These Are The Best Cars For A Teen Driver

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The world isn't really built for kids to move astir successful anymore. With obscurity to spell and life progressively online, fewer teens than ever are getting their driver's license. But not each kids tin move down nan keys forever. Some teens are going to person to drive, truthful what benignant of car do you springiness a hardly grown bipedal ape pinch unhinged hormones and an underdeveloped brain? We asked you that very mobility earlier this week, and a bully chunk of you answered, a manual of course! 

OK Jalopnik readers, we get it; your kids are going to turn up right, knowing really to alteration their ain lipid and statement their ain gears.  Nearly 180 responses and a bully chunk of them mentioned a manual transmission, an action connected connection connected astir apt 10 percent of wide produced user cars connected connection complete nan past decade. Let's beryllium existent though; driving instrumentality is simply a spot of an affectation coming and, erstwhile your kids are grown and heavy into nan EV era, driving instrumentality will beryllium for illustration knowing really to tally a switchboard aliases a connection processor. Not that manuals won't exist, but it'll beryllium reserved for a prime fewer dorks (who will astir apt still beryllium moving astatine and reference this website.)

Besides manuals, you had different absorbing answers, astir of which progressive old, reliable and slow cars. Can't opportunity I tin reason overmuch pinch that take. Scroll done to spot what your chap Jalopniks recommend, and past make your parenting decisions accordingly. 

The Global Guy/Shutterstock

The champion car for a teen driver is nan car you've had for years anterior to them getting their license. The car they learned to thrust connected and are astir comfortable down nan instrumentality of. The car that while apt older you cognize each inch of, and each its work history and needs. The car that you don't person to bargain specifically for them. It's astir apt a applicable crossover, sedan, aliases possibly moreover a minivan, truthful astir apt not thing they're going to beryllium showing disconnected which is conscionable good but will beryllium applicable capable to get done precocious schoolhouse and college.

As a bonus, handing a car down to them intends you don't person to bargain 1 for them, you get to prime retired a caller car for yourself!

and

If you tin plaything it, astir apt nan family car that could guidelines to beryllium replaced. My CX-5 will beryllium 11 years aged erstwhile my kid's eligible for his driver's license, it's not perfect, but it's not immense aliases overpowered, and astatine slightest we cognize nan history of nan thing.

We're besides fortunate capable that he tin dangle connected transit to commencement (so, if he does get hand-me-down car, it's astir apt a fewer years later if he ends up location much car-dependent for post-secondary).

From Wantsamanuelalpharomero and Maymar

Jovan M/Shutterstock

A manual. My kids aren't getting adjacent an automatic until they tin thrust a manual.

and

"but why?"

"Because, if nan only point you study really to thrust is an auto, past each you tin thrust is an auto. If you study to thrust Stick, you tin thrust thing pinch wheels."

Paul R and Chase

Mazda

2nd gen (2009 – 2013) Mazda 3. Plentiful, affordable, reliable, and nosy to thrust without having excessively overmuch connected pat to get a caller driver into trouble. I tin besides verify they are safe. My woman and I bought a caller 2011 that she drove for a mates of years earlier it was totaled by a reddish ray runner driving a police-auctioned Crown Vic astatine ridiculous speed. She sewage t-boned correct successful nan driver's broadside and pushed into a inferior pole, wholly knocking it over. The segment was truthful gnarly each nan section news crews showed up. She walked distant without a scratch.

I conscionable realized that I still person an aged photograph successful my Google thrust of nan aftermath aft it sewage hauled to nan yard...

and

Currently school connected a 2017 manual hatch Mazda3. Wish braking capacity would beryllium a spot better. She really enjoys driving it and is proud to beryllium 1 of nan very fewer who is driving a stick!!

