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22 Cars for Teen Drivers From MSN


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Washington DC March 13, 2009; The AIADA newsletter reported that when buying a vehicle, safety and reliability are important considerations. Teens and their parents should looks for cars with advanced safety features and good crash-test results.

Large pickups and SUVs are not recommended for young, inexperienced drivers because their high centers of gravity make them more prone to roll over than other vehicles.

Sports cars are also a poor choice for young drivers. They beg to be driven too fast and have a higher rate of accidents than other cars.

To help teens and parents make smart decisions at the dealership, MSN has compiled a list of 22 vehicles that are good picks for new drivers. Eighteen of them are international makes. Toyota topped the list with 5 vehicles.

The list is based on government and insurance-industry crash-test results, consumer surveys, and reliability ratings. Choosing a car for a young person will usually involve compromises between budget and desirable features.

The best bet is to buy the newest, most reliable model with the most safety equipment you can afford.

Complete list of MSN's best cars for teen drivers:

Acura RSXMazda 3 (with side airbags)
Mercury Milan
Ford Focus sedan (2003 or later)Pontiac Vibe (2006 or later)
Ford FusionScion tC
Honda Accord (4-cyl.) Subaru Impreza (not WRX)
Honda CR-V EX Subaru Forester
Honda Civic EX Toyota Camry (4-cyl.)
Honda Fit Toyota Corolla
Hyundai Sonata (4-cyl. 2006 or later) Toyota Matrix (2006 or later)
Hyundai Tucson Toyota Prius
Kia Optima (2006 or later) Toyota RAV4 (2001 or later, non-3rd row)

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Consumer Reports Teen Car Recommendations:

Choosing a car for a young person will usually involve compromises between budget and desirable features. The best bet is to buy the newest, most reliable model with the most safety equipment you can afford. If your budget can handle a newer car with multistage advanced front air bags, side and head-protection air bags, antilock brakes, and electronic stability control, so much the better. The assistance these systems can provide in an emergency situation can be especially beneficial to an inexperienced driver. Tremendous advances in crash protection have been made in the past 10 years. Check the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Web sites to see crash results for models you are considering. Both sites post results that go back to the 1990s.

Consumer Reports maintains reliability Ratings on our Web site going back eight model years. Check the Ratings for any car you're considering, but also keep in mind that every used car gets treated differently. The older a car gets, the more its care and maintenance history will affect its overall performance and reliability.

As with any used car, we recommend having it thoroughly inspected by a qualified mechanic before you buy.