Best Car for a New Driver?

SEE ALSO: CARZ4GIRLZ
SEE ALSO: Rank and Compare All Cars Sold in U.S.

Washington DC May 14, 2007; The AIADA newsletter reported that when Wall Street Journal reporter Joseph White set out to find the best car for his 16 year old daughter, he made some interesting discoveries.

For one, the first nine of his ten top picks, based on safety and dependability, were foreign makes.

For his list, he started by ruling out pickup trucks and SUVs. These vehicles, with their high centers of gravity can be dangerous for inexperienced drivers.

He also looked for larger cars with smaller engines, a safety must. Among the cars that stood out from the pack is the 2005 Honda Accord LX. It has five star NHTSA front crash ratings and four-star side-impact ratings.

A 2002 Volvo S60 also makes the cut. NHTSA gave it a four-star front crash rating, five star side. This brings up a good strategy for buying a teen a car – look for a used luxury car. You may pay about the same that you would for a much newer, mass-market brand model. And European luxury cars, such as the Audi A4, are equipped with side airbags and anti-lock brakes.