<p>I am now imagining a front yard with multiple crashed cars.</p>
<p>When we looked into a vehicle for our D last year, we had a difficult time finding a used 4wd/awd with enough airbags. We made the VERY stupid mistake of leasing an AWD Chevrolet Equinox. The vehicle is fine and safe, but as a new driver, she has dented the vehicle in “incidents” involving non-moving objects - which we will need to have fixed before turning it back in. The price seemed so good and she didn’t need much mileage. When we turn the Equinox in, we will definitely be looking at a used vehicle for our other kids. A little dent will not be a problem then. The Jeep Liberty seems like a popular and safe option.</p>
<p>I love my Forester - great visibility all directions. My husband finds it a little cramped in getting in and out. If your son is built like a linebacker he might find it tight.</p>
<p>DMD — we’ve been here for 15 years! My husband drives a LOT of miles and is putting 100K+ on a car in less than 3 years. The Tauri, as you may know, have a tendency to self destruct at 100K. We owned a bunch of them sequentially, as they were a decent car at a good price for what he was doing with them. And <em>he</em> had no problem parking on the street. Me – with babies and bags of groceries was not planning on sledding it all in. Hence the 4WD SUVs.</p>
<p>Most of those vehicles have left for the great junkyard in the sky … although a lot of them were towed out of here – some for snow and traction reasons! Currently driving the Infiniti and the X3, the Jeep is away at college.</p>
<p>My kids have economy cars ( which I drive most often while D is at college )
The fuel costs are what helped make the decision…don’t really need a 4WD or driving where we live.
We have a Scion XA…great cheap little car to drive and a 11 yr old VW Cabrio.</p>
<p>cnp: I didn’t mean your old junkers were in the front yard: I meant the crashed cars of everyone who came to visit you in snowstorms. Really.</p>
<p>There was one darling but dense teenager this winter who accidentally drove down the driveway … and couldn’t get her car out for three days! She was attempting to visit the neighbors … that would be the house 75 feet above us! They have a <em>level</em> driveway. It took all that time for the snow on the (plowed) drive to melt enough for her to be able to drive away.</p>
<p>“Isn’t the point of a teen’s first car to make it uncomfortable to carry passengers in the back seat? S1 is driving a Jeep Wrangler … speaking of uncomfortable back seats!”</p>
<p>A two door would also make using the backseat a hassle and discourage friends (distractions) from piling in.</p>
<p>we leased a 2008 Hyundi Sonata for our HS junior…it was $148 a month… less than $1000 down… last August… now, same car is $208 a month…or thereabouts… it is a very safe car…airbags etc… great warranties… and we live in snow country… gets great gas mileage… we are pleased with the choice… he loves it… has a fold down split seat accessible from the trunk, so things like Hockey sticks can be put in easily… significantly cheaper than a Subaru… and yet, very safe…</p>
<p>Volvo XC - you should be able to buy a 2001/02 model in that price range.</p>
<p>My sister and I both got used Saabs ('96 and '97) when we were around that age that have worked out well. (This was about four years ago.) We needed to get to/from school, jobs, and wherever else, and there’s no useful public transportation in my area. My dad looked for cars that were inexpensive, dependable, safe, and well-taken care of.</p>
<p>I have a Suburu Forester & ditto the great reviews above! Excellent crash test ratings, much better than SUVs on roll-over, wonderful gas mileage. Agree though, it can be a little tight if you are carrying a car full of big teenage boys/men.</p>