Free preview · from the dealership side of the desk
The first car most families consider for a new driver is the cheapest one available: a hand-me-down, a small older coupe, a $4,000 listing from a neighbor. Price matters, but it shouldn’t be the only filter. Teen drivers crash at much higher rates than experienced drivers, and the car decides a lot about how a mistake ends. One rule worth knowing now: electronic stability control is non-negotiable, and it’s been required on new US passenger vehicles since the 2012 model year.
The good news: safe doesn’t have to mean expensive. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) publishes a list of used and new vehicles for teens that meet specific safety criteria, including a curb weight over 2,750 pounds for used picks, which rules out many minicars. Below: the four principles, why midsize sedans and small SUVs are the sweet spot, features worth paying for, a two-car worked example, hand-me-down vs. buy, and how the dealer sees a teen-car shopper.
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In the full guide
- The four principles
- How the IIHS teen list works
- Size: midsize sedans and small SUVs are the sweet spot
- Features worth paying for
- What to check on a specific car
- A worked example: two cars, two years
- How the dealer sees a teen-car shopper
- Hand-me-down or buy?
- Your game plan
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