DH and I are going to buy a car for our seventeen year old niece this summer. She graduates HS next year We have't bought a car for a teen in years. No sport car. I cringe when I see those tiny cars, they get crushed like a tin can in a fender bender. She isn't choosy at all but likes the new Volkswagon and Honda. I have been looking online at cars but of course they all claim to be the best ever. What car would you or have you bought for a teen?

I would never buy a new car for a teenager. Go for an older Volvo - they don't get much more solid than that.

As a teen my DD had a Ford Tauras because of the safety rating and the price (it was used). She traded it to my folks for a little 2 door Saturn that made many trips to college across state and all over. I worried about her in that car. Last summer she bought a 2009 Subaru Impreza. Said she needs a 4 door to haul her friends-true. Great gas mileage, great safety ratings and it has airbags everywhere. Oh-and the all wheel drive-she didn't have to chain-up to come visit us this winter. Although she is the champ at putting on chains-challenged her dad and gramps to a contest! LOL

well it depends on the teen....our oldest dd bless her heart is a careless driver. She's 22 and had 6 wrecks.....two of them I just found out about. Next dd is 20 and no wrecks...oldest dd is borrowing our vehicle right now. A 94 1 ton crew cab truck...that's after totalling a 98 chevy van we had just bought. I hopefully will be getting a new to me truck this week....guess who is NOT driving it? She can stay in the 94 truck or buy her own!

In 2002 we bought Honda Civics for our twin daughters. One is still driving hers and has never had any problems with it. The other was broadsided on the driver's side by a Lexus SUV who ran a red light. She walked away with no injuries other than bruises and cuts from the glass which shattered when hit. She now is driving another Civic and couldn't be happier with it.

I bought my two older kids their first cars. They were used vehicles and when I handed then the keys. I told them they were responsible for the extra in the insurance and maintenance as well as tags and I was to be paid in full the price I put down for the car. Also in the bargain was this.......
If they got a ticket, the car keys were to be given to me until the ticket was settled. If they got another one, the car was mine. And if it was totaled the insurance check was mine to repay any balance owed.

Worked like a champ.

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As a 28 year plus hospital volunteer, I've seen many teens brought in through ER due to car wrecks. Our own kids we made
help pay for their cars, insurance and repairs. They are all now solid citizens. One sister's kids who got everything handed to them are not quite the kind the rest of us would ever, ever lend a car key to!!
I'm with akrogirl, an older Volvo is solid. When we had our older car towed, the tow truck driver said that he had a Volvo for his wife to drive, because in his experience they held up better in wrecks.
In the last couple of weeks, we had two lovely young college girls killed in a car crash. No one hinted that they were talking on cell phones or texting, but teens are terrible about doing that!!

If you are determined to spend all that money on a niece, why not get the older car and put the rest into some college money for her? And suggest nicely that she get a job to pay insurance and maintenance? It'll make her grow up faster.

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If not a Volvo, then check out Consumer Reports.

I have a Subaru and they are the top rated for safety. THey hold theris value very well too.

I have a Honda Fit and it is an amazing car. I get 38 mpg around town 42 highway. The best I got was 52. I was alone, no air conditioner and driving the speed limit :)

It holds everything I have ever tried to fit into it. It has an extremely high crash test rating. It is cuter than heck, reasonably priced and very fun to drive. I just can't say enough good things about it!!

I included photos. I have this one in this color.

Let us know what you end up buying her.