Ah, we all remember buying our first car as a teenager. You never forget that sense of freedom owning your own vehicle gives you and the responsibilities that come with it, like giving your younger sibling a lift. But as a parent, you want to ensure that your child has chosen a safe model that won't instantly break down, and you no doubt have a budget in mind for your son or daughter.
Yes, teenagers may want a car that is fun to drive, but what is far less entertaining is dealing with accidents. Look out for cars that score well in safety tests, provide the most recent safety features and driver assists, like autonomous emergency braking, have a responsive engine, and agile handling. Sorry if that sounds like it is teaching parents to suck eggs, but it is a point worth making.
Motors suggests that the best vehicles for teens are smaller, compact city cars and superminis. This is because smaller cars are usually a lot cheaper to buy compared to other models on the market, like SUVs and estates. Furthermore, compact city cars and superminis tend to be easier to park, cheaper to run, fuel-efficient, cheaper to insure, cheaper to service, and fantastic for building driver confidence.
On that note, here are the best three cars for teenage drivers.
Why The Volkswagen Polo Is The Best Car For Teenagers
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It should come as no surprise that a Volkswagen model like the Polo has come out on top of numerous publications' 'best cars for teenagers' lists. Just look at it, and you can see that it really is the ideal first car. The Polo is not very fast, but if you are a parent anxious about their child getting home safely, that is probably not a bad thing.
The Volkswagen model is fitted with a 1.0-liter, 80 hp engine that should also make it cheap to insure - one less thing to worry about. Sure, this model is not exactly breathtaking in terms of its looks, but it features a well-built interior with lots of easy-to-use tech. If that is not good enough, consider buying an SE model, and you get a range of safety kit to give you that extra peace of mind.
The trunk is also spacious, providing 351 liters of room to put all of your stuff in - perfect for teens who want to embark on a getaway trip.
Why The SEAT Ibiza Is Also Great For Teenagers
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SEAT is a Volkswagen brand, and though the Ibiza does not quite top the Polo in terms of safety for teenagers, it is built on the German automaker's MQB A0 platform, which provides it with a range of safety, connectivity and luxury tech that is somewhat new to this sector. It has pedestrian detection with auto braking, adaptive cruise control, and wireless charging for mobiles. Even Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are included from the entry SE model. Parents should breathe a sigh of relief reading this.
There is so much space that those students who are excited about embarking on their first university trip can fit their whole bedroom in there. Indeed, it has 355 liters of space. And thanks to its sporty looks, many of your son's or daughter's mates will think they are pretty trendy driving such a car.
With all that space, the Ibiza is a very comfy car, with current models offering greater leg and headroom.
The Ford Fiesta - Why It Is A Great Model For Teens
The Ford Fiesta is one of the top choices of car for a new driver. It is kitted with an enhanced pedestrian detection that can prevent collisions at night. With teens stereotypically being considered a risk on the road at times, this feature will help reduce the chances of an accident taking place.
But most teens also love having their music on full blast, and the Fiesta features a premium B&O Play sound system, which includes eight premium audio speakers. One clever feature is its voice command intelligence.
All drivers do is say, 'I need gasoline' and the voice command intelligence system directs drivers to the nearest gasoline station. Parents out there will no doubt encourage their teenagers to use this system so that they do not have to worry about them breaking down somewhere.
And then the Fiesta has lots of space which is perfect for teenagers packing their trunks for holidays abroad with their buddies. Also, it is just such a nice car to look at.
Hopefully, this guide will help parents out there who are struggling to find the right car for their teenage drivers.