4-door model received 4 and 5 star ratings. The 4-door Civic can easily be found with a 4-cylinder engine. Comfortable, reliable, sporty-looking, and affordable (which is a relative term). Honda is a mid-ranged priced vehicle as compared with the others on this list.
2. Honda Accord – Also available with a 4-cylinder engine, a perennially well-rated car for safety and reliability in both the 2- and 4-door models. Sporty looks have improved considerably over the years.
3. Toyota Corolla – The 4-door model is well-rated and affordable. The Toyota Avalon (also 4-door model) is also well-rated but cost about $7,500 or more than the Corolla.
4. Mazda 6 Hatchback – with Side Airbags, this is also a highly rated model for safety. The hatchback gives it a sporty look with a bit of interior room. Usually costs slightly less than the Honda Civic.
5. Acura TSX 4-door with side airbags – 5-star driver front and side crash test, 4-star rollover test (2-wheel drive model). A higher-priced choice, over $20,000 for the 2005 model.
6. Scion tC – very roomy coupe, 160-hp 4-cylinder, with other standard features like sunroof, 17-inch allow wheels and many safety features. A 3-door hatchback. Well rated, and reasonably priced. A Toyota product in the $12,000+ range for a 2005 model.
7. Volvo S40 – Volvo has always enjoyed a reputation for safety. On par with the Hondas for pricing. If cost is not an issue, the Volvo S80 is one of the highest safety-rated passenger cars, but easily over $20,000 for the 2005 model.
8. Pontiac G6 – the 4-door model is well-rated for mid-size cars. A 4-cyl model was available in 2006. Surprisingly, average cost is over $16,000 for this car (not the GT model which is more).
9. Subaru Forester AWD – well-rated SUV, 4-cylinder turbo. A bit on the pricy side for a first vehicle, pushing $19,000 for a 2005 model.
10. Honda Pilot – Highly safety-rated, with Honda reliability. Good visibility, roomy interior without excessive exterior size. But again, over $20,000 for the 2005 model.

All of the vehicles that we chose to include on this list are the 2006 models, and none have any crash or rollover ratings less than 4 stars, which we feel is an important criteria for the inexperienced driver.

You can also print the NHTSA annual publication “Buying a Safer Car” which provides great detail about each model tested for that year, including safety features (the 2006 brochure is still available). This will give you a condensed list on which to make notes at home with your teen while narrowing down your search for the perfect vehicle for your needs.

Well. That’s a lot of data to digest. But considering the startling and sometimes tragic teen driving statistics disclosed annually by the Insurance Information Institute, it is definitely worth the time investment. Do the research because it is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life and the life of your teen.

Happy motoring!