From Funky Dynamite and DLBedford

Volvo

I went for a Volvo V50 1.6D, because it ticks galore of nan boxes:

Volvo information (as demonstrated by nan first 1 which is, alas, nary longer pinch us)

ESP and galore airbags

far from fast, but not obnoxiously slow

excellent mileage

cheap parts (at slightest present successful Europe – by now changing a rear position reflector is for illustration fixing a puncture connected my bike)

small capable for metropolis parking

big capable for worldly erstwhile I request to get it

And they tin beryllium had for 3-4k pinch tons of life near successful them.

and

Outstanding choice. The S40 / V50 was built connected nan Ford Compact Platform, which is great. Those cars had a really bully roadworthy feel. I felt connected driving nan S40. Those legendary Volvo seats helped maine enactment focused arsenic well.

From Ara Can and Mister Sterling

Pontiac

My 17-year-old is successful my erstwhile Pontiac Vibe GT, manual.

Good visibility, remarkably reliable, and he's learning to thrust stick.

If money wasn't an issue, it would beryllium a caller Bolt, aliases moreover a Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid. Something businesslike capable and inexpensive capable that I don't really attraction really he bangs it up.

From potbellyjoe

My kids sewage stuck pinch a 2000 Ford Escort—manual transmission, nary radio. It forced them to attraction connected driving, really consciousness nan car, and (bonus!) location were nary distractions. The downside? They drove it into nan crushed and it yet shuffled disconnected to nan junkyard.

The upside? My girl now useful astatine a dealership, and whenever a stick-shift needs moving, they propulsion her retired of nan agency because nary of nan salesmen tin thrust one. So really, that aged Escort was her driver's ed, her assemblage course, and her occupation training programme each successful one.

For contrast, my first car was a rusty but rumbly '68 Impala pinch a V8. Basically a barge pinch 2 couches and one-wheel drive. It could fume nan correct rear tyre for half a artifact but had nan handling of a La-Z-Boy connected roller skates. Somehow, I survived it.

So my prime for a teen driver is simply a 10-ish-year-old, non-sports car pinch a hand-shaker. Something for illustration a 2015 Sonata, Corolla, aliases Civic pinch a stick. Safe, reliable, zero enticement to show off—plus it guarantees your kid won't beryllium texting, TikTok'ing, aliases blasting bad euphony while they learn.

From Papa Chris

Toyota

An aged Corolla. Cheap arsenic chips to tally and insure, and if it crashes...who cars. Get another. Also, nan kid tin study to wrench connected it – which is an basal accomplishment that is mislaid connected astir of today's kids. Also, prize if it is simply a manual – awesome mechanical anti-theft.

From ChaosphereVIII

Honda

I'm going a different attack here, present maine out. The conveyance shouldn't beryllium excessively ample for a caller driver of immoderate age, but particularly teens. I would besides really discourage a 4 door, arsenic we each cognize moreover if nan rule says they can't person anyone other pinch them but contiguous family and anyone complete 25, kids will still defy it. So a smaller 2 doorway should much easy discourage having much than 1 passenger. But I would besides for illustration my kid to beryllium capable to turn arsenic a driver, and understand nan relationships and dynamics of operating a vehicle, and car control. EVs are overmuch amended astatine control, but they are excessively jumpy to commencement pinch I would consciousness conscionable because of nan instant torque, nor would I want them to create a dense foot. So I deliberation a 2 doorway manual, that is slow enough, but challenging capable for my kid to decently study and not to conscionable neanderthal their measurement connected nan pedal, would beryllium nan cleanable car...I'm choosing nan Honda CR-Z. Good MPGs, pinch Honda information and reliability.

From Agon Targeryan

Mazda

My girl is almost 13, truthful I'm starting to scheme for her eventual driving career. I'd propose thing reliable from Japan, truthful I've been into nan Mazda CX-30s. They are attractive, not excessively fast, and reliable. You besides can't spell incorrect pinch a Honda CRV.

From Dan Gemmell

Nissan

I'm gonna propose what I sewage my teen – A Nissan Sentra.

Safe.

Compact.

Boring.

Fast "enough".

Reliable.

Great pricing pinch insurers.

Those are nan only words you wanna spot your kid driving.

From PLAN-B 77